RETURN OF YELENA, WOMEN 100 M DUEL, LOADED FIELDS IN MEN 400 M AND LONG JUMP

SHANGHAI (CHN): Second IAAF Diamond League meet of the year in Shanghai is offering the return of Yelena Isinbayeva, top duels in women 100 m and women 5000 m and olympic finals style line-ups in men 400 m and long jump.

Event by event preview

Men

200 m: 200 m specialists Martina, Spearmon and Weir against 100 m guns Gatlin and Patton. First sub 20 of the year?

400 m: One of the top fields of the day with all 3 olympic medalists (James, Santos, Gordon) against 2008 Olympic winner Merritt and European elite (J. Borlee, Maslak).

1500 m: Replay from Doha? Kiprop most probably ruling. Will he be able to improve his own world lead 3:31.13 and meet record 3:31.42.

Steeple: First big steeple of the year. Kipsiele Koech, Brimin Kipruto, Abel Mutai and world junior champion Conseslus Kipruto. World lead for sure, meet record will be tough (8:02.38).

110mH: US elite is here (Merritt, Oliver, Richardson, Porter). Against them Eurochamp Shubenkov, unfortunately home hero Liu Xiang is injured. World lead 13.17 is expected to go.

HJ: Doha field comes back with sensation winner Bondarenko and olympic medalists Barshim and Grabarz.

LJ: This
is great line-up after long time all together, the super experienced Phillips with Saladino against Watt and London winner Rutherford. From Africa Makusha returning after long time and crocodile jumper Mokoena. Not to forget Menkov. We should see the best jump of 2013 (so far 829).

DT: Kanter vs. Malachowski is the top duel, or somebody from behind?

JT: Vesely wants to repeat his win, Thorkildsen, Pitkamaki, Walcott waiting behind. Surprise could come from Tarabin. Under threat WL 86.40 and MR 86.11.

Women

100 m: The duel of the evening. Double olympic winner Fraser-Pryce vs. world champion Jeter. Okagbare waiting behind in top shape.

800 m: African favorites, but what is their shape: Jepkosgei, Niyonsaba. But first sub 2 of the year should be registered.

5000 m: Ethiopian clash: olympic winner Defar versus in-shape Genzebe Dibaba.

400mH: First sub 54 expected from Hejnova, the shape of Demus and Spencer not yet at the high.

PV: Return of Yelena. What is her shape. Not to forget season opener also for Spiegelburg who also passed indoors.

TJ: Saladukha against Ibarguen, they should break the world lead 14.37.

SP: Expected home win here for Gong Lijiao. Schwanitz is opening her season.

MORE IAAF DL NEWS

SHANGHAI (CHN): Pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva returns to competition on Saturday after long break since London Olympic Games. She said before the Diamond League in Shanghai she feels in better shape than ever ahead of the outdoor season and believes she can still add a few more world records to the 28 she has set so far in her career. “It’s hard to
say what I’m going to do after the World Championships,” she said. “I did think the 2013 season would be my last, but at the moment I want to see how it goes. It all depends on my performance in Moscow.”

NEW YORK (USA): With nine days until the adidas Grand Prix takes over Icahn Stadium for a day already brimming with some of the top track-and-field talent in the world, nine Olympic gold medalists or World Champions have been added to the lineup. Making her season debut will be Sanya Richards-Ross, who in 2012 capped the best season of her career with an Olympic gold medal at 400 m. She will face Amantle Montsho and Christine Ohuruogu. Christian Taylor, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist and 2011 World Champion, and Phillips Idowu of Great Britain, the 2009 World Champion will be in the triple jump. Reese Hoffa against Ryan Whiting in shot put, Nancy Lagat versus Abeba Aregawi in the 1500 m. In the women 100 m Tianna Bartoletta with Kelly-Ann Baptiste and Hagos Gebrhiwot in the men 3000 m and possible world junior record attack.

