|
This Thursday's IAAF Diamond League Meeting at the Stadio Olimpico is set to be an intriguing night of athletics, especially in the events Africans will be taking part in. The Golden Gala has been one of the premium track and field events since Primo Nebiolo, the Italian former IAAF President, conceived it during the build-up to the controversial 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. Over the course of its history, eight world records have been set at the Gala. Four times those records have been set by African athletes, with Hicham El Guerrouj's 1500m (1998) and Mile (1999) still standing today. His fellow Moroccan Saiid Aouita got the ball rolling by setting a new 5000m mark in 1987 before eight years later Kenya's Moses Kiptanui did so again. Considering the fact that the 2017 athletics season is still in its infancy, not least because the IAAF World Championships in London only take place in August, it would be optimistic to expect a world record this time around but the almost 120 Olympic, world and European gold medallists should put on a show not least in the events Africans will compete in. WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT AMONG AFRICAN WOMEN The women's programme - for points in Diamond League rankings - is more extensive than the men's in Rome and will start with the shot put from 18:15 (CAT). While Cameroon's African champion Auriol Dongmo is not expected to win the event, the experience of competing against the best shot putters in the world should stand the 26-year-old in good stead. The starting list includes Rio 2016 champion Michelle Carter, Olympic bronze medallist and 2017 world leader Anita Marton, and China's Gong Lijao, who has won five Olympic or world medals. Meanwhile in the women's 400m field, which will take place at 20.40 (CAT), Lydia Jele of Botswana will actually boast the fastest 2017 time - 50.32. She will get to test her mettle against Natasha Hastings, who has won two Olympic gold medals and seven world titles in USA's 4x400 relay squads. She will be bidding to confirm the US tradition at the Golden Gala with seven wins in the past eight editions. The women's 1500m (21.13, CAT) sees world bronze medallist Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands try hold off an Ethiopian quartet of Gudaf Tsegay, Besu Sado (both Under-23 stars), Adamech Anbesa and Fantu Worku as well as Kenyans Nelly Jepkosgei and Winny Chebet. Of course, Hassan herself is an Ethiopian by birth so the rivalry on the track should be fierce! While Marie-Josee La Tou will be in action in the 100m (21:23 CAT), the Ivorian will have to run out of her skin to take the focus away from Dafne Schippers, the Flying Dutchwoman who will be making her season's 100m debut - and is determined to put her 'failure' at Rio 2016 behind her and become the first European winner at the Golden Gala for 12 years. The final women's event in Rome will see 11 Africans among the 21-strong 5000m field - which will take off at 21:40 (CAT). Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba was overshadowed last year by her compatriot Almaz Ayana (and in Doha against the best 800m women), but will make an attempt to attack the world record which Ayana narrowly missed last year in Rome. Keeping Dibaba company will be Kenyans Hellen Obiri and Alice Aprot, and Ethiopian junior Letesenbet Gidey among others. AFRICAN MEN TO LIGHT UP THE NIGHT As it happens, it will be a relatively quiet night for African men in Rome - only three Diamond League-ranked events features any but they could be show-stoppers.  At 20:15 (CAT) a thrilling 3000m steeplechase race will see 2016 Olympic gold medallist Conseslus Kipruto be challenged by his Kenyan compatriot Jairus Birech. Both runners have won the Diamond League twice and this is the first steeplechase in the 2017 Diamond League. Another big name in the line-up is Ezekiel Kemboi, a four-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist from London 2012 so a particularly quick race is in the offing. Meanwhile, five minutes after Julius Yego starts flinging his javelin (20:35, CAT), there will be a big 800m clash between African and European specialists - but it could well be an exclusively Kenyan contest considering the line-up. Africa's pride will be led by Under-20 star Kipyegon Bett, Ferguson Rotich (winner of the Diamond Race in 2016) and three other Kenyans in Nicholas Kipkoech, Elijah Manangoi and Alfred Kipketer. As it happens, Europe will be represented by the best runners of the moment, including world silver medallist Adam Kscczot, Marcin Lewandowski but an outside bet may well come from another African in Botswana's Nijel Amos, Olympic silver medallist in London 2012 in the greatest 800m race in history.
|
