Mary Moraa, Beatrice Chebet and Shericka Jackson among track stars to defend titles on day two in Eugene

ATHLETICS Mary Moraa, Beatrice Chebet and Shericka Jackson among track stars to defend titles on day two in Eugene

Abigael Wafula 07:45 - 17.09.2023

The crème de la crème of the track including World champion Mary Moraa, Beatrice Chebet, and Shericka Jackson will be in action with the hope of defending their Diamond League titles.

After 13 meetings of vigorous action from May to September, track stars will now assemble for day two of the Prefontaine Classic, the final Diamond League Meeting at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

The crème de la crème of the track including World champion Mary Moraa, Beatrice Chebet, and Shericka Jackson will be in action on the second day with the hope of making a statement and defending their Diamond League titles too.

However, it will not be an easy hunt for them since the athletes who missed out on top honours in Budapest last month will be out for revenge.

The men’s 800m will start of the track session with World 800m silver medallist Emmanuel Wanyonyi a favourite.

Wanyonyi will enjoy the company of compatriot Wycliffe Kinyamal and they will be in for a battle as they seek to stop Marco Arop who has been in impeccable form so far this year.

However, the field is open and anyone is eligible for a since Algeria’s Stockholm and Brussels winner Djamel Sedjati, and Benjamin Robert of France will also be in the mix.

The women’s 5000m will follow closely with World 5000m bronze medallist Chebet a favourite in the field since she is the defending champion. She was off to a flier start to her season that saw her bag the World Cross-country title in February.

She has the greater chance to claim another title ahead of going for world 5km gold at the World Road Running Championships in Riga next month.

She will be competing against Ethiopia’s world record-holder Ejgayehu Taye, world indoor 800m silver medallist Freweyni Hailu, and Medina Eisa, plus Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka.

Reigning World 10,000m champion Gudaf Tsegay, who won the world 5000m title the last time she raced at Hayward Field will also be in action and she poses as Chebet’s greatest threat. Australia’s Jess Hull, USA’s Alicia Monson, and Lilian Kasait Rengeruk will also be in the chase for the title.

The men’s 3000m also promises to be a thrilling show with Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen who will be clashing with Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, who is the reigning World 10,000m champion. Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega is also a favourite in the field.

World 5km record-holder Berihu Aregawi, and his Ethiopian compatriots Hagos Gebrhiwet and Yomif Kejelcha will also be fighting for the top spot with USA’s Woody Kincaid, Guatemala’s Luis Grijalva, and USA’s Grant Fisher also in the battle for supremacy.

The women’s 800m offers the thrilling opportunity of an unexpected rematch between global medallists Moraa, Keely Hodgkinson, and Athing Mu.

The Briton and Moraa were the sure participants in the event and now Mu joins them as she races with a wild card entry and she will definitely be seeking revenge after being pipped into third by winner Moraa and runner-up Hodgkinson in Budapest.

Britain’s Jemma Reekie is in form and fresh from a road mile win in New York, while Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin and Australia’s Catrona Bissett will also want to challenge.

The women’s 200m is the last event of the day and Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson will be going for the 200m world record of 21.34 set by Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988.

The two-time world champion clocked 21.41 to retain her title in Budapest, 21.45 to win her first world title at Hayward Field last year, and 21.48 to win in Brussels last month. She is edging closer and now has three of the four fastest times in 200m history to her name.

She will be challenged by Cote d'Ivoire's multiple global medallist Marie-Josee Ta Lou, USA’s Jenna Prandini, Bahamian Anthonique Strachan and Britain’s Daryll Neita.

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