Thompson, McLeod set to shine in Lausanne

LAUSANNE, Switzerland:

Jamaica's double Olympic gold medallist Elaine Thompson and men's 110-metre hurdles winner Omar McLeod will be two of the stars on show at tomorrow's Lausanne Diamond League meet in Switzerland.

After a four-week break to facilitate the staging of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Athletissima meeting is the 10th of 14 meets on the schedule. Track and field fans are very excited about the prospect of seeing some of the Rio stars, including four gold medallists, in action.

With the meet coming just a few days after the Olympic Games, several athletes who were down to compete have opted out of tomorrow's staging, but all events are still expected to be well contested as athletes who did not make it to Rio will be hoping to take some big scalps here.

POISED TO LEAD

Thompson, who took the sprint double in Rio de Janeiro, is in second place on 20 points in the Diamond League 100m and looks set to grab 10 points and take over the lead. She is one of three Jamaicans who will face the starter in the 100m in the absence of race leader Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands.

The other Jamaicans down to compete in this short sprint are Rio finalist Christania Williams and veteran Veronica Campbell-Brown, the first Jamaican to arrive at the team hotel yesterday.

McLeod will be hoping for another big performance in his bid to cut the gap on leader Orlando Ortega of Spain. McLeod, who had a mishap in his last Diamond League meet in London, bounced back with a big win in Rio and will be looking to get close to Ortega. He is in second place on 20 points in the event while Ortega leads with 30.

ANTICIPATED CLASH

Other event leaders down to compete tomorrow are American LaShawn Merritt in the 400m and high jumper Bohdan Bondarenko of Ukraine.

Fans were eagerly awaiting a clash between Olympic 100m hurdles champion, American Brianna Rollins, and her compatriot World record holder Kendra Harrison, but the former has withdrawn from the event along with the two other medallists, Nia Ali, who won silver, and bronze medallist Kristi Castlin. Harrison has 40 points and is unbeaten so far in Diamond League competition. She looks set to wrap up affairs here despite a competitive field that includes her countrywomen Jasmin Stowers, Sharika Nelvis and Dawn Harper-Nelson.