World champions at 200m and 400m go head to head over half a lap at the Diamond League on Saturday
The reigning world gold medallists at 200m and 400m – Shericka Jackson of Jamaica and Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas – face each other over 200m at the Diamond League in Silesia, Poland, on Saturday (Aug 6).
Jackson ran the second fastest time in history of 21.45 when winning the world title in style in Eugene last month, while Miller-Uibo, whose 200m best is 21.74, cruised to victory over 400m.
Jackson will be favourite after her stunning run in Eugene but Miller-Uibo beat her to the Commonwealth 200m title in 2018 as Dina Asher-Smith and Elaine Thompson-Herah finished third and fourth.
Also in the field are Americans Jenna Prandini, Tamara Clark and Gabby Thomas, among others, in what looks like the highlight of the meeting as the Diamond League series returns from its brief mid-season break.
“I’ve done just about everything at 400m,” says Miller-Uibo, “so now it’s time to let loose and enjoy the rest of the season.”
“I just want to have some fun,” says Jackson. “Execute as good a race as possible against these amazing ladies and smile as hard as possible.”
READ MORE: Shericka Jackson goes No.2 all time
The Commonwealth Games are still in full swing, of course, but money clearly talks with some athletes prioritising the more lucrative Diamond League circuit. Jackson’s fellow Jamaican, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, is also racing in Poland this weekend over 100m after giving the competition in Birmingham a miss.
Fraser-Pryce faces Aleia Hobbs, US champion Melissa Jefferson, Twanisha Terry and Polish star Ewa Svoboda, who is certain to get great support in what is Poland’s first-ever Diamond League.
Mondo Duplantis (Getty)
Elsewhere Mondo Duplantis returns to action in the pole vault following his world record performance in Eugene. World and Olympic silver medallist Chris Nilsen of the United States and world bronze medallist Ernest John Obiena of the Philippines are also in the line-up.
Another world champion from Eugene, Alison dos Santos, is in action in the 400m hurdles and looking to win his first Diamond League trophy. Femke Bol, the world 400m hurdles silver medallist, though, is running the flat 400m against Stephenie-Ann McPherson and Fiordaliza Cofil.
Alison dos Santos (Getty)
In the women’s shot put world champion Chase Ealey faces the new Commonwealth champion Sarah Mitton. In the triple jump the field is led by world No.1 Pedro Pablo Pichardo.
High jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh faces fellow Ukrainians Yuliya Levchenko and Iryna Gerashchenko among others. In the men’s 100m, Americans Trayvon Bromell, Marvin Bracy and Coleman lead the way.
A fortnight after securing his fifth successive world title, Poland’s Pavel Fajdek will go head-to-head with Olympic champion Wojciech Nowicki in what will be one of the main events for the home crowd.
Not surprisingly there are few Brits at the meeting but Kyle Langford is in a men’s 800m line up led by Olympic and world champion Emmanuel Korir.
British-based Jamaican athlete Adelle Tracey also competes in a 1500m line up that includes Gudaf Tsegay.
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