by Alfonz Juck
Dafne Schippers, photo by PhotoRun.netGOLDEN GALA FLASH-BACK
ROME (ITA): Andre de Grasse is aiming to win three medals at the World Championships in London to replicate his Olympic accomplishments last summer. “For the London World Championships I am thinking about both events, the 100m and the 200m. But I have a bad start, I have to work on my start. This is why I compete more in the 200m. My aim is to get three medals, like in Rio, definitely. We have a strong relay team and I also hope to win a medal in London,” he said. It was his last 200 m before Canadian Championships early July.
ROME (ITA): Dafne Schippers is planning a full racing schedule ahead of the World Championships in London where she is aiming to contest both the 100m and 200m. “To get faster, I just need more races. The more starts I have, the faster I get. That is the key now on the way to London. I am preparing myself for both distances, 100 and 200 metres,” she said. Her next 100 m on Sunday in Hengelo at FBK Games.
ROME (ITA): Katerina Stefanidi’s next two competitions will be the Greek Championships and the European Team Championships in Lille.
ROME (ITA): Mariya Lasitskene will compete in the Monaco Diamond League on 21 July, informs R-Sport. “The organisers of the Diamond League in Monaco has confirmed Maria’s participation in the competition,” said her agent Olga Nazarova. Lasitskene will also compete domestically at the Zhukovsky Memorial on 16 June.
ROME (ITA): Sergey Shubenkov’s coach Sergey Klevtsov was pleased he lowered his season’s best to 13.21 in the Rome Diamond League but has said a lack of competition is preventing him from running faster, informs Sport Express. “There is a definite progress. The question is that, in my opinion, the lack of competitions in 2016 has led to the situation that Sergey is now really a beginner. Well, how could he be so slow to accelerate? I cannot understand it,” he said.
ROME (ITA): Aries Merritt achieved his first DL win since 2015 transplant. “It was a bit slappy – I just got off the plane after it was late from the States, just arrived 2 days ago and it is not a secret I am still jetlagged. I wanted to run much faster but in the end I am happy with the season best. I made many mistakes, hit a lot of hurdles today but my speed is getting better.” He added that he is at 80 – 90 percent of his speed work.
ROME (ITA): Colombian star Catherine Ibarguen since 2012 Olympic Games lost only twice until now. Last year at Birmingham DL to Olga Rypakova and on Thursday in Rome to Yulimar Rojas. “The shape is not so brilliant yet but i’m working to improve day by day. It’s not easy to be on the top for many years, younger competitors like Rojas are very strong but I think to be able to manage them and achieve some more important results,” she added.
