2019 Shanghai DL Diary: Sydney McLauglin to race May 18 in Shanghai

SHANGHAI (CHN): The four fastest sprinters in the world last year will go head-to-head on Saturday 18 May in a bid to win the men’s 100m at the Shanghai Diamond League. Christian Coleman against Su Bingtian and British Reece Prescod. With more US presence Ronnie Baker, Noah Lyles and Mike Rodgers. The women’s 100m line-up is no less impressive with Jamaica’s double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson racing against Marie José Ta Lou and Michelle-Lee Ahye. The field also includes Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor from Nigeria and US Aleia Hobbs, Jenna Prandini and Ashley Henderson. The Shanghai 400m races are equally strong with world silver medallist, Steven Gardiner, looking to repeat last year’s victory in the men’s race against Qatar’s world bronze medallist, Abdalelleh Haroun, and the man he pushed into second in 2018, Isaac Makwala of Botswana. Akeem Bloomfield was one of the others and the Jamaican will also be in contention along with compatriot Nathon Allen and US trio Nathan Strother, Michael Cherry and Fred Kerley. In the women’s one-lap race, Bahrain’s world silver medallist Salwa Eid Nasser, takes on Poland’s European champion Justyna Swiety-Ersetic and teenage hurdles sensation, Sydney McLaughlin in her pro IAAF Diamond League debut. She’ll be joined by fellow US sprinters, Shakima Wimbley and Jessica Beard, while world and Olympic finalist Stephenie Ann McPherson goes for Jamaica.