Jamaicans hunt diamonds in Zurich - Thompson, Gayle among eight locals in Diamond Race finale

AFTER three months of exciting action, most of the world’s leading athletes, including eight Jamaicans, will be hunting Diamond Trophies as the first of two Diamond League finals will get under-way today at the Letzigrund Stadium in Weltklasse, Zurich.

The Diamond League finale will be staged in Brussels next week.

Sixteen champions will be crowned today, in what will serve as a preview for next month’s World Championships in Doha, Qatar. Five Olympic champions along with 11 world champions will be on show as are another 12 defending Diamond League champions, where a cash prize of US$50,000 and the Diamond Trophy will go to the respective winners.

In addition, winners will receive a wild-card entry to next month’s championships.

Elaine Thompson, the Olympic double sprint champion, will lead Jamaica’s charge at the meet and will line up in a mega women’s 200 metres clash, which will see the world leader (22.00 seconds) going up against two-time world champion Dafne Schippers of Denmark, European champion Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain, Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria, whose 22.05 seconds is the second-best time in the event this season, and the versatile Shaunae Miller-Uibo of The Bahamas.

Thompson has looked impressive all season, but Miller-Uibo, the Olympic Games 400m champion, could be the biggest test for the Jamaican. The lanky Bahamian, who is on the hunt for a third Diamond Trophy in the event, arrived in Zurich with a season best of 22.09 seconds and is yet to taste defeat this season.

Janieve Russell will contest the 400m hurdles, while Stephenie-Ann McPherson is set to line up in the 400m.

Re-run of US Championships

The hurdles event will see a re-run of the US National Championships, where Dalilah Muhammed posted a world record of 52.20 seconds. Interestingly, Shamier Little, who finished fourth at those trials, will be shooting for that win and accompanying wild-card entry for herself, while hoping her countrywoman takes the title if she fails to, to secure a lifeline to Doha.

McPherson, a winner recently in Paris and a former Diamond Trophy winner herself in the flat 400m, will be hoping for an upset here as she goes up against the unbeaten Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain, who has won some seven races this season and is the world leader with 49.17 seconds.

Shanieka Ricketts and Kimberly Williams in the triple jump and shot put stand-out Danniel Thomas-Dodd are the other Jamaican females in action today.

On the men’s side, sprinter Yohan Blake and jumper Tajay Gayle will carry the fight for Jamaican males.

Following his morale-boosting win in the 100m at the Birmingham Diamond League meet recently, Blake, who is still hunting a return to his old form, will again line up in the short sprint, but will this time face a much tougher opposition despite the absence of world-leader Christian Coleman.

World champion Justin Gatlin will lead a strong USA trio, which includes 200m specialist Noah Lyles and Michael Rodgers, with the likes of the Great Britain duo of Adam Gemili and Zharnell Hughes, as well as South Africa’s Akani Simbini, hoping to all make strong statements with big performances here.

Meanwhile, Tajay Gayle, who has been the country’s most improved senior male athlete in recent times, has a glorious chance of going all the way in the men’s long jump, an event which this season is yet to see any one competitor dominating. He goes into the meet with a season and personal best of 8.32m in the event and could steal the show here.

Jamaican Schedule

11:15 a.m. Women’s Triple Jump

Shanieka Ricketts, Kimberly Williams

12:40 p.m. Women’s Shot Put

Daniel Thomas-Dodd

1:04 p.m. Women’s 400m

Stephenie-Ann McPherson

1:41 p.m. Women’s 200m

Elaine Thompson

1:45 p.m. Men’s Long Jump

Tajay Gayle

2:02 p.m. Women’s 400m Hurdles

Janieve Russell

2:13 p.m. Men’s 100m

Yohan Blake