With just three meets to the end of the 2015 Diamond League season, attention will this Friday shift to Swedish capital, Stockholm, for the last global meeting before the World Championships in Beijing. What better way to get ready for the Championships than having Double World Champion Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce, as the focus of the night, aiming to extend her lead in the 100m Diamond League standings.
The Jamaican National Champion with wins in both Eugene and Paris, running a World Lead of of 10.74s at the Meeting Areva, tops the standings alongside Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor in the Diamond Race contest. Having done three of the five fastest 100m times this year, Fraser-Pryce would be looking at recording another win on Friday.
There is a possibility that Fraser-Pryce could shatter the stadium record of 10.90, and with the times she has already posted this year, she could be setting a new Meeting Record in Stockholm. This will be a warning signal to her competitors that she is ready to defend her world title next month.
However, a respectable field comprising of American duo: Tori Bowie and Shalonda Solomon, Natasha Morrison of Jamaica and surprise entrant Carina Horn of South Africa, with a Season’s Best (SB) of 10.92s might just be in for some upsets.
The men’s 110m hurdle is another mouthwatering race to watch out for as it features elite athletes who are probable finalists in Beijing. World Champion David Oliver tops the Diamond League standings and he remains the favorite. Cuba’s Orlando Ortega, is another possible contender after his excellent performance at the Paris meeting where he dipped ahead of Oliver on the line to win in a Personal Best(PB) of 12.94s with the American following behind in 12.96s, while Russia’s Sergey Shubenkov was 3rd in 13.06s.
World Record holder Aries Merritt hasn’t had a good season so far with his SB of 13.12s but definitely won’t be a pushover. While, 2009 World Champion Jason Richardson, who came back to winning ways in London by defeating 2014 Diamond Trophy winner Pascal Martinot-Lagarde and Shubenkov are also strong contenders.
The absence of surprise leader Zharnel Hughes of Great Britain in the men’s 200m, gives room for the quartet of: Anaso Jobodwana; second on the Diamond League standings, 2009 World Championships silver medallist Alonso Edward of Panama, Jamaican Julian Forte and former European Champion Christophe Lemaitre, to stand a chance of winning all four points.
Commonwealth 400m hurdles Champion Kaliese Spencer, has gone unbeaten this year and will be aiming to continue her winning streak against a stacked field that consists of: Olympic silver medalist Zuzana Hejenova, USA’s Georganne Moline, African Champion Theron Wenda Nel and Denmark’s National Record holder Sara Petersen.
The field events won’t be left out of action on the night, as the women’s triple jump is a major focus with the duo of Olga Rypakova and Hanna Minenko, going all out to end the two-year dominance of Colombia’s Caterine Ibarguen. The 2014 Diamond League winner will be hoping to seal her second Diamond League trophy in three years.
After her second place finish to Michelle Carter in London last weekend, 2014 IAAF Female Athlete of the Year Valerie Adams, will hope to go a step higher this time around in the women’s Shot Put. To achieve this, the World Champion would have to be at her best against Carter once more and current world leader Christina Schwanitz of Germany.
As expected, there would be no Nigerian participant due to the National Trials that holds this weekend from Thursday July 29-Friday 30th in Warri, Delta State.
Photo Credit: www.panamericanworld.com
