INDIANAPOLIS- Tyson Gay and Allyson Felix will lead the way into the Crystal Palace as Team USA looks to continue their dominance at the Aviva London Grand Prix this Friday and Saturday. The two-day competition is the 11th of 14 meets in the prestigious Samsung Diamond League series.
The IAAF Diamond League encompasses 32 individual event disciplines, with a points scoring 'Diamond Race' which runs throughout the 14 meeting series. Winners of each Diamond Race will get a Diamond Trophy and a cash prize. For complete rules and regulations, CLICK HERE.
Fresh off his big win last week in Stockholm, 2009 World Outdoor silver medalist Tyson Gay will be joined by 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Walter Dix and 2009 USA Outdoor champion Mike Rodgers in the men's 100m. They'll have to watch for Olympic silver medalist Richard Thompson (TRI) who could be a strong contender. The men's 400m will showcase 2008 Olympic silver medalist and 2009 World Outdoor silver medalist Jeremy Wariner, who holds the second best time in the world this year, and will face off against world-leader Jermaine Gonzales (JAM).
Reigning World Indoor and Outdoor champion Christian Cantwell will lead the men's shot put field along with 2007 World Outdoor champion Reese Hoffa and two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson. 2008 NCAA champion Cory Martin, with the second best throw in the world this year, 2009 USA Indoor champion Dan Taylor and two-time NCAA champion Ryan Whiting, who holds the third and fourth best world marks, will round out the competitive field.
Doubling in the women's 200m and 400m, Allyson Felix currently holds the second fastest 200m time in the world this year. She has been running strong this season in both events, and currently leads the Diamond race in both events. Joining her in the 400m will be current world-leader and World Indoor champion Debbie Dunn.
The on-going contest between American record holder Chaunte Lowe and Croatia's Blanka Vlasic to outperform one another will continue on Friday as they take to the pit in the women's high jump competition. As always, it is a toss up for the win and all depends on who is at the top of their game.
Current USA Outdoor champion Becky Breisch and four-time USA Outdoor champion Aretha Thurmond will go head-to-head in the women's discus throw. They will find tough competition from world-leader Nadine Muller of Germany.
The women's 100m hurdle competition will see a tough showdown between current world-leader and USA Outdoors champion Lolo Jones and Canada's Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, who brings the world's second fastest time this season to the track. Also watch for 2010 400m and 100m hurdle NCAA champion Queen Harrison and two-time USA Outdoors champion Ginnie Crawford.
2010 USA Outdoor champion and World Indoor bronze medalist David Oliver, who recently set the American Record, will look to add to his Diamond League success in the men's 110m hurdles. 2010 NACAC champion Ronnie Ash, who finished third at the 2010 USA Outdoor Championships, will also be a top contender.
The women's 100m will see the fastest American woman so far this year, Carmelita Jeter, challenged by reigning USA 200m champion Connie Moore and Marshevet Myers, who ran 10.99 earlier this week in Luzern. In the men's 200m, Xavier Carter will take on three-time World Outdoor medalist Wallace Spearmon, who will double in the 100m.
The men's 3,000m will feature reigning World Indoor champion Bernard Lagat, who set an American record in the 5,000m earlier this summer, and two-time USA Outdoor 10,000m champion Galen Rupp. The men's 800m field includes 2010 USA Outdoor champion Nick Symmonds and 2010 NCAA champion Andrew Wheating, who hold the top two US times this year. The men's one-mile race will feature 2010 USA Outdoor 1,500m champion Lopez Lomong and runner-up Leonel Manzano.
2008 Olympic bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson will lead the men's 400m hurdles. The 2010 USA Outdoor champion will have to hold off 2009 World Outdoor runner-up Javier Culson (PUR). USA Outdoors runner-up Nicole Leach will look to chase down 2008 Olympic silver medalist Sheena Tosta in the women's 400m hurdles.
The women's middle distance events show a strong field of American women, headlined by world-leader Alysia Johnson in the 800m and Christin Wurth-Thomas in the 1,500m. Other strong Americans competing in the two events are Shannon Rowbury in the 1,500m, and USA Outdoors 1,500m champion Anna Pierce, USA Outdoors runner-up Maggie Vessey and Morgan Uceny in the women's 800m event.
2010 World Indoor bronze medalist Dusty Jonas, with the number-two jump in the world this year, and 2010 USA Indoor and Outdoor champion Jesse Williams lead the men's high jump competition. Three-time World Outdoor champion Dwight Phillips holds is the man to beat in the men's long jump.
USA Outdoor champion Jillian Camarena-Williams brings a personal best of 19.13m/62-9.25 to the competition in the women's shot put, the farthest mark from an American this season. Also watch for USA Outdoors runner-up Michelle Carter. In the women's javelin, American record holder Kara Patterson and Rachel Yurkovich will represent the U.S. in a strong field of international athletes.
In the men's pole vault, two-time Olympian Derek Miles will face off against 2009 World Outdoor bronze medalist Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) and 2008 Olympic gold medalist Steven Hooker (AUS) who hold the top two world marks. Lacy Janson, who holds the second highest clearance by an American this year, will compete in the women's pole vault.
For more information and results visit: http://www.diamondleague-london.com/en/Home/.
About USA Track & Field
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States.
For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org
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