SHANGHAI (CHN): Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce likewise spent a fair amount of time talking about Carmelita Jeter’s presence in the women’s 100m, a titanic battle to set the scene for what lies ahead this year. As for David Beckham, whose retirement from football was announced. Richardson commented: “I’ve never spoken to David Beckham, I’ve never seen David Beckham but it is my hope one day to be like David Beckham.” AriesMerritt was even blunter, echoing Richardson’s experiences on never meeting, nor seeing the soccer star during his time with LA Galaxy, but admitting that he would like to be like him one day.

LASHMANOVA IS THE TOP NAME

DUDINCE (SVK): The biggest number of athletes at the 10th European Cup in Race Walking in Dudince, Slovakia on 19 May(www.dudinskaatletika.sk) is interested in men´s 20km race. In total 281 walkers from 27 countries are entered. Men 20 km has 75 walkers and 18 teams, the 50 km 50 and 10 teams and in women 20 km 58 walkers and 12 teams. Top stars are reigning olympic gold medalist Yelena Lashmanova, French European 50 km champion Yohan Diniz, Russian current world leader Pyotr Trofimov in the 20 km. In the Russian women team also former world record holder Yelena Sokolova and 2010 European silver medalist Anisya Kirdyapkina. In the junior categories at 10km we will see 52 men and 18 teams, as well as 46 junior women and 15 teams.

SAM PV RECORD

UBERLANDIA (BRA, May 16): Brazilian Athletics Tour continued with second meet in Minas Geiras region. Top results by Brazilian pole vaulter Augusto de Oliviera who cleared in first attempt 581, new South American record by 1 cm. It was also one of several meet records. Another one in the men 200 m by relay olympic winner Michael Mathieu of Bahamas 20.38 (-0.4) just edging Brazilian top sprinter Bruno de Barros 20.39 (he won the 100 m in 10.22, -0.3). World indoor champion Mauro Vinicius leaped to good 814 (+0.2) in the long jump. South American shot put record holder German Lauro from Argentina won his event with 20.20. Other Brazilian winners Ronald Odair in discus 61.09 and Jonatan Henrique 16.77 (-0.5) triple. In women events Jamaican Patricia Hall clocked fast 22.67(0.0) to win the 200 m ahead of US Chauntae Bayne 22.86. US wins for Latosha Wallace in the 400 m hurdles 56.10 and Mikele Barber 11.26 (+0.2) in the 100 m as the fresh South American record holder Ana Claudia did not run. Bahamian Bianca Stuart was the best in the long jump 667 (+0.3) with 2008 Olympic winner Maurren Maggi fifth 620 (-0.6). Geisa Arcanjo won the shot put 18.04 just over Colombian Claudia Lemos 18.03.

OTHER NEWS

SINGAPORE (SIN): Singapore’s Ng Ser Miang has officially confirmed he is putting himself forward as a candidate to replace Jacques Rogge as President of the International Olympic Committee. Informs insidethegames. The announcement from the 64-year-old here today in the French capital was made at the location where Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Modern Olympics, held the historic Olympic Congress in 1894 in a gathering that led to the revival of Games in Athens two years later in 1896.

GOTZIS (AUT): The Austrian top heptathlon talent Ivona Dadic underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. She will so miss the top Austrian combined events meet in Gotzis. She is currently living in England and is coached by Toni Minichiello, the coach of Jessica Ennis.

NAIROBI (KEN): Athletics Kenya annual elective general assembly formally approved Isaiah Kiplagat for a fourth term as President, an exercise that locked out long serving treasurer Joseph Kinyua. The four-hour long exercise was the first elections held under AK’s new constitution that scrapped the post of Secretary General, formerly held by David Okeyo who was voted in as one of the four Vice Presidents alongside General Jackson Tuwei and Paul Mutwii. Fatma Abdalla, who served as the Director of volunteers during the 2007 World Cross country Championships clinched the female Vice Presidents seat and David Miano who ousted Kinyua for the powerful treasurers post, were the only new faces in the top hierarchy of the Athletics body. The Public Relations officer’s post was closely contested with Evans Bosire (31) locking out Peter Angwenyi(30), who served as the press liaison officer the London 2012 games by just one vote. Kenyan media are informing.

