Compeed Golden Gala: start lists and timetable

With just nine days to go to the Compeed Golden Gala, the third leg of the Samsung Diamond League IAAF, the organizers announce the starting lists with all the stars who will highlight the Rome meeting on 26 May in the Rome Olympic Stadium. The men’s 100 metres will be in the spotlight. Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, will make his seasonal debut and will compete for the first time in Italy. He wil take on former world record holder Asafa Powell, Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre, and Lerone Clarke, another 4×100 relay world champion and world record holder in Berlin 2009. In the men’s 5000 metres the already announced Tariku Bekele and Imane Merga, winner in the 2010 Golden Gala and world cross country champion, will face former world cross country champion Joseph Ebuya. In the men’s 400 metres hurdles US stars Angelo Taylor and Kerron Clement will come up against South African emerging star Louis Van Zyl, world seasonal leader with 47.66. The men’s triple jump will feature a star-studded field which includes the already announced Idowu and Copello, the reigning Olympic champion Nelson Evora and European Indoor silver medallist and Italian record holder Fabrizio Donato. The women’s 100 metres hurdles will be highlighted by a clash between world indoor champion LoLo Jones, world seasonal leader Kellie Wells and Olympic champion Dawn Harper. In the women’s 1500 metres world silver medallist Janeth Jepkosgei will square off against world champion Jamal and Olympic champion Langat in the women’s 1500 metres, while Olympic champion and world record holder Gulnara Samitova will make her comeback in the women’s 3000 metres steeplechase. The meeting will start at 18.45 with the women’s discus throw and will finish at 22 with the 4×100 relay which will be focused on a new clash between Italy and France.

200 METRES FOR ANDREW HOWE – Andrew Howe adds his name to the starting list of the 31st edition of the Compeed Golden Gala International meeting, the third leg of the Samsung Diamond League on Thursday 26th May at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. The Italian star, who made his seasonal debut on 9th May in Pavia with a solid 45.70, will take part in a 200 metres race which was added to the timetable of the meeting for him. Howe will take on US Shawn Crawford and Britons Christian Malcolm and Leon Baptiste. It will be a tough test for Howe who is fully returning to his best form.