Bolt leads the stars in Brussels

Samsung Diamond League reached her end. Final meeting for this season will be held in Brussels on Friday evening. We may have the opportunity to see world class athletes for the last time this season, until preparations and indoor meetings in a few months from now. 

Unlike other Diamond meetings, we'll be shorten for the presence of some world and Olympic champions, but the list of stars assures us that we can expect high performance events. Of course, the main star of the evening will be the world's fastest man - Usain Bolt.

In men's events, excitements can be expected in 100 and 200 meters events. List of stars for the 100 meters event is lead by Usain Bolt, then Carter Nesta (JAM), Ryan Bailey (USA) and former world champion Kim Kollins (SKN). The 200 meters event will have Bolt's training partner Yohan Blake as first favourite, then Christophe Lemaitre (FRA), Warren Weir (JAM), Nickel Ashmeade (JAM) and Jason Young (JAM). 

In 110 meters hurdles, three athletes will face for the first place - Jason Richardson, David Oliver and Arries Merritt (all USA). 400 meters event will have the presence of Belgium twin brothers Kevin and Jonathan Borlee, Angelo Taylor (USA) and Lalonde Gordon (TRI).
Asbel Kiprop (KEN) will be the favourite in 1500 meters, facing Kiplimo Chepceba (KEN) and Matthew Centrowitz (USA). 3000 meters steeplechase excitements are set for Kenyan athletes, as Kipsiele Koech will face Kiprop Kipruto and Kiprop Mutai, while 10.000 meters will have its favourite in the name of Patrick Komon (KEN).
In technical events, Greg Rutherford will be the favourite in long jump, and Virgilijus Alekna in the discuss throw.

Women's events will be shorten for the presence of some top class athletes, so we can not expect spectacular results. In 200 meters events, Aleksandra Fedoriva will be the main favourite, followed by Bianca Knight (USA) and Charonda Williams (USA). Jerkemoi Cheruiyot (KEN) is the favourite in 5000 meters along with Gelete Burka (ETH), while Jelimo Pamela (KEN) will face Mariya Savinova (RUS) in the 800 meters event. 

Read more »

Posted in: Athletics,Brussels,Lausanne Samsung Diamond League

Athletics: Results from Zurich Samsung Diamond League

Another beautiful night in world of athletics, all thanks to top-class athletes who gave us another enjoyable meeting, with top performance results and few surprises.

Greatest surprise of the evening was that Olympic and world record holder at 800 meters, David Rudisha, was defeated by Ethiopian Mohammed Aman, setting a new national record of 1:42,53, while Rudisha ended with 1:42,81.

World fastest man, Usain Bolt, showed his dominance in the 200 meters again, giving the crowd a high performance race that ended with a meeting record of 19.66, finishing before Nickel Ashmeade with a PB of 19.85 and Jason Young with 20.08, all from Jamaica.

His training partner, Yohan Blake, won again in the 100 meters mark, as well as Bolt, setting a new meeting record of 9.76, before Nesta Carter's season best of 9.95 and Ryan Bailey of USA with 9.97, while USA's Tyson Gay was disqualified after a bad reaction from the starting block.

In the women's 100 meters event, Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won with 10.83 before USA's Carmelita Jeter with 10.97 and Allyson Felix with 11.02, while in the 400 meters, Sanja Richards-Ross showed her dominance again with winning time of 50.21 finishing before Amantle Montsho with 50.33 and Rosemarie Whyte with 50.41.

Felix Sanchez didn't make it to give himself a birthday gift with winning his fifth victory in Zurich, settling for fourth place with 48.82, while first place went into the hands of USA's Angelo Taylor with 48.29 before Omar Cisneros with 48.34 and Jehue Gordon with 48.40.

Men's 5000 meters brought a lot of excitement, where African runners showed their dominance, with Kenyan Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa winning the race with 12:59,24, before Bernard Lagat's season best of 12:59,2 and Dejen Gebremeskel with 13:00,83, Tariku Bekele finished sixth, while 10.000 meters vice-champion from London, Gullen Rup finished ninth.

In man's technical events, Ivan Urkhov (RUS) won the high jump with 2.31, Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) won the pole vault with 5.70, Tero Pitkamaki (FIN) won the javelin throw with 85.27, Fabrizio Donato (ITA) won the triple jumple with 17.29. In women's technical events, Yelena Sokolova (RUS) won the long jump with 6.92, Perkovic Sandra (CRO) won the discus throw with 63.97, while Valerie Adams (NZL) set a new meeting record in the shot put with 20.81.

Read more »

Posted in: Athletics,Results,Zurich

World class athletes at Zurich

Samsung Diamond League will once again gather world class track&field athletes for a night-to-remember meeting, tonight in Zurich, one of the two remaining meetings for this season.

What can we expect to see at Letzigrund Stadium with the appearance of 15 Olympic and 14 World Champions? Only high performance results. And the names who are going to take care of that, are the names you just can't imagine world athletics without.

Focus is set on sprint races. In men's 100 meters, world champion Yohan Blake will be challenged by US top sprinters in the names of Tyson Gay and Ryan Balley, as well as French top class sprinter Cristophe Lemaitre. Women's 100 meters race brings the names of 100 meters Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM), 200 meters Olypmic champion Allyson Felix (USA) and 100 meters world champion Carmelita Jeter (USA). In 200 meters event, world's fastest man Usain Bolt will be challenged by two other Jamaicans, Warren Weir and Jason Young. 

Women's 400 meters race brings the name of Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross competing against 400 meters H Olympic champion Natalya Antyukh (RUS), as well as six other competitors from London. Man's 400 meters hurdles is set for another brilliant performance from Felix Sanchez, who is looking forward to his fifth win in Zurich. Excitement is expected in the 800 meters event as well, where world record holder David Rudisha is prepared for another astonishing race after London. 

In woman's 3000 meters SC, Olympic and world champion Yulija Zaripova is aiming for the nine-minute barrier, followed by an unusual request from Yulija - no pacemakers in the race, where explanation is that her running technique will allow her to set the right pace on her own, so there is no need for a pacemaker.

In long distance events, runners from Africa are expected to show that they still rule with the world of long distances. Excitements are also expected in technical events, where almost entire world elite will compete in shot put, pole vault, high jump, discuss throw. 

More about the results - tonight.

Read more »

Posted in: Athletics,Samsung Diamond League,world class athletes,Zurich