by Alfonz Juck
Dina Asher-Smith won the 100 meters and 200 meters at European Athletic Championships, photo by Getty Images/ Berlin 2018
Shaunae Millerr-Uibo, undefeated over 200m and 400m in 2018, photo by PhotoRun.net
The Birmingham Diamond League is the 12th meeting of the 2018 Diamond League season. There will be some amazing events at the meet, and among them, will be Dina Asher-Smith and Shaunae Miller-Uibo in a totally stacked women’s 200 meters. Here is the preview, event by event from EME News, for the Birmingham DL.
BIRMINGHAM PREVIEW
Dina against Shaunae
BIRMINGHAM (GBR, September 18): Several new European champions aim to continue their form with the addition of many other world leaders as athletes try to secure Zurich or Brussels places in the last meeting before the finals. Highlights include Dina Asher-Smith versus Shaunae Miller-Uibo, 11 sub-10 runners in the 100m and Greg Rutherford’s farewell stadium appearance.
Event by event short previews
Men
100m: World No.1 Noah Lyles appears against world indoor 60m champion Christian Coleman and new European champion Zharnel Hughes. Two rounds are needed to accommodate 11 sub-10 athletes this season.
800m: New star Emmanuel Korir goes against recent European winner Adam Kszczot, with Elijah Manangoi and Jake Wightman stepping down.
400m: Fred Kerley, Isaac Makwala and Baboloki Thebe head a good line-up. Can Matthew Hudson-Smith challenge the ancient European record?
Emsley Carr Mile (non-DL): Chris O’Hare, Charlie Da’Vall Grice, Jakub Holusa should start favourites.
110m hurdles: Pascal Martinot-Lagarde seeks to add to his recent European Champs success against Orlando Ortega, Andrew Pozzi and, fastest in the field this year, Ronald Levy.
3000m steeplechase: The field includes eight of the best nine athletes in the world this year, including world leader Soufiane Bakkali, Benjamin Kigen and Conseslus Kipruto, the latter seeking a return to form, plus European champion Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad.
High jump: Mateusz Przybylko seeks to continue his good form after his European win.
Long jump (non-DL:): Greg Rutherford makes his penultimate competitive appearance before retirement against a field which includes world champion Luvo Manyonga and Zarck Visser with European champion Miltiadis Tentoglou.
Javelin: Thomas Rohler, Magnus Kirt and Andreas Hofmann are the main names.
Women
200m: One of the fastest fields of the year assembled and it has eight athletes with PBs average inside 22 seconds (the slowest 22.19). In-form Dina Asher-Smith battles against Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who is unbeaten this year.
1000m (non-DL): Laura Muir goes after Kelly Holmes’ British record of 2:32.55, having run 2:31.93 indoors last year.
1500m: Sifan Hassan and Gudaf Tsegay are favourites as Europe’s challenge is led by recent continental medallists Sofia Ennaoui and Laura Weightman.
3000m: The world lead should be threatened as the field is led by world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri and includes Agnes Tirop and Caroline Kipkirui.
100m hurdles (non-DL): European silver and bronze medallists Pamela Dutkiewicz and Cindy Roleder head the line-up.
400m hurdles: New European champion Lea Sprunger is in action against Commonwealth champion Janieve Russell, plus US force Shamier Little and Georganne Moline.
Pole vault: Recent European champion Ekaterini Stefanidi and world No.1 Sandi Morris head the field, which includes six athletes who have jumped 4.80m or higher this season.
Long jump: The three domestic European finalists, Jazmin Sawyers, Lorraine Ugen and Shara Proctor, line up against the athlete that beat them all there, Malaika Mihambo.
Shot put: Christina Schwanitz seeks revenge on surprise European champion Paulina Guba, as Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Olympic champion Michelle Carter also feature.
