Samsung Diamond League visits Monaco today, by Walt Murphy, note by Larry Eder

Andrew Wheating, 08 US Trials, photo by PhotoRun.net.

The Samsung Diamond League visits Monaco today,  and there should be some astounding
competitions. My pick to watch? LaShinda Demus in the women’s 400 meter hurdles, and
Andrew Wheating running his first professional 1,500 meters!

I think that Demus is ready for AR attempt and that Wheating should add to his personal
bests this season, although he has had a very long season. He will have his baptism of
fire with the 1,500 meters today, and he should fare well. 

The
Samsung Diamond League continues today in Monaco.  For only $1.99, you
can watch a live feed on Universalsports.com, starting at 2pmET, at: http://tinyurl.com/232k6gy

Some key events
Men’s 400-hurdles–Bershawn Jackson, Angelo Taylor, Johnny Dutch
Women’s 400-hurdles–Lashinda
Demus is always a threat to break the 15-year old American Record of
52.61, set by Kim Batten while winning the 1995 World Championship
title. Demus came very close at this meet last year, running 52.63.
Men’s 1500–A
strong U.S. contingent of Bernard Lagat, Leo Manzano, Lopez Lomong, and
Andrew Wheating face a loaded field that includes Kenyans Nicholas
Kemboi, Augustin Choge, and Daniel Komen. Wheating beat the other
Americans in the mile at the Pre Classic and, even though he ran a
personal best of 3:51.74, felt he coud have run faster.
Women’s 100-hurdles–Lolo
Jones against the usual loaded field–fellow Americans Ginnie Crawford
and Danielle Carruthers, Australia’s Sally Pearson, Canada’s Perdita
Felicien, and Jamaica’s Delloreen Ennis.
Women’s 800–The
U.S. is on fire in this event. Alysia Johnson ran a personal best of
1:57.85 in Italy last Sunday, NCAA Champion Phoebe Wright ran 1:58.22
at Pre, and Anna Pierce and Maggie Vessey, who were world-ranked #2 and
#6, respectively, in 2009, have both been under 2-minutes this year.
They’ll face Jamaica’s Kenia SInclair and Morocc’s Halima Hachlaf.
Women’s 100–Two of the world’s best go head-to-head….Carmelita Jeter vs Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown.
Men’s 800–Nick
Symmonds against Sudan’s Abubaker Kaki, who has run 1:42.23 this year,
and South Africa’s Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, the 2009 World Champion.
Men’s 110-Hurdles–David
Oliver is on a roll–he tied the American Record of 12.90 at the U.S.
Championships, then broke it with his 12.89 in Paris.last Friday.
Men’s 200–Can Tyson Gay improve his personal best of 19.58?
Women’s 3000–Shannon
Rowbury, the bronze medalist in the 1500 at last year’s World
Championships, tries her hand at this longer distance. She ran 8:47.18
during this past indoor season.
Men’s Long Jump–Dwight Phillips and Panama’s Irving Saladino resume their great rivalry.
Women’s Javelin–American Record holder Kara Patterson against World Record holder Barbora Spotakova.