Athens Olympic stadium, with its renowned super-fast track, plays host to some world class
sprints this evening on the occasion of the IAAF Grand Prix II Meeting known as
"Tsiklitiria".
Trinidad and Tobago’s Ato Boldon and his American training partner Maurice Greene
will both attempt the 100m and 200m double.
On the same track two years ago, Boldon was crowned 200m world champion and last season he
clocked 1998 best performances of 9.86 and 19.88. Greene clocked 9.86 in Athens in 1997 to
take the 100m world crown.
John Smith’s protégés will face Namibia’s Frank Fredericks and Canada’s
Bruny Surin, who clocked the year’s fastest time of 9.92 for 100m last weekend in
Nuremberg..
Cuba should dominate the jumping events with reigning world champion Ivan Pedroso in the
long jump and world record holder Javier Sotomayor in the high jump.
In the women’s events, American Gail Devers will try and gain revenge on the Greek
favourite Ekaterini Thanou, who has already clocked 10.91 this season. In Maebashi in
March, Thanou beat Devers over 60m indoors to win her first world championships gold.
