The Compeed Golden Gala in Rome will be the third leg of the 2012 Samsung Diamond League. The headliner of course is the infamous Usain Bolt. Did you know that in every Jamaican restaurant in Brooklyn there’s a pic of that guy?! Amazing. The triple Olympic champion and world record holder in the 100, 200 meters and the 4×100 relay. Asafa Powell and triple European sprint champion Christophe Lemaitre are looking for a rematch after last years race at the Rome Olympic Stadium where Bolt took the win in 9.91. Powell finished second in 9.93 ahead of Lemaitre, third in 10.00. Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis is in the lineup along with Jamaican sprinter Lerone Clarke.
In the Women’s 800m, South African former world champion Caster Semenya will square up against World Champion Maria Savinova from Russia, reigning Olympic champion and Istanbul 2012 World Indoor champion Pamela Jelimo from Kenya and 2007 world champion Janet Jepkosgei from Kenya.
The Men’s Intermediate Hurdles features Great Britain’s World, European and Commonwealth champion David Greene, 2005 World Champion Bershawn Jackson, and Javier Culson. He’s the world leader with a time of 48.00. On the women’s side, US record holder and World Champion Lashinda Demus will go up against Kaliese Spencer and Olympic champion Melaine Walker of Jamaica.
The Men’s High Jump will be nothing less than spectacular, featuring US reigning World champion Jesse Williams, Russian former World Indoor champion Ivan Ukhov, Russian Aleksey Dmitrik who is world silver medalist from Daegu, Greek Dimitrios Chondrokoukis, and youngster Mutaz Essa Barshim from Qatar who has already cleared 2.37m indoor this year.
Keep your eyes on the Women’s 100m Hurdles. Italian record holder Marzia Caravelli, defending Olympic gold medalist Dawn Harper, Olympic bronze medalist Canadian Priscilla Lopes Schliep, 2011 World Silver medalist American Danielle Carruthers and Tiffany Porter of Great Britain are all scheduled to show down. Berlin 2009 World gold medalist Brigitte Foster Hylton from Jamaica who has already clocked 12.51 this season is also in the field as well as the mesmerizing Lolo Jones. Don’t count her out! She’s back, and with a vengeance.
Tags: Aleksey Dmitrik, Asafa Powell, Bershawn Jackson, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Caster Semenya, Christophe Lemaitre, Danielle Carruthers, David Greene, Dawn Harper, Dimitrios Chondrokoukis, Ivan Ukhov, Janet Jepkosgei, Javier Culson, Jesse Williams, Kaliese Spencer, Kim Collins, Lashinda Demus, Lerone Clarke, Lolo Jones, Maria Savinova, Marzia Caravelli, Melaine Walker, Mutaz Essa Barshim, Pamela Jelimo, Priscilla Lopes Schliep, Tiffany Porter, Usain Bolt