This weekend one of the most glamorous locations in the world plays host to the very best that track and field has to offer, as the IAAF Diamond League comes to town for the seventh meeting of the year and the fourth in a ten day period that has seen some truly memorable performances and exciting head to heads.
A completely different set of disciplines from the 16 that featured on the Oslo programme means that the athletes will be refreshed ahead of competing on Randall’s Island and, with many of the competitors who’ve already fired this season on the startlists, viewers across the world can expect plenty more drama.
Pedro Pablo Pichardo, the Diamond Race and world leader competes in the triple jump and, as an added bonus, the great Usain Bolt competes in a 200m race that doesn’t form part of the Diamond League programme but that promises a first glimpse of the legendary Jamaican at a Diamond League meeting this year.
Retrospective…
Any look back at the history of the Adidas Grand Prix just has to begin with Bolt’s visit to New York back in 2008. Competing in just his third ever 100m race, the man who went on to be Olympic Champion set his first world record, 9.72, on a thundery evening.
If US fans were thrilled that night, the same can certainly be said of the 2014 edition of the meeting, by now part of the IAAF Diamond League series, when Mutaz Essa Barshim and Bohdan Bondarenko went head to head in the high jump. All eyes in the stadium were transfixed by the event that unfolded 12 months ago, as both men cleared 2.42m in an enthralling competition.
Bolt’s compatriot Veronica Campbell-Brown is another athlete with fond memories of New York, as she set an IAAF Diamond League record 21.98 in the 200m in 2010, a mark that was only recently equalled by Allyson Felix in Doha. Indeed the New York meeting is widely seen as a “home” meeting for Jamaican athletes, such is the support they receive from a passionate crowd.
Diamond Race Leaders
A total of 11 current outright or joint Diamond Race leaders compete in nine of the 16 events on the New York timetable.
Only Sandra Perkovic (discus) has all of the possible points on offer for her event this season and she heads to New York seeking to add four points to her total in pursuit of yet another Diamond Trophy.
Pichardo (triple jump), Tianna Bartoletta (long jump) and Francena McCorory (400m) are all unbeaten so far (although have missed a meeting each) and they will seek to continue their streaks, while Vitezslav Vesely (javelin), Virginia Nyambura (steeplechase) and David Oliver (110m hurdles) also lead their respective Diamond Races and compete in the USA on Saturday.
Both the women’s pole vault and the men’s 5000m have joint leaders in the standings and in each case the athletes concerned go head to head. Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou and Fabiana Murer could lead the pole vault if they better the result of their rival in New York, while the same could be said of Thomas Longosiwa and Hagos Gebrhiwet in the 5000m.
The Diamond Race leaders in the men’s 100m, 400m hurdles, shot put and 800m and women’s 200m, high jump and 800m are absent, although there won’t be changes to the Diamond Race leader in five of those six events, as in each case the leader has a lead beyond any of the athletes on the New York start lists.
The exception is the high jump, where Ruth Beitia, winner in Rome, can pass Kamila Licwinko with a second place finish or better on Saturday.
Dean Hardman for the IAAF Diamond League
