Russell hunts another win
Jamaica's top 400 metres hurdler, Janieve Russell, will look to continue her winning ways today when she competes in Lausanne, Switzerland, the eighth leg of the Diamond League series.
Russell, the top Jamaican this year in Diamond League competition, will be looking to maintain her dominance over American Dalilah Muhammad following her win over her a few days ago in Hungary.
After a long break from the Diamond League circuit, Jamaica's Olympic champion Elaine Thompson will line up in the women's 100 metres where she will renew rivalry with the Cote d'Ivoire duo of Murielle Ahoure and Diamond League leader, Marie Josee Ta Lou. Ta Lou with a season's best of 10.85 seconds will be hoping to continue her fine form but her teammate Ahoure with a best of 10.90 and Thompson (10.93) will be tough.
Also in the field is outstanding collegiate star Alea Hobbs of Louisiana State University who will be making her first Diamond League appearance. She has a season's and personal best 10.90.
Following her impressive win last Saturday in the 200 metres, Shericka Jackson looks set for another victory as she will line up against a moderate field. Jackson who won in Paris in a personal best 22.05 seconds will be gunning for her first sub-22 run.
After his disappointment in the men's 110m hurdles in Paris where he hit the sixth barrier and had to settle for sixth place, Olympic and World champion, Omar McLeod will be hoping for better luck today. He will be joined by countryman Ronald Levy who won in Paris. Both Jamaicans, however, will have to contend with Russian Sergey Shubenkov who was disqualified in Paris last Saturday for false starting . He returned on Monday at the Hungary Grand Prix meet to win impressively in a world leading and personal best 12.92.
The men's 400m hurdles is expected to attract a lot of attention. Qatar's Abderrahman Samba will be taking aim at the world record of 46.78 seconds set in 1992 by American Kevin Young. In Paris Samba ran a world leading 46.98, He is only the second man to go under 47 seconds in the event.
Schedule for Jamaicans
1:02 p.m: Women's 400m - Stephenie McPherson, Anastasia Leroy
1:12 p.m.: Women's 200m - Shericka Jackson
1:22 p.m: Men's 110m Hurdles - Ronald Levy, Omar McLeod
1:52 p.m: Women's 100m- Elaine Thompson
2:18 p.m: Women's 400m Hurdles- Janieve Russell