Kenia Sinclair, a dominant run to beat World champion Caster Semenya in Eugene (© Kirby Lee)
Stockholm, SwedenWith a field boasting ten runners who have clocked under 1:59.00 this season, the women’s 800m at Friday evening’s DN Galan meeting in Stockholm, the 11th stop in the Samsung Diamond League series, promises another thrilling and unpredictable affair.
Among the entrants is Morocco’s Halima Hachlaf, who improved this season to 1:58.27 with her victory in Oslo; Eugene winner Kenia Sinclair in 1:58.29, whose impressive early season also included a win in the New York 1500m; and Daegu-bound Alysia Montano and Alice Schmidt of the U.S., who were first and third at the US trials and arrive with 1:58.33 and 1:58.61 season’s bests.
The field also includes reigning World champion Caster Semenya, who currently leads the Diamond Race in the event. The South African won in Paris, finished second in Eugene and third in Oslo, her 1:58.61 season’s best coming in the Norwegian capital. While others have been faster this season, Semenya isn’t allowing herself to be sidetracked by statistics.
“I do not think about the other runners when I compete,” the 20-year-old said. “I focus on what I must do.”
Not to be discounted is U.S. 1500m champion Morgan Uceny, whose breakout season has included metric mile wins in Lausanne and Birmingham, a recent 1500m career best of 4:01.51 in Monaco and an 800m PB three days earlier when she ran 1:58.37 in Lignano.
Traditionally fast Russia will be well represented by Svetlana Klyuka and Yelena Kofanova, who have run 1:58.03 and 1:58.25 this season. Svetlana Usovich of Belarus has also shown impressive form; her 1:58.12 season’s best was just 0.01 shy of her career best.
Samsung Diamond League
