The world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, would surely be the centre of attraction at the Adidas Grand Prix in New York as he makes a comeback to the stadium where he set his first ever 100m World Record (WR) of 9.72s in 2008.
The presence of the Meeting Record (MR) holder has generated a lot of of buzz ahead of the competition as he competes in the 200m, against a field which include teammates Rasheed Dwyer and Julian Forte, 2014 Diamond Race winner over the event, Alonso Edward of Panama and training partner, Zharnel Hughes of Anguilla.
The multiple Olympic Champion will be pushing for a new Season’s Best (SB) and would aim to go under the 20s mark for the first time this year, with he’s current time being the 20.13s he achieved at the IAAF World Challenge in Ostrava.
Another event to keep an eye on is the men’s 100m Hurdles, which has the presence of six Americans. World Champion David Oliver would be the favourite to win ahead of teammates Aleec Harris and Jason Richardson. However, Cuba’s Orlando Ortega would be his strongest competitor as they are currently tied with the same SB of 13.14s.
The Jamaican trio of Nickel Ashmeade, Nesta Carter and Kemar Bailey-Cole would be going all out to stop current world N0.3, USA’s Tyson Gay. The 2007 World Champion has already won a Diamond Race this year, running a fast 9.88s to win at the Eugene meeting.
The women’s one lap event would see the two top Diamond Race leaders USA’s Francena McCorory and Jamaica’s Stephanie Ann-Mcpherson going head-to head against each other again. McCorory, already has the edge of beating her in all their Diamond Races and being one point ahead, but McPherson’s victory in Rome might just be her needed confidence to go all out in New York.
Their strongest competitor in the line-up would be Bahamas Shaunae Miller, who currently occupies the N0.4 spot on IAAF ranking with her PB of 50.17s.
Kenya’s David Rudisha would headline the 800m as he makes a comeback after pulling up injured in the 600m in Ostrava, and had to withdraw from the Birmingham meeting. The world record holder would try to equal or surpass his MR of 1:41.74 which was set in 2012.
World Triple Jump leader, Pedro Pablo Pichardo has been in record breaking form since the beginning of the 2015 season. The 21-year old Cuban has broken the MRs of all the Diamond League meeting he’s competed in this year.
Starting in Doha, Pichardo jumped to a new Diamond League Record (DLR) and PB of 18.06m before improving on his PB few days later to 18.08m in Havana. At the Rome meeting, he made mincemeat of Jonathan Edwards MR of 17.60m by jumping 17.96m.
This time around, the World Championships Silver medallist would be going for Teddy Tamgho’s MR of 17.98m, but would be challenged by Olympic Silver medallist Will Claye, who currently has an SB of 17.50m.
At least FOUR Nigerian athletes are expected to participate in the New York Diamond League. African 100m women’s champion, Blessing Okagbare will be competing in the 200m for the first time this year.
She will be joined by national Triple Jump champion, Tosin Oke, Nigeria’s record holder in the women’s High Jump, Doreen Amata and national athlete in the 400m Hurdles, Miles Ukaoma.
