Compeed Golden Gala: Collins in the 100 metres, staggering high jump

Usain Bolt will be chased by another sprint star in the 100 metres at the Compeed Golden Gala. On 31th May the sprint world record holder will take on not only his countryman Asafa Powell and triple sprint European champion Christophe Lemaitre who had already been announced but also Kim Collins. The St. Kitts and Nevis experienced sprinter will be the fourth sprint star starting from the blocks in the 100 metres in the Eternal City’s meeting. Collins won two bronze medals in the 100 metres and in the 4×100 relay at the World Championships in Daegu.

Meanwhile other star-studded athletes add their names to the starting list of the men’s high jump which is expected to be an exciting and spectacular competition. The field features US reigning World champion Jesse Williams and Russian former World Indoor champion Ivan Ukhov. They will take on Russian Aleksey Dmitrik (world silver medallist in Daegu), Greek surprise Dimitrios Chondrokoukis (World Indoor medallist in Istanbul and winner in the first leg of the Samsung Diamond League in Doha) and young rising star Mutaz Essa Barshim from Qatar who has already cleared 2.37 indoors this year. In this star-studded field Italian hopes will be carried by Silvano Chesani, a jumper from Trento competing for the Fiamme Oro Police athletics team who cleared 2.31 at the Italian Indoor Championships.

Fresh Italian record holder Marzia Caravelli, who clocked 12.85 at the French meeting in Montgeron, will run the 100 metres hurdles against a very strong field which features Beijing 2008 Olympic gold and bronze medalists Dawn Harper from the USA and Canadian Priscilla Lopes Schliep and US Danielle Carruthers (world silver medallist in Daegu 2011) and Tiffany Porter (world indoor silver medallist in Istanbul 2012). The fastest woman in the field will be Berlin 2009 World gold medallist Brigitte Foster Hylton from Jamaica who has already clocked 12.51 in Kingston at the beginning of May.

In the throw events the javelin will be in the spotlight. Czech Republic’s Barbora Spotakova, reigning Olympic champion and World record holder (72.28 m) will be looking for a re-match against Russian Mariya Abakumova who beat her at the World Championships in Daegu. The entire podium from last year’s World Championships will be completed by South African Sunette Viljoen. The field will also features Bejing 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Christina Oberfoll from Germany 

Other Italian top names will be expected in the women’s shot put with National record holder Chiara Rosa and in the men’s pole vault with 2010 World Junior silver medallist Claudio Stecchi and Paris 2003 World champion and Fiamme Gialle clubmate Giuseppe Gibilisco.
 
TICKETS: The ticket sales for the Compeed Golden Gala are continuing. There are four price categories. The prices range from 5 Euros for the “curve and distinti” sector (with the exception of the finish-line in the South-West sector) to 30 Euros of the finish-line sector of the Monte Mario Main Stand. Tickets can be bought on the Internet via the TicketOne website (www.ticketone.it), the ticket company of the Compeed Golden Gala, in the official outlets and at the ticket offices of the Foro Italico’s Park.