100m gold medallist Tyson Gay celebrates his first World title (© Getty Images)
Americans Tyson Gay and Bernard Lagat, who joined illustrious company in Osaka last week with their thrilling double victories, are just two of the world's biggest stars who will return to action when the athletics spotlight returns to the IAAF Golden League at Zurich's Weltklasse on Friday, 7 September.
Gay, who followed up his individual 100 and 200m victories with another gold medal in the 4x100m Relay, tops the field in the 100m. In Zurich last year, Gay lowered his career best in the event to 9.84, equalled that earlier this season and in Osaka nearly duplicated that form with his scintillating 9.85 victory over Jamaica's World record holder Asafa Powell. Finishing second - and ahead of Powell - in Osaka was this season's rising star in the event, Bahamian Derrick Atkins. The Osaka silver medallist, who lowered his national record to 9.91 at Nagai stadium, will also be on the start line in the new Letzigrund stadium.
On the final night of competition in Osaka, Lagat became the first man to ever capture the 1500/5000m double in the same World championships. He'll return to action in the 3000m, where he'll again face the men who finished second, third and fourth behind him in the Osaka 5000: Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, Uganda's Moses Ndiema Kipsiro and rising American star Mett Tegenkamp.
Zurich organisers have described the bend on the new Letzigrund track as the "world's fastest," and a pair of Osaka 200m medallists will be anxious to put that assessment to the test. Jamaica's Usain Bolt and American Wallace Spearmon, the Osaka silver and bronze winners, lead the field, while last year's sensation, Xavier Carter, also returns, now on the mend from injury that knocked him out of the U.S. championships in June.
Zurich's no pacesetters philosophy this year could result in a compelling 1500m battle between world leader Alan Webb of the U.S., Kenyans Daniel Kipchirchir Komen and Alex Kipchirchir.
Osaka silver medallist Terrence Trammell leads the field in the 110m hurdles, where he'll face surprise bronze medallist David Payne. Cuban Dayron Robles and perennial speedster Allan Johnson will also be in the field.
The infield events will also feature freshly-minted World champions. American Brad Walker returns to action in the Pole Vault, Finn Tero Pitkämäki will again face Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway and Osaka bronze medallist Breaux Greer of the USA in the javelin, and Portugal's surprise champion Nelson Evora leads the field in the Triple Jump.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
