OSTRAVA, Czech Republic — Steven Gardiner from the Bahamas, Jamaica’s Britany Anderson, and Grenada’s Anderson Peters are set to make significant impacts at the 63rd Ostrava Golden Spike (WACT Gold) on Tuesday, May 28.
How to watch Ostrava Golden Spike Live Stream? Visit World Athletics website at this link ALSO READ: Michael Johnson Raises $30M to Launch New Track League Next Year
Gardiner, renowned for his smooth stride and endurance, will be aiming to win his third race of the season over this distance. The Bahamian athlete has remained unbeaten this year in his first two races, clocking 44.45 in Baton Rouge and 44.76 at the Diamond League meeting in Doha. He won the 400m in 44.95 in his previous appearance at the Golden Spike in Ostrava in 2019.
Gardiner will take on Alexander Doom from Belgium, the double world indoor champion in the 400 meters and the 4×400 relay, who recently won at the Diamond League meeting in Marrakesh with a lifetime best of 44.51.
Gardiner was the first athlete to meet journalists before the Golden Spike. “I am just happy to be here in Ostrava and I am hoping for a good performance not only for me but for the whole crowd here in Ostrava. It is very good to be here and it will be my last start before the Olympic Trials in Nassau. It will be a great race and I just want to go out there and surprise myself on Tuesday,” he said.
The Golden Spike meeting record has been held by LaShawn Merritt since 2014 with a time of 44.16, but Gardiner is not focused on a specific time. “I just want to go out there and try my best. Once I see the clock, I want to be satisfied and I want to see a good time. If there is something like 44.0, I will have a good day, but I don’t want to talk about times. Anything can happen and anybody can have a good day or a bad day. I do not want to call anybody out. I just want to focus on my own race,” said Gardiner.
Jamaica’s 2022 world silver medallist Britany Anderson will battle European outdoor champion Pia Skrzyszowka from Poland, European indoor gold medallist Ditaji Kambundji from Switzerland, and USA’s Amber Hughes in the women’s 100 meters hurdles. Kambundji won her first Diamond League race in Doha in 12.49, missing her national record by 0.02.
In the men’s javelin throw, another Caribbean athlete, Anderson Peters, the 2022 world champion from Grenada, will be among the stars. He faces intense competition with Jakub Vadlejch and Julian Weber.
The men’s 100m will feature an exciting showdown between Olympic champions Marcell Jacobs and Andre De Grasse. Although De Grasse has Caribbean roots, Gardiner is the man to watch in this event.
The women’s 100m will see Gina Bass from Gambia bringing her Caribbean flair to the track, competing against Mujinga Kambundji, Ewa Swoboda, and Zaynab Dosso. Although not from the Caribbean, Bass’s participation will add to the regional representation.
Ditaji Kambundji will compete in the 100m hurdles, taking on formidable opponents like Nadine Visser and Pia Skrzyszowska. Kambundji’s effort in the hurdles will highlight the growing talent of athletes with Caribbean connections in this discipline.
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