HENGELO (NED): Organizers have confirmed that Dutch top throwers Rutger Smith and Erik Cadée will be present at the FBK Games (IAAF World Challenge) on June 8. Smith is set to take on some of the world’s best shot putters, while Cadée has opted to compete in the discus.

PARIS (FRA): Some of France’s best athletes are set for this weekend’s interclub competitions. Main athletes competing in different events for their clubs are Teddy Tamgho (triple jump and 100m), Antoinette Nana Djimou (100H and javelin), Damiel Dossevi (pole vault), Christophe Lemaître (100m), Véronique Mang (100 m), Amy Mbacke Thiam from Senegal (400 m).

REHLINGEN (GER): German meetings season starts on Monday at the 49th edition of Rehlingen „Pfingstsportfest”. From German stars long jumper Christian Reif, high jumper Ariane Friedrich, pole vaulters Bjorn Otto with Raphael Holzdeppe. In women pole vault Czech European champion Jirina Svobodova is jumping against German group headed by Lisa Ryzih. In javelin Christina Obergfoll against Linda Stahl. Moroccan sensation Zakaria Maazouzi (3:31.95 at home) is in men 1500 m.

INNSBRUCK (AUT): US long jumper Funmi Jimoh will be the headliner of 9th Golden Roof Challenge in Innsbruck on June 1. The square jumping will also have Czech olympic finalist Jan Kudlicka as favorite of men pole vault.

CAPE TOWN (RSA): Agencies are informing that South Africa’s anti-doping body says Russia’s Natalia Volgina tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid Metenolone after winning the Two Oceans Marathon in March. She is so facing a two-year ban and be
ing stripped of her title and 27 000 USD in prize money if she is found guilty of the doping offense by the IAAF.

GABORONE (BOT): The 400 m world champion Amantle Montsho wants to improve her best time this year. The Botswana athlete aims to clock sub 49 seconds and succesfully to defend her title from Daegu in Moscow.

BUCURESTI (ROU): Former European Champion in high jump Monica Lagar was called back to work on behalf of Romanian Athletics Federation to work as athletes manager. She is also organising competitors for the International Championships in Bucuresti on June 7.

WIESBADEN (GER): German discus elite will compete on Sunday at Wiesbaden Throwing meet. In men competition as already informed the season opener of olympic winner Robert Harting. In the field also Martin Wierig, Markus Munch and Daniel Jasinski. In women competition the home favorite Nadine Muller with Julia Fischer and Anna Ruh. As foreign guest world champion Li Yanfeng from China.

LEVERKUSEN (GER): The 3rd Nerius Cup in javelin will have home stars Linda Stahl and Katharina Molitor in Leverkusen on June 7. Against them Chinese Li Zhang.

NAIROBI (KEN): Double world marathon champion Abel Kirui revealed that he is currently out injured and will only wait for another two weeks to assess himself ahead of the Worlds. “I got an injury which ruled me out for six weeks but I am hoping it will have healed in time for Moscow,” said Kirui. “I have a programme on some light exercises including gym work and cycling.”

RESULTS

NAIROBI (KEN, May 16): World half marathon champion Wilson Kiprop tested his fitness level after winning the men’s 10 000m race of the Kenya Prisons National Championships at Nyayo Stadium in 28:19.2. Second Charles Cheruiyot 28:20.6 with John Mwangangi third after clocking 28:44.8.

TUCSON (USA, May 16): Good throws at Tucson Elite meet. Jessica Cosby Toruga came close to her US women hammer record with 73.58. In women discus standards for Gia Lewis-Smallwood 62,31 and Aretha Thurmond 62.21. Kurt Roberts got 20.98 in shot put and Joe Kovacs 20.82. In men hammer AG Kruger 76.12.