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The Diamond League trains roll into Stockholm Sweden

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Photo : Day, Mills, McPherson

DN Galan Diamond League, held at the historical Stockholm Olympic Stadium, is a leading track and field meeting on the circuit and the largest annual sporting event in Sweden.

The stadium which prides itself of having 83 world records set there up to 2013, more than any other arena in the world and the organizers are hoping that number will increase come Thursday, 21, 2014 (today).

Events on the men’s side will feature the 100 m, 800 m, 5000 m, 400 m Hurdles, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Shot Put and Javelin Throw while the women competition will see the 200 m, 400 m, 1500 m, 3000 m Steeplechase, 100 m Hurdles, High Jump, Long Jump and Discus Throw.

There are seven Jamaicans down to compete, which includes the 2014 Commonwealth Games top three, Stephanie McPherson, Christine Day and Diamond league race leader Novlene Williams- Mills. They will come face to face with the Americans trio of , Francena Mccorory Natasha Hasting and Jamaican born Sanya Richards- Ross. Williams- Mills with a seasons best of 50.5s is on 14 pionts and holds a 8 point lead going into the race with McCorory and Richards- Ross both tied in second on six points.

Williams-Mills could wrap her hands around the diamond trophy with a victory today, with just one more meeting left in the seven meet series to decide the champion.

Roxroy Cato 2014 Commonwealth Games representative will run in the men’s 400 hurdles where he lines up against the likes of diamond race leader Javier Culson of Puerto Rico, Dominican veteran Felix Sanchez , Micheal Tinsley of the USA , Cornell Fredricks of South Africa and fellow Caribbean athlete T&T Jehue Gordon.

The 2014 National champion and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Nickel Ashmeade and Nesta Carter are down for the men’s 100 metres, where they will compete against event leader Mike Rodgers of the United States. Ashmeade with season best time of 9.97 seeks to narrow the gap in the diamond race by collecting maximum points. The American Rodgers who has a seasons best of 9.91 sits out front on 9 points five more than Ashmeade who is on four. Carter, the other Jamaican in contention, in on three points.

Common Wealth sprint relay gold medallist and Racers athlete Schillonie Calvert, will run in the women’s 200 metres. Calvert who has a season best 22.88 seconds, will go up against Americans Torrie Bowie (22.18), Joanna Atkins (22.27), and Allyson Felix (22.34).

The top two Americans Felix (9 points) and Bowie (4 points ) featured in the race currently sits 2nd and 3rd will seek to close the Gap on Africa sprint Queen and Common Wealth Champion, Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare.

Okagbare is the event leader with 11 points, but will be absent from the meeting.

Newly Crowned Commonwealth Champion Odane “ strongman” Richards, who threw a national and Games record 21.61 metres to pocket the Shot Put gold medal in Glasgow, will face a high-powered field that includes American Joe Kovavs, who leads the world with 22.03m; German David Storl (21.97m); and event diamond event leader American Reese Hoffa, 21.67m.

Other events to look out for are: The women’s sprint hurdles which will see Commonwealth champion from Australia, Sally Pearson battling the American pair of Queen Harrison and Dawn Harper- Nelson, the top two in the diamond race this year.

The women 3000m steeplechase will see a clash of diamond race leaders, Ethiopia’s Sofia Assefa , and her fellow country woman Hiwott Ayalew. Both are on 11 points so far.

The women’s 1500 should be very exciting when diamond race leader and European championship runner up, Abeba Aregawi of Sweden match up against American Jen Simpson, Ethiopian Genezbe Dibaba, and Netherland sensation Sifan Hassan.

Hassan will take over the diamond race if she wins and Aregawi finishes outside the top three.

The meet can be seen locally on TvJ starting at 1:00 pm.

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