Athletics: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Carmelita Jeter in 100m showdown in Zurich

Published on 30/08/2012 00:00

SHELLY-ANN Fraser-Pryce and Carmelita Jeter will go head-to-head for the Diamond Race 
title in the women’s 100m in a highlight of tonight’s Weltklasse programme in Zurich.

Olympic champion Fraser-Pryce leads the standings with 11 points to silver-medallist Jeter’s nine, but, with double points available, the title is anybody’s.

The situation is repeated in the 100m hurdles, with Olympic runner-up Kellie Wells holding a 10-8 lead over fellow American Dawn Harper, third in London.

In the pick of the men’s events, David Rudisha aims to wrap up the 800m title by adding to his eight points with victory tonight. Only world indoor champion Mohammed Aman of Ethiopia can beat Rudisha, who broke the world record in winning Olympic gold, to the title, and he would need to finish in the top two and ahead of the Kenyan.

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt is likely to monopolise attention in the 200m, but the race for the diamond is between the Netherlands’ Churandy Martina, on 12 points, and Bolt’s compatriot Nickel Ashmeade on 11. Yohan Blake will run in the 100m, a race not on the Diamond League 
programme.

The 5,000m is set for a thrilling climax, with Ethiopians Dejen Gebremeskel and Hagos Gebrhiwet both on eight points and Kenya’s Isiah Koech on seven, while Great Britain’s Robbie Grabarz and American Jesse Williams are also separated by only a point in the high jump.

The women’s 3,000m steeplechase title is up for grabs, though. Milcah Chemos can secure victory with a top-two finish. Should the Kenyan miss out, Ethiopia’s Sofia Assefa (seven) and Tunisian Habiba Ghribi (six) are in position to pounce.

Amantle Montsho can only be denied the women’s 400m diamond if she finishes outside the top three and Sanya Richards-Ross wins, in which case the latter would take the title by having won more events. Britain’s Christine Ohuruogu also features in a strong field.