A round-up of some of the latest news from the world of the sport, including a look ahead to the IAAF World Indoor Tour meeting in Torun and a report on the second night of Coles Nitro Athletics action
Genzebe Dibaba wants another record
After breaking the world 2000m record in Sabadell, Genzebe Dibaba will aim to break her world indoor 1500m record of 3:55.17 at the IAAF World Indoor Tour meeting in Torun on Friday evening.
“I’m in very good condition so I believe that I can beat the world record,” said Dibaba, who has requested the pacemaker to pass through the 800m mark in 2:06.
Adam Kszczot will be aiming to extend his unbeaten streak over 800m where he will face Karlsruhe winner Erik Sowinski, home favourite Joanna Jozwik goes head-to-head with Marina Arzamasava in the women’s 800m, while Silas Kiplagat and Elijah Manangoi are set to go head-to-head in the 1500m.
In the sprints, Orlando Ortega faces Frenchmen Pascal Martinot-Lagarde and Garfield Darien in the 60m hurdles, world indoor champion Barbara Pierre faces in-form Gayon Evans and world under-20 record-holder Ewa Swoboda in the 60m flat and Britain’s Imani Lansiquot is in action, while world and European indoor champion Pavel Maslak goes head-to-head with Olympic finalist Bralon Taplin in the 400m. Britain’s Ojie Edoburun, CJ Ujah and Reece Prescod are also among the 60m entries.
Fresh from a 2.33m PB in Banska Bystrica, Sylwester Bednarek will be looking for back-to-back wins in the high jump, while Lisa Ryzih and Nicole Buchler are the top names in the pole vault.
Elsewhere, European champion Patricia Mamona will be looking for her third win of the IAAF World Indoor Tour in the triple jump, Ronnie Baker and Jasmin Stowers are the favourites in the non-scoring 60m flat and 60m hurdles while 400m hurdles specialists Sara Petersen and Shamier Little go head-to-head in the 400m flat.
Mo Farah to race 10,000m in Ostrava
Reigning world and Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion Mo Farah will race over 10,000m in the Ostrava Golden Spike on June 28, informs organisers. At a press conference which was supported by Czech Tennis FedCup team playing this weekend against Spain in Ostrava, it was confirmed that the 10,000m will be staged at the IAAF World Challenge meet for first time since 2004 when Kenenisa Bekele achieved a world record 26:20.31, still the second best time ever.
Farah will compete for second time in his career at the meet after running 5000m back in 2008.
“I’m pleased to announce my participation in the Emil Zatopek Memorial 10,000m at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava on June 28,” said Farah in a statement. “It will be my first time to compete in a track 10,000m race in Europe outside a major championship.
“I know other athletes ran fast in Ostrava in the past and I hope the weather conditions will be conducive to a good performance. My major focus for 2017 is the IAAF World Championships in London and this will be a good opportunity to run fast before then.”
Bolt All-Stars win on night two
The Bolt All-Stars have won the second round of Coles Nitro Athletics Melbourne at the Lakeside Stadium following a lengthy delay and review of a drama-filled final 4x100m event.
Usain Bolt helped his team to victory in the mixed 4x100m relay in the last event of the night, while Team Australia were judged to have made the second baton exchange outside the changeover zone. For that relay Australia received -10 points, making their total for the night 895 – just short of the Bolt All-Stars who finished on 930 points. That was the team’s second win of the series before the sell-out final on Saturday.
Now the All-Stars take a lead into the final night, where double points are on offer in the final standings.
“If we need to do it I’ll probably run the 150m,” said Bolt.
Earlier in the night, Team Australia sprinter Morgan Mitchell came home strong in the mixed 2x300m relay to win in front of a partisan home crowd of 6722 and a roaring packed home straight. Chinese Ze Gao won the 60m in 6.67 (+0.8), Joseph Millar the 100m in 10.30 (+0.4), with Jarrion Lawson fifth in 10.51.
Hamish Peacock threw 82.12m in the javelin. US Jenna Prandini clocked 7.27 (-0.8) in the 60m and Jamaican Natasha Morrison 11.57 (0.0) in the 100m.
ISTAF Indoor in Berlin
World leader Piotr Lisek will go head-to-head with Olympic champion and last year’s winner Thiago Braz in the pole vault at the ISTAF Indoor in Berlin on Friday evening. The line-up includes three more global champions: past world champions Raphael Holzdeppe and Pawel Wojciechowski and former world indoor champion Konstadinos Filippidis.
Olympic champion Christoph Harting goes head-to-head with world champion Piotr Malachowski in the traditional indoor discus, while Ivana Spanovic makes her season’s debut in the long jump against home favourite Alexandra Wester.
On the track, Kim Collins will face Yunier Perez and former European 100m champion James Dasaolu in the men’s 60m while Rebekka Haase faces in-form Olesya Povh and Olympic finalist Marie-Jose Ta Lou in the women’s 60m.
The men’s 60m hurdles should be a European clash with Balazs Baji and former European indoor champion Petr Svoboda the leading names but the best event on the track is the women’s 60m hurdles featuring Sally Pearson, Alina Talay, Cindy Roleder and Christina Manning, the fastest this year at 7.89.
Rio pole vault medallists at Pre
The three medallists from the Rio Olympics are set to resume their rivalry at the Prefontaine Classic, the Eugene IAAF Diamond League on May 27, informs organisers.
The field is headed by Olympic champion Thiago Braz along with silver and bronze medallists Renaud Lavillenie and Sam Kendricks.
Lavillenie cleared 6.05m in this meeting in 2015 and will be aiming for an unprecedented eighth successive Diamond Trophy this summer. The line-up also includes reigning world champion Shawn Barber, Poles Piotr Lisek and Pawel Wojciechowski, former world indoor champion Konstantinos Filippidis and Czech Republic’s Jan Kudlicka.
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