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After his 1500m world record in the IAAF Golden League meeting in Rome on Tuesday, the big question will be whether El Guerrouj can keep up the pace for another 119 yards (108 metres) and better Noureddine Morcelli's record in the mile. Going on the closing pace of the 23-year-old Moroccan in Rome, where he ran the final 400m in 53.3 (unofficial split), the 3:44.39 mark set by Morceli in Rieti back in September 1993 could well be under threat. The fact that Morcelli is also running should make for some exciting competition in Nice this evening.
In the 100 metres, Frank Fredericks (NAM) will be competing and starting favourite in the absence of either Greene or Boldon.
Stephane Diagana(FRA), World Champion in the 400m hurdles will head a field which includes Samuel Matete (ZAM) and Ruslan Maschenko (RUS), while the local crowd will doubtless also be rooting for Jean Galfione in the pole vault, where he faces Jeff Hartwig (USA), Dmitri Markov (BLR), Riaan Botha (RUS), Maxim Tarasov (RUS) and Tim Lobinger (GER).
In the women's events, there is an excellent line-up, including: French sprint stars Christine Arron (10.95), Fréderique Bangue and Sylviane Félix, facing Li Xuemei (CHI), Debbie Ferguson (BAH) and Inger Miller in the 100m; Brigitta Bukovec (SLO), Dionne Rose (JAM) and Melissa Morrison (USA) in the 100m hurdles and Sarka Kasparkova ((CZE) and Rodica Mateescu in the triple jump.
Josian Llado, who set a,nother French national record in the 5000m in Rome on Tuesday will be competing in the 3000m against a particularly strong field, including Sonia O'Sullivan, double world champion in the World Cross Country Championships in Marrakesh last March, Zohra Ouaziz (MAR), winner of the 5000m in Rome and Ethiopians Merima Denboba and Gete Wami.
On-line results from the meeting will be posted on the IAAF web site.
