Miller, Rudisha, Elanie centre of attraction at Shanghai

After that world famous dive to win the Olympic 400m Gold medal in Rio, Bahamian sprinter Shaunae Miller will start her Diamond league season in Shanghai tomorrow where many of the world’s greatest athletes will be in pursuit of early season IAAF Diamond League points.

Miller won’t meet her rival, Allyson Felix in the 400m at Shanghai though she will be challenged by Felix ‘s US team mate Natasha Hasting together with Jamaican world champion 4x400m gold medallists Stephanie Ann Mcpherson and Novlene Williams-Mills.

Shanghai will also feature Rio Olympic 110m hurdles champion Jamaican Omar McLeod competing with London Olympic Champion Aries Merrit and former world champion David Oliver, who was on top of the world a few years ago before Omar came through.

France’s World record holder and London Olympic champion Renaud Levillenie will continue his battle with Rio Olympic Gold medallist Thiago Braz Da Silva in Pole Vault which will also feature defending World champion Canada’s Shawnacy Barber which will lead to an exciting competition.

Female sprinters, led by double Olympic champion Jamaica’s Elanie Thompson, Veronica Campbell Brown together with US’ Tianna Bartoletta and Tori Bowie will compete in the 100m. Thompson who won the 200m at Doha last week is the favourite to win the 100m but Bartoletta who is famous for her quick start will come hard at her especially after a disappointing fall down at World Relays early this year.

Champion in 400m Lashawn Merrit will start his pursuit for a new goal, 200m, 400m double at the world championship as he is set to run the 200m at Shanghai which will also feature former British world junior champion Adam Gemili. Diamond league season starter Merrit did not go quite as planned where he was beaten in his pet event the 400m and will be eager to get a win under his belt in China, the place where he emerged on top of the world at the Beijing Olympics.

Other than that double Olympic champion David Rudisha is one of four Kenyan track stars set to take centre stage at Shanghai. Rudisha was fifth on his Shanghai debut 12 months ago and the 800m world record-holder is relishing the chance to make amends as he takes on fellow Kenyan Olympic finalists Ferguson Cheruiyot and Alfred Kipketer plus Polish pair Adam Kszczot and Marcin Lewandowski.

Two other top-class Kenyans lead the field in the women’s 5000m and 3000m steeplechase. Hellen Obiri moved up from 1500m last year to take the Olympic 5000m silver medal in Rio. On Saturday she will face Senbere Teferi and Sofia Assefa, who will be seeking to make their mark in the first women’s 5000m steeple chase in the IAAF Diamond League season.

The 3000m steeplechase isn’t weakened by Assefa’s absence as it features Kenya’s world champion Hyvin Kiyeng against Bahrain’s Olympic champion and world record-holder Ruth Jebet.