Goule-Toppin, Williams head to multimillion-dollar New York meet

WORLD 100-METRE hurdles champion Danielle Williams and Olympic Games 800-metre semifinalist, Natoya Goule-Toppin, will be two Jamaicans among 36 women who will compete at the inaugural Athlos meet in New York this Thursday.

The meet, which will be held at the Icahn Stadium, will consist of six events in what will be the biggest cash prize ever in the sport for women.

Winners will walk away with US$60,000 (J$9,419,760), second-place US$25,000 (J$3,924,900), third US$10,000 (J$1,569,960), fourth $8,000 (J$1,255,968), fifth US$5,000 (J$784,980) and sixth-place finishers receive US$2,500 (J$392,490).

The events down to be contested are the 100 metres, 100-metre hurdles, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres and 1500 metres. Action begins at 5 p.m.

This season, the women’s 100 hurdles has attracted most attention at the various meets over the world and it will be no different on Thursday.

Olympic Games champion Masai Russell of the United States, bronze medallist and Diamond League champion Jasmine Camach-Quinn of Puerto Rico, Olympic finalist Alaysha Johnson of the United States, and Williams, a semifinalist in the event in Paris, will face the starters.

Olympic Games gold medallist Gabby Thomas of the United States will take on countrywoman, Brittany Brown, the Olympic bronze medallist and Diamond League champion, on the 200 metres alongside the United States’ Jenna Prandinii and Tamara Clarke.

In the 400, Olympic Games gold medallist and Diamond League champion Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic will be hoping to continue her impressive form this season but will face challenges from Salwa Naser of Bahrain, who was second in Paris, along with sixth-place finisher Alex Holmes of the United States.

The Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver and the United States’ Shamier Little are also down to contest the event.

Goule-Toppin will be hoping to finish her season in style after failing to reach the final of the 800 in Paris, dropping out in the semifinals. She will have the likes of Olympic Games silver medallist Tsige Duguma of Ethiopia and bronze medallist Mary Moraa of Kenya to contend with.

The outstanding Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, the Olympic Games champion and world record holder, will contest the 1500 metres. Here she will be joined by Olympic Games finalists and teammates Gudaf Tsegay and Susan Ejore-Sanders along with Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia.