Athletics: Sanya Richards has her eye on the diamond

SANYA Richards-Ross and ten other newly crowned Olympic champions will switch their attention from gold to diamonds tonight at the DN Galan athletics meet in Stockholm.

The Diamond League event is the first major track meet after the London Games, and the American 400 metres champion will be among 11 gold medallists set to compete at Stockholm’s Olympic Stadium – on the 100th anniversary of the 1912 games that were held there.

Felix Sanchez, the men’s 400m hurdles champion, is also among the headline acts, along with 1,500m winner Taoufik 
Makhloufi of Algeria.

Makhloufi will be running the 800 in Stockholm. He 
was initially kicked out of the London Games for presumably not trying hard enough in the 800 – quitting the race on the first lap after he had reached the final of the 1,500 – but was allowed back after a doctor took his side.

Any athlete who breaks a stadium record in Stockholm will be given a one-carat diamond – and Richards-Ross for her part is intent on adding one of those to her gold medals.

“I really hope to take on the stadium record tomorrow,” said Richards-Ross, who added a second gold in London in the women’s 4x400 relay.

“I’ve set a goal of mine here in Stockholm – I need to get that diamond.”