Finnish javelin thrower Antti Ruuskanen (© Getty Images)
An intriguing end-of-season battle beckons between the two men at the top of the world lists in 2014: Africa’s Ihab Abdelrahman El Sayed and Europe’s Antti Ruuskanen.
El Sayed has led the world order with the stunning throw of 89.21m that the 25-year-old Egyptian unleashed at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Shanghai way back on 18 May.
Ruuskanen came close at the European Championships in Zurich last month, landing Finland’s first title in the event since 1974 with a huge third-round effort of 88.01m. That represented a 22-centimetre improvement on the personal best that earned the 30-year-old Olympic bronze in 2012.
The line-up also includes world champion Vitezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic, Commonwealth champion Julius Yego of Kenya and Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago.
Simon Turnbull for the IAAF
