by Alfonz Juck
Mutaz Barshim, photo by PhotoRun.net
Bohdan Bondarenko, photo by PhotoRun.net
Derek Drouin, photo by PhotoRun.net
EME News presented the Preview of the Bislett Games that we have below. Expect the High Jump to be amazing. There are big bonuses to break the 2.37m MR from Javier Sotomayer!
Green Bislett Games with high jump expectations
OSLO (NOR): Bislett Games are this year headlined by green approach and the meet is in this way the frontrunner for future. For example athletes will travel to the meet by special trams, no buses or cars will be used. Warholm´s debut and two Ingebrigtsen´s are the local headliners. Internationally top fields in men high jump (special for meet director Steinar Hoen) and women 800 m. Also De Grasse is looking for his career 10th legal sub 10 and Dafne Schippers for first sub 22 of the season. In discus for men and women together both olympic winners are competing. Special guest at the meet is legendary Edwin Moses.
Short previews
Men
100m – Jimmy Vicaut is the only sub-10 competitor based on season’s bests with 9.97 but he was beaten by CJ Ujah in Rome. Andre de Grasse is also returning to form with a good 200m win in Rome.
400m – Botswana’s Babolooki Thebe is the only athlete to break 45-seconds this year with 44.89. Line-up also includes Olympic finalist Matthew Hudson-Smith and Borlee twins Kevin and Jonathan and indoor king Pavel Maslak.
1500m – Elijah Manangoi headlines the field and is the fastest with a 3:31.90 season’s best. World lead is 3:31.34.
Dream Mile (U20) – Jakob Ingebrigtsen will be looking to improve his world age-16 best of 3:58.07.
400m hurdles – After setting a Norwegian 400m flat record of 44.87, how will Karsten Warholm fare against a top field on his season’s debut in the 400m hurdles? Rio gold and bronze medallist Kerron Clement and Yasmani Copello and in-form Mamadou Kasse Hann are other top names.
High jump – One of the fields of the night featuring the three Olympic medallists from Rio: Derek Drouin, Mutaz Essa Barshim and Bogdan Bondarenko. Hopes for MR and WL, currently both at 237.
Discus – In-form Andrius Gudzius faces a field of established names including Robert and Christoph Harting, Piotr Malachowski along with world-leader Fedrick Dacres.
Women
200m – After winning over 100m in Rome, Dafne Schippers is expected to dominate proceedings and aims to repeat last year win with first sub 22 of the year for her.
800m – Top three from Rio (Caster Semenya, Francine Niyonsaba, Margaret Wambui) are expected to dominate. World lead possible.
3000m steeplechase – Sofia Assefa arrives fresh from setting an Ethiopian record of 9:07.06 in Hengelo. European champion Gesa-Felicitas Krause could also challenge.
100m hurdles – Pamela Dutkiewicz will look to extend her win streak against a field including Olympic bronze medallist Kristi Castlin.
Long jump – Olympic champion Tianna Bartoletta competes but the best performer based on season’s bests is heptathlete Claudia Salman-Rath with 6.86m.
Pole vault – Olympic bronze medallist Eliza McCartney goes head-to-head with world champion Yarisley Silva.
Discus – Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic is fully expected to extend her win streak.
