Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Robles return set for Dusseldorf
Dayron Robles of Cuba dips under 13 seconds to win Olympic sprint hurdles gold (Getty Images)
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Olympic 110m Hurdles champion Dayron Robles will kick off his 2010 indoor campaign at the 5th PSD Bank Meeting in Dusseldorf, Germany, on 3 February.
Robles, 23, who is also the World record holder outdoors, has fond memories of the Arena Sportpark track, the venue where two years ago he clocked his 7.33 career best in the 60m Hurdles, the second fastest performance of all time and just 0.03 shy of Colin Jackson’s World record set 16 years ago.
“Dusseldorf seems to be a good place for me to compete," the Cuban said. An injury prior to the meeting last year relegated Robles to the stands. It will be the first competitive outing for Robles since an injury knocked him out of the semi-finals at last summer’s World Championships in Berlin which ended his 2009 unbeaten streak at 10. Robles is also set to compete in Stuttgart on 6 February.
The solid field in Dusseldorf will include Briton William Sharman, who was fourth at the World Championships last year; European indoor runner-up Gregory Sedoc of The Netherlands; 2008 Olympic finalist Artur Noga of Poland; and 2009 World Championships finalist Ji Wei of China.
In the women’s 60m Hurdles, reigning World indoor champion Lolo Jones leads the field. She’ll take on fellow American Candice Davis, who finished second to Jones at the 2008 World Indoor Championships.
And for the fifth time already, US athlete and 2008 World Indoor champion Lolo Jones, the by far fastest and most consistent hurdles sprinter in the 2009 winter season, will be competing in the "sports city" Duesseldorf. The American pair will have to contend with Eline Berings of Belgium, the European indoor champion, and three-time German 100m Hurdles champion Carolin Nytra.
Elsewhere, Frenchman Romain Mesnil, a two-time World silver medallist outdoors, leads a strong field in the men’s Pole Vault which includes his compatriot Damiel Dossevi and Steven Lewis of Great Britain, both Berlin World Championship finalists. As always in German indoor meetings, a strong domestic contingent can be expected. Bjorn Otto, Danny Ecker, Alexander Straub, Malte Mohr, and Raphael Holzdeppe are all on the slate.
Organisers and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
Robles, 23, who is also the World record holder outdoors, has fond memories of the Arena Sportpark track, the venue where two years ago he clocked his 7.33 career best in the 60m Hurdles, the second fastest performance of all time and just 0.03 shy of Colin Jackson’s World record set 16 years ago.
“Dusseldorf seems to be a good place for me to compete," the Cuban said. An injury prior to the meeting last year relegated Robles to the stands. It will be the first competitive outing for Robles since an injury knocked him out of the semi-finals at last summer’s World Championships in Berlin which ended his 2009 unbeaten streak at 10. Robles is also set to compete in Stuttgart on 6 February.
The solid field in Dusseldorf will include Briton William Sharman, who was fourth at the World Championships last year; European indoor runner-up Gregory Sedoc of The Netherlands; 2008 Olympic finalist Artur Noga of Poland; and 2009 World Championships finalist Ji Wei of China.
In the women’s 60m Hurdles, reigning World indoor champion Lolo Jones leads the field. She’ll take on fellow American Candice Davis, who finished second to Jones at the 2008 World Indoor Championships.
And for the fifth time already, US athlete and 2008 World Indoor champion Lolo Jones, the by far fastest and most consistent hurdles sprinter in the 2009 winter season, will be competing in the "sports city" Duesseldorf. The American pair will have to contend with Eline Berings of Belgium, the European indoor champion, and three-time German 100m Hurdles champion Carolin Nytra.
Elsewhere, Frenchman Romain Mesnil, a two-time World silver medallist outdoors, leads a strong field in the men’s Pole Vault which includes his compatriot Damiel Dossevi and Steven Lewis of Great Britain, both Berlin World Championship finalists. As always in German indoor meetings, a strong domestic contingent can be expected. Bjorn Otto, Danny Ecker, Alexander Straub, Malte Mohr, and Raphael Holzdeppe are all on the slate.
Organisers and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF