Thorkildsen, Felix, Vili, Pitkamaki and Hooker in New York (© Victah Sailer)
Many of the 13,000 spectators expected at Icahn Stadium in New York for the Adidas Grand Prix, fifth leg of the IAAF Diamond League, hoped for another spectacle from Usain Bolt. Yet in the absence of the sport’s most charismatic athlete, they will happily turn their attention towards the women’s 200m and what has become a traditional duel between Allyson Felix and Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown.
Felix, a Diamond League ambassador, shared the same feeling with the press at a news conference. “The race should be competitive and fast,” she told the media. “This is a fast track. I watched Tyson (Gay) race here and he ran fast [Gay ran 19.58 over the 200m last year]. With Veronica Campbell-Brown in the race, I am looking forward to running fast.”
Besides the women’s 200m, a constellation of other World and Olympic champions should produce a series of world leading performances.
In the men’s pole vault, Australia’s Steven Hooker, 2008 Olympic champion, 2009 world outdoor and 2010 world indoor champion, will face France’s 2009 revelation Renaud Lavillenie.
>> Read the rest of the story on the IAAF Diamond League Website <<
