Two of the fastest athletes in the history of the sport, three-time world champion Shericka Jackson (JAM) and two-time world 110m hurdles champion Grant Holloway (USA) join a world-class line-up in London on Sunday 23 July.
Jackson will join the already announced Dina Asher-Smith in the women’s 100m which is set to be one of the highlights of the meeting. The Jamaican opened her 2023 outdoor season with a time of 10.85 and second place at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Doha earlier this month.
The 28-year-old won world silver over 100m in Eugene last summer, adding to her Olympic bronze medal over the distance in Tokyo. She was also part of the 4x100m team which won gold in Japan.
Jackson moved to sixth on the world all-time list for 100m in 2022 when she recorded a time of 10.71 at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco, and also sits second on the all-time list for 200m after an impressive time of 21.45 on her way to the 200m world title last summer.
On competing in London, the five-time Olympic medallist said, “I am excited to be competing back in London, and for the first time over 100m in this stadium. Last time I ran there, I won the 400m race (2019), so I have good memories of racing on that track. I know the UK fans are incredibly passionate about the sport, so they will create a great atmosphere for every athlete.
“The London meet will be a key competition as I prepare for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, so I will be looking for a strong performance that I can take forward to the Championships a few weeks later.”
As for Holloway, the 25-year-old Olympic silver medallist, who is also the reigning world indoor champion and world record holder over 60m hurdles, is the second fastest 110m hurdler of all time with a best of 12.81 (2021).
Holloway’s victory at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene made him the first man to capture back-to-back world titles in the sprint hurdles since four-time world champion and countryman Allen Johnson in 2001 and 2003.
He is so far unbeaten in 2023 and is the current world leader with a time of 13.03 from the Tom Jones Memorial in Florida in April, his fastest-ever season opener. More recently, he clocked 13.01 (uncertified) at the Atlanta City Games (6 May).
“To win the world indoor title and my second world outdoor title last year made it pretty special,” said Holloway, who was also crowned Wanda Diamond League champion in 2022.
“This will be my first time competing in London and it means a lot as I build towards another World Championships. There have been some incredible performances in the stadium over the years. I was only 14 during the 2012 Olympics but I still remember Aries Merritt winning the hurdles gold. I just missed out on making the US team for the London 2017 World Championships, but I’ve continued to work hard towards my dreams, and for 2023, it’s all about winning my third world title in Budapest.”
The Wanda Diamond League is the premier one-day meeting series in athletics. It comprises 14 of the most prestigious events in global track and field. Athletes compete for points at the 13 series meetings in a bid to qualify for the two-day Wanda Diamond League Final in Eugene on 16th-17th September.
