Birmingham GP preview: Rudisha, Bondarenko vs Barshim, by Alfons Juck

David Rudisha, photo by PhotoRun.net

David Rudisha is running the 600 meters in the Birmingham. This is his first time racing the distance. ” I want to out in high 46 point or low 47 point for the 400 meters.”

Valerie Adams is going for her 55th straight win in the shot put. When asked what other event she would like to do. Jokingly, she noted, ” the marathon.” Actually, Valerie Adams and her sister played basketball as juniors.

Lots of great matchups in only a few hours!

Rudisha at 600 m, Bondarenko vs Barshim

BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium is the venue for the 12th stop on this year’s Diamond League. The SainsburyÂ´s Grand Prix is the last before the two final meets. David Rudisha will chase the 600 m world best. Bondarenko and Barshim clash again in the men’s high jump. Dibaba runs the 2 mile, the distance she set a World best in Birmingham during the indoors. Kiprop, Kiplagat and Souleiman will battle in the men’s mile.

Event By Event

Men

100m (non-DL): Rodgers looks for redemption after Stockholm DQ, Lemaitre after Euro disappointments. Carter won in Stockholm. Never rule out Kim Collins.

200m: A duel between Alonso Edward and Ashmeade. Ashmeade leads Edward in the DL race by 1 point. MR is 19.94.

400m: Commonwealth Champ Kirani James is clear favourite against African champ Makwaala, Euro Champs 1-2 Rooney and Hudson Smith and US champ Gil Roberts. MR is 44.49.

600m (non-DL): Rudisha makes a World best attempt (1:12.81). Euro Champ Kszczot is on form. US athletes Sowinski and Loxsom have 600m experience.

Mile: Kiprop and Kiplagat clash again. Souleiman, Wote, Cronje and Ingebrigtsen have all set mile NRs this season. Souleiman won the Eugene mile and the Dream Mile in Olso. MR of 3:52.10 should go.

2M (non-DL): Double Euro champ Mo Farah is joined by double Euro medallist Andy Vernon. The Kenyan challenge comes from Bett and Geoffrey Rono.

3000mSC: Birech is the DL winner, barring a disaster. Apart from Ndiku, all the top Kenyans are here, C Kipruto, E Kemboi, B Kipruto, P Koech and Yego; aswell as Euro Champ Kowal. MR of 8:19.72 will be no more.

HJ: Bondarenko and Barshim clash number 10 of 2014. Barshim fresh from a 241, Bondarenko with slight injury concerns. Drouin and Kynard fight for domestic supremacy. MR is 236.

LJ: Euro and Commonwealth champ Rutherford is the favourite. Torneus is the top placer here from Stockholm. Henderson is DL leader.

DT: The top 4 from Zurich battle again. Malachowski is the world leader, Harting the form athlete.

Women

100m: Starting with heats. Bowie is world leader and the big favourite. Felix will hope to repeat Stockholm win.

400m (non-DL): US Champs 3rd and 4th placers Hastings and Beard are the fastest this season. British hope for Ohuruogu win.

800m: World champ Sum looks for revenge over world leader Ajee’ Wilson for defeat in Monaco. Sharp is the British hope here.

2M: Genzebe Dibaba set the World indoor 2 mile best in Birmingham earlier this season, what can she do outdoors? Challenging is Eugene 2 mile winner Mercy Cherono and 2nd placer Viola Kibiwot.

100mH: Pearson will be fired up after DQ in Stockholm. Harper-Nelson needs a cleaner race. Harrison will want to repeat her win. Rollins looks for the form of 2013. Euro champ Porter looks for home win. Ali is there after good Warszawa win.

400mH: Spencer is in her own league. The top 4 fastest this year are entered, with US champs 1-2 Carter and Moline and Euro champ Child.

PV: Murer is unbeaten in her last 6 outings and is world leader. Suhr returns from her training injury. Stefanidi competes after Zurich silver.

TJ: Ibarguen is clear favourite with no Koneva or Saladukha in the field. Olga Rypakova returns from maternity leave.

SP: Adams is unbeaten since 2010. Euro champ Schwanitz will challenge.

JT: A Euro Champs re-run with the top 4 from Zurich as well as 6th placer Ratej. DL leader Spotakova is the favourite.

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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