Diamond League: Mega clashes tomorrow in Poland

The city of Chorzow in Poland will be in the spotlight tomorrow as several of the world’s best athletes, including 19 Jamaicans, will be involved in some mega clashes at the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, the 12th stage of the Wanda Diamond League. The event will see athletes seeking valuable points in their bids to qualify for the two-day Diamond League finale, slated for Zurich, Switzerland, August 27–28.

With the World Athletics Championships just four weeks away, the stage is set for fireworks, especially in the men’s and women’s 100 metres, which will feature world leaders Kishane Thompson of Jamaica and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the United States.

Thompson, who clocked 9.75 seconds to win his second title at the JAAA Senior Championships, will face American champion Kenneth Bednarek, who won in a personal best 9.79. Also in the line-up is Olympic champion Noah Lyles, who edged out Thompson for the gold medal in Paris last year in a photo finish, both clocking 9.79.

The American who will be facing Thompson for the first time since the Paris Games, has only competed twice in the 100m this season. He placed second to Oblique Seville at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston and ran only in the first round at the US Trials. He is yet to break the 10-second barrier this year, with a season’s best of 10.00.

Thompson is coming off a win four days ago in Budapest but will need to run much faster than his 9.95 clocking if he hopes to extend his winning streak. Also in the line-up are Americans Courtney Lindsey (9.82), Treyvon Bromell (9.86), and Christian Coleman (9.84), along with Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake (9.88) and Diamond League leader Akani Simbine (9.90) of South Africa, the only man to have beaten Thompson this season.

In the women’s 100m, Jefferson-Wooden, the hottest female sprinter in the world this season, will make her second Diamond League appearance of the year. After dominating the Grand Slam Track meets and impressively defeating Olympic champion Julien Alfred at the Prefontaine Classic in 10.75, the unbeaten American returned to Eugene, Oregon, several days later to storm to a personal best and world-leading 10.65 to win the US title.

Twin sisters Tina and Tia Clayton will be aiming to lower the American’s colours. Tia, returning to competition for the first time since her injury at the National Senior Championships, is the fastest Jamaican in the event this season with 10.81. She will be seeking her second Diamond League win after her 10.92 clocking in Doha. Tina, who won her first national senior title with a personal best 10.86, is coming off a second-place finish earlier this week in Budapest behind Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith of Côte d’Ivoire.

Ta Lou-Smith, with a season’s best of 10.90, will also be in the line-up as will world champion Sha’Carri Richardson (11.07) of the United States, who is yet to hit top form.

In the 100m hurdles, Jamaica will be represented by Ackera Nugent, Megan Tapper, and Danielle Williams. Nugent, with a season’s best of 12.30 seconds, will be looking to bounce back after a fourth-place finish in Budapest, her first time outside the top three this season.

Tapper, fresh from equalling her personal best of 12.34s to win in Monaco, will be eyeing another victory, while Williams (12.51) will be aiming to improve her time. The field will be led by world leader Masai Russell of the United States (12.17) and Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan (12.24).

In the women’s 400m hurdles, Andrenette Knight (53.67) will lead fellow Jamaican Shiann Salmon against a stacked field. World leader Femke Bol (51.95) of the Netherlands will be looking to extend her unbeaten run. The line-up also includes Savannah Sutherland of Canada (52.46) and the American pair Dalilah Muhammad (52.58) and Anna Cockrell (52.89).

World champion Shericka Jackson will compete in her third 200m of the season. After placing third in the 100m earlier this week in Budapest with a modest 11.00, she will be seeking a statement performance. Jackson will aim to lower her season’s best of 22.53 against a quality field that includes Great Britain’s Amy Hunt (22.14), the USA’s Brittany Brown (22.27), and Nigeria’s Favour Ofili (22.00).

Other Jamaicans set to compete include Orlando Bennett and Hansle Parchment in the 110m hurdles, Roshawn Clarke in the 400m hurdles, Rajindra Campbell in the men’s shot put, Romaine Beckford in the high jump, and Ackelia Smith in the women’s long jump.