Lille, France - The 14th edition of Lille Metropole Gaz de France Région Nord/Pas-de-Calais Meeting that takes place on Friday 27 June, serving as the 2nd leg of the Lagardère Athlé Tour 2008, will guest Dayron Robles of Cuba, who broke the 110m Hurdles World Record** two weeks ago in Ostrava.

The Lille Metropole Gaz de France Région Nord/Pas-de-Calais meeting is one of a select group of Area meetings at which points can be acquired by athletes to qualify for the IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final, to be held on 13-14 September in Stuttgart, Germany.

After his record feat on the 12 June in Ostrava in the Czech Republic, the 21-year-old hurdler didn't change his competition programme and came to Sotteville-lès-Rouen, France on 15 June, but rain showers and a delayed programme disturbed his precise mechanics, thus he eased-up to a 13.48 win.

Fifteen days later, Robles will have fully recovered from his Czech Republic effort. Depending on the climate conditions in Northern France, the Cuban should be able to break the 10-years-old stadium record (13.24) held by fellow countrymen and mentor Anier Garcia.

Doucouré out injured

However, Robles will not be allowed any mistake as his opponents include Serhiy Demydyuk (UKR), finalist in Osaka World Champs last year in 13.22, 3rd in the World Record race in Ostrava with 13.42 and who is gradually coming close to his best shape this season with 13.36.

A surprise might also come from Yevgeniy Borisov who is yet to find the shape which took him to a Russian indoor record at 60m Hurdles in 7.44, he has a best of 13.66 so far in 2008. World Junior silver medallist in 2006, Samuel Coco-Villoin, runner-up to Robles in Sotteville in 13.52, will try to erase the deception of his 5th place at SPAR European Cup in Annecy last weekend and represent the host nation in the absence of 2005 World Champion Ladji Doucouré, who cancelled his participation in Lille due to pain in his left knee.

Baala looking for a fast time

Double European 1500m champion Mehdi Baala, a member of Lille Metropole Club, will run in front of his public with the aim of chasing the clock. Sop far this season the 29-year-old has raced just two tactical races, in Lille for Interclub in 3:47.53 and 3:40.55 to take his fifth European Cup win at 1500m.

Timed on that last occasion in Annecy by his coach Jean-Michel Dirringer during the last 200m Baala’s 24.6sec performance has indicated that he’s in his fastest ever shape and is ready this year to make up for his tactical mistake during last year’s World Championship heats, which ended in his disqualification.

Baala’s main opponent in Lille, Ivan Heshko from Ukraine, runner-up to the Frenchman in Baala’s second European title race in 2006, has had an erratic 2008 season so far across three races, a disqualification indoors, followed by a 4:04.69 win in Club competition, and a DNF in the Berlin race on 1 June.

Arron opens her season

Christine Arron will open her Olympic season with a 100m in Lille. Forced to delay her first race due to posture problems which had caused disturbance to her high speed training, the 34-year- old European record holder, already pre-selected for Beijing, explained that she didn't want to take any risk this year. Her late arrival on the circuit doesn't raise any doubts in her mind, after her experiences of 2007. Indeed, an opening race in 11.36 on 23 June 2007 was followed by mediocre results until she found form on month later in Monaco (11.06).

In 2008, Arron says she also resumed sprint training late and will need a full speed endurance cycle to reach her peak form.

For this first race, the French star will face reigning Olympic 100m champion Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus, the winner of the European Cup last Saturday in Annecy with 11.17 and Belgium’s European champion Kim Gevaert, going for a 8th participation in Lille, with a 11.05 reference point for the 100m this year.

Muriel Hurtis-Houairi (FRA) will line up on the 200m, with the aim to lower her 22.75 winning time in Annecy, and Laverne Jones (ISV) and Cydonie Mothersill-Modibo as main challengers.

Collins, as well was most of the British and French national squads

Regarding the men's sprints, Kim Collins of Saint-Kitts & Nevis, 32, World 100m champion in 2003, has shown good great shape so far, with a consistent series of 10.12, 10.10 and 10.10 second runs in his three last competitions. His main challenger will be Tyron Edgar of Great Britain, who lowered his personal best to 10.06 this year in Geneve but maybe more impressively was  the winner last weekend at the European Cup in 10.20 into a -1.8 wind in spite of having stepped into the next lane due to a misleading lane draw on Annecy's track.

Most of Edgar’s fastest fellow countrymen and relay team-mates will show up in Lille, Marlon Devonish (Olympic 4x100m champion and 200m winner in Annecy), Simeon Williamson (U23 European champion last year) and Craig Pickering (European Cup 100m winner in 2007).

The French team will also present their fastest members of the season: Martial Mbandjock (10.17 this season), Ronald Pognon (10.25), and 18-years-old Christophe Lemaître (10.38).

Marlon Devonish will double in the 100m and 200m on Friday, facing in the longer sprints other French sprinters like David Alerte and Eddy de Lepine, who were placed first and second respectively last year in Lille. The favourite will be 1.68m tall Brian Dzingai of Zimbabwe, the fastest of the field this year with 20.17.

The men's 400m race is wide open with Leslie Djhone, 5th at World Championships in last August with a 44.46 French record, recovering from a glute tear, facing new Australian hope Joel Milburn and Trinidadian Ato Stephens (ex-Modibo), who are each in low 45sec shape.

Yohann Diniz, European 50km Race Walk champion and World silver medallist, will be in search of speed during the 5000m race walk, after health problems this spring.

Mohamed Salman al Khuwalidi, the Asian record holder outdoors (8.48) and indoors (8.24) will be the favourite in the men's Long Jump in the absence of France's Salim Sdiri, slightly injured

In the women’s Triple Jump we can expect a dual between Olympic champion Françoise Mbango from the Cameroon and French national record holder Tereza Nzola Meso Ba.

The most contested throw event will be women's Hammer Throw, with the presence of Poland’s 2000 Olympic Champion Kamila Skolimowska, double (2001 and 2003) World Champion Yipsi Moreno of Cuba, as well as the two best French throwers, Manuèla Montebrun and Stéphanie Falzon.

P-J Vazel for the IAAF

**subject to usual ratification procedures