Liu Xiang is welcomed home as sprinting's cold war continues
September 28th 2007 12:27
Tonight’s meeting in Shanghai will be kicking off a south Asian tour for many of the athletes on show which will also include competitions in Yokohama and Deagu in the coming days.
So who’s made the trip?
Well somewhat surprisingly the crème de la crème of the sprinting world in the form of Tyson Gay AND Asafa Powell.
But before you get too excited Gay goes in the 100m whilst Powell doubles the distance in the half lap event.
Gay and Powell have both claimed that they are not allowed to race each other and it is a decision that has angered both athletes with Powell saying “I wanted to run the 100m but I wasn't allowed to. I don't know why, you should ask my manager.”
Gay also commented, “Asafa wants to run the 100m, I don't really know what's going on. Maybe someone wants to see the big match-up in Beijing [at the Olympics].”
Powell then further elaborated, “They know I don't like the 200 because it hurts afterwards. I wanted to run the 100 but they said run the 200, so that's what I have to do.”
The question of who is the worlds best over the 100m looks like its going to be unanswered for a long time to come but there is no doubt who the worlds premier 400m runner is as Jeremy Wariner looks to remain undefeated in 2007 over his favourite distance with victory here.
World champion, Olympic champion, world record holder and local boy are combined into one in the shape of 110m hurdler Liu Xiang who will raise the roof off of the 15,000 seat Shanghai university town stadium when he is announced to the crowd.
Long distance legend Keninesa Bekele will have a rare run over 1500m and high jump world champions Blanka Vlasic and Donald Thomas also make appearances as does Yelena Isinbaeva in the women’s pole vault.
Meseret Defer will look to continue her sparkling season over 5000m which has already seen her set a new world record and claim the world championship title and Michelle Perry goes in the 100m hurdles.
Jana Rawlinson (nee Pittman) will look to showcase her talents here as a double world champion in the 400m hurdles whilst Christine Ohurogu looks to claim her first win since claiming the Osaka title over a month ago as her nemesis Sanya Richards goes in the 100m along with Veronica Campbell (2007 world champion) and Lauryn Williams (2005 world champion).
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