Compeed Golden Gala: stars ready for exciting battles

The Compeed Golden Gala builds up to be one of the most exciting editions in recent years of the major Italian meeting which will celebrate its 31st edition. The top stars of the Golden Gala spoke to the media on the eve of the Rome’s meeting which will take place in the historic Olympic Stadium in the Eternal City. Triple sprint Olympic and World champion and World record holder Usain Bolt will be in the spotlight of the Golden Gala. Bolt wearing a smoking dress to invite everyone to the big party of athletics is featured in the official poster of the meeting but fans who will attend the Golden Gala in the big Olympic Stadium will be looking forward to many more mouth-watering competitions. “We are happy to have Bolt competing for the first time in Italy but we are sure that it will not a “one-man” show”, said Meeting Director Anna Riccardi. The meeting has attracted 14 reigning Olympic champions from Bejing and 19 World champions from Berlin. One of the most exciting clashes of the Rome meeting will be between 200 metres triple world champion Allyson Felix and reigning 400 metres Sanya Richards Ross. The two top sprinters who are two of the more popular stars in the one-day meeting circuit, are looking forward to square off against in two 200-400 metres in the same evening.

Allyson , what are feeling before the race ?
“I am excited because I know it will be a great race. It will be an extremely difficult challenge to run the 200 and the 400 metres in the same evening but it will be an opportunity to test myself.”

How have you prepared for this season ? Are you planning to double 200 and 400 metres in Daegu ?
“2010 was a more relaxed year. This year my preparation has been more intense before two big championships years. I have not taken a definitive decision concerning the 200-400 metres in Daegu but I am considering to run the 400 metres at the US Nationals.

Sanya, what are feeling before the meeting ?
“I am excited to be back again in the European circuit. We have not many opportunities to double 200 and 400 metres in the same meeting and Rome will offer me the chance to do a good speed work and to test how my shape is at this point of the season.”

Can you explain the reasons of your dispappointed race in Kingston ?
“I don’t describe this race as “too disappointed”. I just wanted to shake the rust off after a very long absence. 2010 was a very frustrating year because an injury kept me out. On the other side I married and it was very exciting. I am looking forward to defending my title in Daegu. 2010 was a weird year for 400 metres but 2011 is a World Championships year and we are training harder I am sure this is again a phenomenal year for the 400 metres with Debbie Dunn, Christine Ohuruoghu, Novelene and Shericka Williams and many exciting rising stars”

Another memorable highlight will be the women’s high jump with Blanka Vlasic who will be looking to win the Golden Gala for the fifth time in her career. In the absence of injured Antonietta Di Martino, Vlasic will be welcomed as one of the most popular stars for the Rome’s crowd. Last year the popular Croatian excited the Rome’s crowd not only for her 2.03 meeting record but also because of her dancing show with US Chaunte Howard Lowe.

Blanka, how do you feel before your return to Rome ?
“I am always excited to compete in Rome because it’s close to my home country and I have a good memory of this meeting. I hope it will be better than in Shanghai. There I was too tired because I arrived in Shanghai the day before the meeting. I had not great expectations from Shanghai, I feel that my season will really start in Rome.”

Do you feel disappointed about the absence of Di Martino ?
“It would have been for the meeting and the crowd to have Di Martino in the meeting. It would have been more motivating for me to face a strong rival but I am focused on myself.”
Asafa Powell and Christophe Lemaitre will be part of the three-man show in the men’s 100 metres at 21.45 against Usain Bolt.

Asafa, do you feel nervous before the clash against Bolt ?
“It will be pretty my first big race of the season and of course I feel a bit nervous because we clash for the first time this year.” The young Frenchman built up to the Rome showdown with a good 10.08 at the French Club Championships last weekend. “I am very happy with my preparation this winter. Last year everything was new new for me. This year I am ready to compete against the best sprinters in the world. This year I am going to run more 100 metres but I will be trying to double 100 and 200 metres in Daegu”, said Lemaitre.

Andrew Howe will be the home star of the Golden Gala. Howe, who was raised in Rieti which is about 150 km far from Rome, make an impressive debut in the 400 metres clocking a very strong 45.70 on 8th May at the Memorial Graziano Della Valle in Pavia and will be looking forward to coming close to his PB of 20.28 which he set at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Grosseto. Howe narrowly missed his lifetime best last September at the Notturna di Milano where he eased down in the final stages of the race.
How do you feel before your 200 metres debut in Rome ?
“I am happy to run a sprint race at the Golden Gala. In the first part of the season I will focus more on sprint but my goal Is to compete in the long jump in Daegu. It will be impossible to double 200 metres and the long jump at the World Championships because the two finals are scheduled on the same day.

How do you feel returning home to Rieti ?
“In Vigna di Valle where I trained in the past few years I felt alone. I am now more relaxed living and training in my home town Rieti. I am coached by my mother but I am following some advice from Rieti’s coach Roberto Bonomi who is giving me some advice in some technical aspects of my preparation and I am very happy with this contribution.”

Reigning Javelin Olympic champion and world record holder Barbora Spotakova and 2009 shot put World Champion Christian Cantwell will headline throwing events and will be looking forward to repeating their impressive wins in Rome from last year. Spotakova has put her elbow problems behind her and is hoping to repeat her 68.66 feat from last year’s meeting.
“The elbow problem from the final part of the season is now healed, I have changed coach and I trained well for two months in South Africa. Rome is just my start to this season and it’s too early to make predictions. I hope to repeat last year’s performance in Rome where I set my seasonal best. I feel in good form and I am excited to face strong rivals”.
Christian Cantwell set a meeting record with 21.67 in last year’s appearance in the Olympic Stadium and has fond memories of the Rome meeting.
“Last year was ok and I have a good memory. I underwent surgery in February but after rehab in April I am back in good shape. I am looking forward to repeat the world title from Berlin. Daegu is a stepping-stone for next year”.

(courtesy ofDiego Sampaolo forIAAF)