SHANGHAI (CHN): After clashing with Dafne Schippers over the 200m in Doha, Jamaican Elaine Thompson will face another Olympic medalist in Shanghai.
Her duel with Tori Bowie in the 100 m could be one of the highlights of the meet. All sprinters in the race have sub 11 personal bests.
The other Jamaicans are Veronica Campbell-Brown and Christania Williams in addition to other US sprinters Morolake Akinosun and Tianna Bartoletta.
Also taking part, are two sprinters from Africa, Murielle Ahoure and Marie-Josee Ta Lou, both from Ivory Coast. Completing the line-up on the 9 lane track, is Michelle-Lee Ahye of Trinidad and Tobago.
Thompson comes into her first Diamond League 100 meters with the second fastest time in the world this year under all conditions at 10.72, recorded last month in Kingston. Bowie is right behind her with a 10.80 (also wind assisted) on the same day.
Veteran American athlete (Two time Olympic 400-meter relay & Olympic Long Jump Champion) Bartoletta, has run the eighth fastest time in the world this year at 11.08. London Olympic finalist Ahoure has run a wind assisted sub 11 early this season at 10.96, although Ahye has run 10.95, it had a +4.4 in wind assistance in comparison to Ahoure’s +2.6.
Although Akinosun and Ta Lou have yet to run under 11 seconds in this young season, they have recorded two of fastest wind legal times. Akinosun (the former Texas longhorn), fresh off the NCAA collegiate circuit, has run the eleventh fastest time at 11.09 this year. Ta Lou, has run 11.19, with her wind assisted 11:09 only being a little over the legal wind limit at +2.2.
