African and Nigerian 100m record holder Blessing Okagbare, would be aiming to go faster than her Season Best of 10.98s when she takes to the track this weekend against a strong field of Global medallists at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meet in Eugene, USA.
Eugene will host the third meet of the Diamond League series this year, and the women’s 100m will be a mouth-watering contest between athletes who won medals at the 2013 World Championships. Current world leader Elaine Thompson who defeated Okagbare in Jamaica, alongside home favourite Tori Bowie, are some other big names in the line-up. Interestingly, Bowie made her sprint breakthrough last year at this same venue,winning the women’s 200m and Okagbare coming second with a personal best of 22.23s.
Having defeated Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Shanghai, Okagbare would once again come up against the 2013 world sprint double champion. World number 4 Michelle Lee-Ahye will also be in action. 2013 double world silver medallist, Murielle Ahoure will also be in contention, having started this season very well, finishing 2nd in the 200m in Doha. Second fastest woman in history, USA’s Camelita Jeter and compatriot Tianna Bartoletta would also be in the line-up with Okagbare.
Other eye-catching events to watch out for include: men’s 200m which would feature five sub-20 sprinters. Alonso Edward who won in Shanghai would be up against 2014 fastest man Justin Gatlin, and also 2013 world bronze medallist Curtis Mitchell. 2014 Commonwealth Champion Rasheed Dwyer, who is the 9th Jamaican to run below 20s, will be in contention with his countryman Nickel Ashmeade, who is returning to defend his Prefontaine Classic title. Double Asian champion Femi Ogunode, will also be competing in the event.
The men’s 400m would see rivals, Grenada’s Kirani James and USA’s Lashawn Merritt, squaring up for a fourth time at the Eugene meeting. Last year’s race produced the most exciting finish in the meeting’s history as James edged Merritt with both clocking 43.97s just .05s shy of Michael Johnson’s meeting record of 43.92s. The race would also see African record holder Isaac Makwala, world silver medallist Tony Mcquay, never ageing Chris Brown who has competed at every Olympics and World Championships since 1999, Saudi Arabia’s Asian record holder Youssef Ahmed Mesrahi and teenage sensation Abdalelah Haroun of Qatar, all aiming for a win.
The women’s 400m is another race to keep an eye on. American record holder Sanya Richards-Ross, would have her work cut out facing a stacked field comprising of 2014 Indoor Champion Francena McCorory who defeated her in Doha. Reigning Diamond race winner Novlene Williams-Mills, Commonwealth Champion Stephanie Ann-McPherson and current 200m Olympic Champion Allyson Felix would all be competing as well.
The hurdles events would also produce some mouth-watering clashes with Bershawn Jackson, who would once again go up against world silver medallist Javier Culson, and 2014 Diamond Race winner Michael Tinsley in the men’s 400m hurdles. France’s Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, who notched up five IAAF Diamond League victories in 2014, would be making his 2015 Diamond League debut against American duo of David Oliver and world record holder Aries Merritt in the men’s 100m hurdles.
In the field events, second best high jumper in history, Mutaz Barshim, will face third joint best high jumper in history, Russia’s Ivan Ukhov. In Pole Vault, world record holder Renaud Lavillenie, who is making a return from an injury, would headline the event.
Photo Credit: photos.oregonlive.com
