Upload a Photo Upload a Video Add a News article Write a Blog Add a Comment
Blog Feed News Feed Video Feed All Feeds

Folders

 

 

What to Watch Friday at the London Diamond League

Published by
DyeStatPRO.com   Jul 23rd 2015, 2:28pm
Comments

Bolt, Farah, Harper-Nelson Headline Day 1 of Competition

By Scott Bush

The second-to-last stop on the IAAF Diamond League before a month-long break for the IAAF World Outdoor Championships takes the finest track and field athletes in the world to London, as the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games are a two day affair with Usain Bolt, Mo Farah, Jenn Suhr and Tori Bowie leading the way.

Bolt’s Chance to Prove Himself

The greatest sprinter in history has been far from his dominating self this season. While American Justin Gatlin continues to show the world he’s the man to watch in Beijing next month, Usain Bolt (JAM) has a chance to show fans and media he should not be discounted.

While Gatlin has run sub-9.80 seconds four times this season, Bolt owns a seasonal best of 9.90. Bolt may not have a chance to knock out a top tier mark on Friday, as the men’s 100m event has a semifinal and a final. However, the Jamaican has some very good competition in countryman Nesta Carter, American Michael Rodgers and Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut.

United States vs Great Britain in the 100m Hurdles

There are eight entries in the women’s 100m hurdles, five from the United States and three from Great Britain. How will the team scoring shake out?

On paper, the United States should dominate. U.S. champion Dawn Harper-Nelson, American record holder Brianna Rollins and the top two fastest women in the world this year Jasmin Stowers and Sharika Nelvis, along with Lolo Jones form Team USA.  The United States has seven athletes ranked in the world’s top ten, while Great Britain has two (Australian Sally Pearson is the other top ten athlete) in the top ten.

Great Britain’s trio of Tiffany Porter, Cindy Ofili and Jessica Ennis-Hill have the home country crowd behind them, but Porter lost to Harper-Nelson, Rollins, Stowers and Nelvis in Monaco last week, while Ofili is the least experienced in international competition of the bunch.

Regardless, this should be a fun country versus country battle.

Farah Seeks to Win Back Fans

When the allegations against Alberto Salazar and Galen Rupp came out earlier this season, Mo Farah jumped on a plane and headed back to Portland, leaving Great Britain in a bind, as their home country star left a couple days before he was set to compete in Diamond League action in front of thousands of diehard fans.

While Farah apologized after the fact, he has a chance to put on a show in front of Great Britain’s most ardent fans Friday in the men’s 3,000m. Farah enters the action as the pre-race favorite, especially after his 3:28.93 fourth place 1,500m effort in Monaco last week.

Farah’s chief competition should come from Ethiopian Yenew Alamirew, who ranks second in the world after his 7:36.39 effort in Monaco last week. Farah’s seasonal best of 7:38.22 may rank behind Alamirew, but his flash of 1,500m speed shows he’s ready to throw down a fast mark in London. He’ll find help from Nike Oregon Project teammate Suguru Osako (JAP).

An American quartet is also entered, as Bernard Lagat, Lopez Lomong, Chris Derrick and Peter Callahan are all entered. On paper, Lagat and Lomong have the best shot to finish well, but Derrick seeks to avenge a disappointing USA Outdoor Championships performance (where he was coming back from injury). Callahan is intriguing, considering he’s been more of a 1,500m specialist during college. However, if the pace is conservative, do not be surprised to see him challenging for top three over the final 400m.

Can Mutaz Essa Barshim Regain His Winning Form?

In Paris earlier this month, Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) placed a surprising fifth with a best leap of 2.29m, well off his 2.41 best set at the Prefontaine Classic in late May. Barshim has been a model of consistency over the past two years in the men’s high jump, which made his performance in Paris a head scratcher.

The reigning king of the high jump returns to action Friday, where he takes on a strong field, including USA champion Erik Kynard, American JaCorian Duffield and Italy’s Marco Fassinotti.

Kynard is Barshim’s toughest competition on paper, owning a seasonal best of 2.37m and seemingly getting stronger every time out. However, fans and the field must keep an eye on the young Duffield, who is the NCAA DII record holder in the event and qualified for Team USA with a best of 2.34m. Throw in Fassinotti’s runner-up and seasons best of 2.33m and you have the makings of a very strong field.

Battle-Tested Men’s 110m Hurdle Field Sure to Entertain

After a dominating world-leading performance of 12.94 in Paris back on July 4, Orlando Ortega (CUB) looks to continue building momentum as the IAAF World Outdoor Championships approach. Ortega has been tremendous in 2015, showing he’s ready to challenge for gold in Beijing. While he has the fastest time of the season, he faces a stacked field of talent, where his fellow hurdlers will race twice (semi and final) Friday.

The American quartet of Aries Merritt, Aleec Harris, Ronnie Ash and Jason Richardson each bring plenty of experience to the table, are all running well at this point in the season and for Ash, Harris and Merritt, it’s a good warmup for the World Championships.

Joining the mix, Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (FRA) has high hopes he can match or better his seasonal best of 13.06, which came in a winning effort at the Prefontaine Classic. After a late start to his season, Martinot-Lagarde continues to work on finding the consistency to knock off fields much in the same way he did in 2014.

While American David Oliver competes at the PanAm Games, the London field hosts six of the top ten fastest men in the world this season. The rounds add an extra element to the competition, but expect all six to be in the running for the win.    



More news

History for London Diamond League - London Athletics Meet
YearResultsVideosNewsPhotosBlogs
2024     1    
2023 1   4 269  
2022 1   3    
Show 13 more
 
+PLUS highlights
+PLUS coverage
Live Events
Get +PLUS!