Liu Xiang for Shanghai
China’s Liu Xiang defends his Shanghai Diamond League title on May 19th, taking on Daegu gold medallist Jason Richardson of the USA. In last year’s controversial IAAF World championship final in Korea where Liu’s arm clashed with the arm of Cuban Dayron Robles, Richardson was the man to benefit, lifting a surprise gold. Richardson is not the only American Liu should worry about.
In the line-up is the formidable David Oliver who was fastest in the world in 2010. After his silver medal in Daegu, Liu has been impressive over the winter season, but was beaten in the IAAF World indoor final in Istanbul by yet another American, Aries Merritt. After his ground breaking gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics – the first track and field Chinese Olympic gold in history – Liu suffered injury and disappointment in the Beijing Games when he was struck down on the morning of the first heat and forced to withdraw in frustration. After an intriguing 2011, Shanghai will show just how feasible it is for Liu and the Chinese public to dream the impossible: a second Olympic gold.
In the men’s 100m, Jamaican Asafa Powell returns to defend his Shanghai title. Last year Powell won easing down with a 9.95 clocking, at that time the second fastest in the world. In preparation for the summer season, he has had a few outings over the boards where he has reduced his 60m lifetime best to a speedy 6.50, suggesting that he may be sharper than he has been for some time.
In the men’s javelin, world and Olympic champion, Andreas Thorkildsen, went to Daegu fully expecting to claim yet another title. But it was not to be as the Norwegian had a rare off-day and had to settle for second best behind German Mattias Zordo. In Shanghai last year, Thorkildsen also had to settle for second, this time behind arch-rival from Finland, Tero Pitkämäki.
At the head of the list for the 5000m is Kenenisa Bekele. After dropping out of the Daegu world championships 10,000m, it was thought that Bekele’s reign was over, but he bounced back two weeks later with a sub-27min clocking in Brussels. Then only last month in Dublin he crushed the opposition with a 27:47 10km on the roads, fastest in the world this year, to signal he was as fit as ever. As defending champion in both the 5000m and 10000m, Shanghai will show just how determined Bekele is to retain his Olympic crowns.
The men’s triple jump offers the highest quality with all three medallists from last summer’s world championships looking for an early-season psychological advantage. World champion, Christian Taylor of the USA, silver medallist, Great Britain’s Phillips Idowu and bronze medallist, the USA’s Will Claye, promise fireworks. Claye defeated Taylor in the world indoor championships so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in Shanghai.
Olympic and world 1500m champion, Asbel Kiprop of Kenya, steps down a distance to the 800m to face the reigning European champion, Marcin Lewandowski of Poland as well as formidable two-lap specialists, former world champions, Alfred Kirwa Yego of Kenya and South African Mbulaeni Mulaudzi.
Five Olympics is the longest the USA has had to go without a win in the shot at the Olympics (1972 – 1988). But they have failed to lift gold at the last three Olympics and after being out of the medals in Daegu, they must be desperate to end the drought. Shanghai sees the American squad at full strength with world and Olympic medallists, Reese Hoffa, Christian Cantwell, Adam Nelson and 2012 world indoor champion, Ryan Whiting, looking to dominate. Last year’s world leader, Dylan Armstrong of Canada, may have other ideas.
The men’s 400m hurdles is a three-way clash between the double Olympic champion, Angelo Taylor, former world champion, Bershawn Jackson and the fastest man in the world last year, South African LJ van Zyl. Curiously, it was only van Zyl who was to figure in the final of last year’s world championships when he took bronze while the two be-medalled Americans finished down the field in sixth and seventh.
Amongst the women, expect fireworks from Veronica Campbell-Brown and Carmelita Jeter as they renew their rivalry, this time over 200m. Last year in Shanghai it was the Jamaican double Olympic champion who came away with a fine win over the short sprint by 0.03.
The youngest of the Dibaba sisters, Genzebe, 21, comes off a highly successful indoor campaign where she lifted world indoor 1500m gold and set an excellent personal best of 4:00:13, fifth fastest in history. That time is over five seconds faster than her outdoor best from last year, so this latest Dibaba model is also clearly destined for great things. World indoor 3000m gold, Helen Obiri of Kenya and former 800m world champion and fellow-Kenyan, Janeth Jepkosgei, will test the young Ethiopian’s strength and speed.
Amantle Montsho of Botswana carried all before her last year, culminating in gold in Daegu. Fellow one-lap finalists, USA’s Francena McCorory and Jamaicans, Shericka Williams and Novlene Williams-Mills are her main rivals in the Shanghai stadium.
The 2010 IAAF Diamond League will be held in 14 cities around the world, with Shanghai and Doha the only hosts in Asia. The Shanghai meet will be the second stop of the series this year and will be held at the Shanghai Stadium on 19 May.
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