Two-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will contest the 200m. The Jamaican has competed in the 100m in the Italian capital on several occasions in the past, but this will be the first time she has contested the longer sprint in Rome.
Pedro Pablo Pichardo has this year brought the triple jump back to life, thanks to his world-leading 18.06m leap at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha. The Cuban will be competing in Rome for the first time and will be up against Olympic silver medallist Will Claye and Olympic bronze medallist Fabrizio Donato.
US sprint hurdler Jasmin Stowers joins what was already a stunning line-up in the women’s 100m hurdles. Following her world-leading run of 12.35 in Doha, Stowers will take on Olympic champion Sally Pearson, world champion Brianna Rollins and Diamond Race winner Dawn Harper Nelson in Rome. It means that, for the first time ever, the four fastest women of the past 10 years will clash.
Fraser-Pryce, Pichardo and Stowers join a host of top athletes that have been previously announced for the meeting, including IAAF world athlete of the year Renaud Lavillenie, two-time world high jump champion Blanka Vlasic, Olympic discus champion Sandra Perkovic, two-time world shot put champion David Storl, world 800m champion Mohammed Aman and world javelin champion Vitezslav Vesely.
