Justin Gatlin will face strong opponents at Ostrava Golden Spike
Gatlin will face strong opponents at Ostrava Golden Spike

World sprint champions Justin Gatlin and Ramil Guliyev are the latest top names for 57th Ostrava Golden Spike on June 13.

Justin Gatlin will run the 100m and Ramil Guliyev the 200m at the IAAF World Challenge Meeting.

“I’m excited to come back to Ostrava to race. I’m focused and I plan to put on a good show for the fans,” said Gatlin who will be at the Czech meet for the third time.

Gatlin will face strong opponents at Ostrava Golden Spike

Britons Reece Prescod and Adam Gemili, Commonwealth Games winner Akani Simbine, French star Christophe Lemaitre and Olympic finalist Ben Meite of Ivory Coast will be the main challengers.

Also in the field will be Canadian Gavin Smellie, who recently improved to 10.01s.

Guliyev, on his previous visit, won silver at World U18 Championships 11 years ago.

“Now I m coming back as World champion. Always heard top things about your crowd and fast track, so hope to attack the 20 seconds and the first position finally after 11 years,” he said.

His main rivals will be South Africans, co-World leader Clarence Munyai and 2015 World medalist Anaso Jobodwana and Canadian Aaron Brown, who was third in Eugene last weekend.

Slovak European U23 Champion Jan Volko and Lemaitre, who is also listed for the 200m, are the other competitors.

In total 11 World champions from London are confirmed for Ostrava meet this year.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here