Monte-Carlo, Monaco - At a press conference in the Fairmont Hotel, Monte-Carlo, the organisers of ‘Herculis 2009’ presented an impressive list of global champions for the meeting which takes place in Monaco’s Stade Louis II on Tuesday 28 July.

The Herculis Monaco 2009 is a Super Grand Prix status meeting as part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2009.

Meeting Director Jean-Pierre Schoebel and FMA Vice-President Bernard Fautrier presented the start list to the Monegasque and local French press today tempting the media’s sporting taste buds with an impressive line-up of talent.

16 of the athletes who were announced hold at individual event disciplines a total of 18 current global outdoor titles, 8 golds from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and 9 golds from the 2007 Osaka World Championships:

Men
LaShawn Merritt (USA), Olympic 400m
Dayron Robles (CUB), Olympic 110m Hurdles
Angelo Taylor (USA), Olympic 400m Hurdles
Kerron Clement (USA), World 400m Hurdles
Brad Walker (USA), World Pole Vault
Irving Saladino (PAN), World and Olympic Long Jump

Women
Shelly-Ann Fraser (JAM), Olympic 100m
Maryam Jamal (BRN), World 1500m
Dawn Harper (USA), Olympic 100m Hurdles
Michelle Perry (USA), World 100m Hurdles
Jana Rawlinson (AUS), World 400m Hurdles
Melaine Walker (JAM), Olympic 400m Hurdles
Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS), World Long Jump (competing in the triple)
Blanka Vlasic (CRO), World High Jump
Yargelis Savigne (CUB), World Triple Jump
Barbora Spotakova (CZE), World and Olympic Javelin Throw

Other events… there are four from the Beijing Olympic final entered in the men’s 100m; Yuriy Borzakovskiy the 2004 Olympic champion goes in the 800m and Mehdi Baala is the standout name in the 1500m, and there’s more for the French ‘home’ crowd to cheer for as Bob Tahri goes in the flat 3000m, and Mahiedine Mekhissi is entered for the 3000m Steeplechase; European Indoor champion Mariya Savinova heads the women’s 800m.

Head to heads to anticipate… MEN - 400m: Merritt vs David Neville; 110m Hurs: Robles vs David Oliver; Pole Vault: Walker vs Renaud Lavillenie; Long Jump: Saladino vs Sebastian Bayer; WOMEN - 1500m: Jamal vs Burka; 100m Hurdles: Harper and Perry vs Sally McLellan and Priscilla Lopes-Schliep; High Jump: Vlasic vs Anna Chicherova and Antonietta Di Martino; Triple Jump: Savigne vs Tatyana Lebedeva; Javelin Throw: Spotakova vs Steffi Nerius.

A full meeting preview will follow on the IAAF website on Monday 27 July.

Chris Turner for the IAAF