Controversial US sprinter Justin Gatlin, British long-distance world champ Mo Farah and two-time Olympic 100m champ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce are some of the top talent competing at the Prefontaine Classic this weekend.
The IAAF Diamond League series hits US soil as a host of international stars step up preparations for this summer’s Rio Olympics by competing at Hayward Field, the US cathedral of distance running made famous by Steve Prefontaine.
The event was also hit by a number of late withdrawals as Olympic silver medalist Galen Rupp, Ethiopian distance runner Genzebe Dibaba and US sprinter Allyson Felix will not take part.
It was expected Dibaba would make an attempt at the 5,000m world record late yesterday, but she pulled out with a toe injury suffered in training.
Felix is skipping the event due to a lingering ankle injury.
She has already said that she hopes to double in the 200m and 400m in Rio de Janeiro.
Felix’s absence means there will not be one final Hayward Field clash between Felix and Sanya Richards-Ross, who retired after the last Olympics.
Gatlin headlines an impressive list of talent in the men’s 100m sprint that also includes Jamaican speedster Asafa Powell, Canadian Andre De Gasse and defending 100m champ Tyson Gay of the US.
Gatlin, who remains unapologetic after serving two doping bans, will have the Hayward crowd on his side today, unlike Diamond races in places like Europe, where the drug-cheat label still hangs over his head.
Gatlin has never admitted to doping, saying that a 2006 failed test came as a result of a massage therapist rubbing testosterone cream on his legs. He also tested positive in 2001 for an amphetamine. He served a four-year ban, returning to the scene in 2010.
Gatlin posted a 9.94 second 100m victory earlier this year in China and is the heavy favorite heading into today’s race.
Britain’s Farah, 33, is considered the world’s leading long-distance runner and has not lost a 5,000m race since finishing second at the 2012 Prefontaine meet. He swept the 5,000m and 10,000m races at the 2012 London Olympics.
Fraser-Pryce is returning to competition at the Prefontaine after missing three meets with a foot injury.
It will be Fraser-Pryce’s first competition after the toe injury made her pull out of a May 7 race in Jamaica and Diamond League meetings earlier this month in Shanghai and Rabat.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care