SHANGHAI – Some of the world’s top athletes wind down their seasons in a swing through Asia in the coming week, with China’s Liu Xiang making his first appearance on home soil since the world championships.
A host of star names will appear at the IAAF-sanctioned Golden Grand Prix here on Friday before heading to Japan for the Seiko Super Track and Field meet in Yokohama on Sunday before ending up at Daegu in South Korea next Wednesday. World champions Tyson Gay, Jeremy Wariner and Kenenisa Bekele will all compete in Shanghai, as will pole vault world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva and sprint queen Veronica Campbell.The fastest man on earth, Jamaica’s Asafa Powell, also runs, but has opted to compete in the 200m and so will miss a showdown with American Gay, who beat him to the 100m world title in Osaka last month.The top draw for fans in China is superstar Shanghai native Liu, the world and Olympic 110m hurdles champion who is sure to receive a rapturous reception.American Kerron Clement, who stormed to a surprise gold in the men’s 400m hurdles at the world championships, will be compatriot Wariner’s chief threat in the 400m flat here.Ethiopia’s Bekele, the 10 000m world champion and world record holder, runs the 1 500m here where he will be up against a host of Kenyans, including Brimin Kipruto and Daniel Kipchirchir Komen.Isinbayeva, who shared the one million dollar Golden League jackpot with American 400m runner Sanya Richards this month, faces her Russian teammates Svetlana Feofanova and Tatiana Polnova, among others.The chief threat for Campbell in the women’s 100m will be Lauryn Williams and Carmelita Jeter.Gay and Powell are also confirmed for Yokohama, but have again opted not to run against each other.Nampa-AFPWorld champions Tyson Gay, Jeremy Wariner and Kenenisa Bekele will all compete in Shanghai, as will pole vault world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva and sprint queen Veronica Campbell.The fastest man on earth, Jamaica’s Asafa Powell, also runs, but has opted to compete in the 200m and so will miss a showdown with American Gay, who beat him to the 100m world title in Osaka last month.The top draw for fans in China is superstar Shanghai native Liu, the world and Olympic 110m hurdles champion who is sure to receive a rapturous reception.American Kerron Clement, who stormed to a surprise gold in the men’s 400m hurdles at the world championships, will be compatriot Wariner’s chief threat in the 400m flat here.Ethiopia’s Bekele, the 10 000m world champion and world record holder, runs the 1 500m here where he will be up against a host of Kenyans, including Brimin Kipruto and Daniel Kipchirchir Komen.Isinbayeva, who shared the one million dollar Golden League jackpot with American 400m runner Sanya Richards this month, faces her Russian teammates Svetlana Feofanova and Tatiana Polnova, among others.The chief threat for Campbell in the women’s 100m will be Lauryn Williams and Carmelita Jeter.Gay and Powell are also confirmed for Yokohama, but have again opted not to run against each other.Nampa-AFP
