World champion Sam Kendricks will clash against Olympic champion Thiago Braz in the men’s pole vault. The men’s long jump will feature the entire podium of the 2017 London World Championships: Luvo Manyonga, Jarrion Lawson and Rushwal Samaai. The jumping events will be in the spotlight with big-height clashes once again at he Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, the fourth leg of the 2018 IAAF Diamond League at the Rome Olympic Stadium on 31st May.
Before announcing most of the names featuring in the starting lists during the official press conference on 11th May at the Rome Olympic Stadium, Golden Gala meeting director Luigi D’Onofrio revealed the biggest names of the men’s pole vault and the long jump, which add to the queens of the women’s high jump Mariya KuchinaLasitskene, who dominated the past two seasons, Ukrainian blonde jumper Yuliya Levchenko, world silver medallist in London, and Alessia Trost, World Indoor bronze medallist in Birmingham 2018.
Pole vault, battle at 6 metres: US pole vaulter Sam Kendricks was unbeaten in 2017, a very successful season, in which he vaulted 6 metres, won the world title and the Diamond League Trophy. He will take on Thiago Braz (6.03m), who triumphed in Rio in front of his home crowd and became the first Brazilian athlete to win the Olympic gold medal since 1984. The lineup also features Piotr Lisek, who won the world silver medal in London 2017 and finished third at the World Championships in Beijing. The clash between the top-three stars will arouse the enthusiasm of athletics fans, who are set to enjoy the spectatular attempts to the 6 metres barrier.
Long jump, the entire world championships podium in action: The men’s long jump will not be less interesting, as it features the entire podium of last year’s World Championships in London. Two South African stars Luvo Manyonga(8.65m) and Rushval Samaai (8.49m) will clash against talented US jumper Jarrion Lawson, who set his personal best with 8.58m. Also in the spotlight will be 19-year-old Cuban jumper Juan Miguel Echevarria (8.46m), who won the exciting world indoor championships final in Birmingham.
TICKETS – The race for tickets for the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea on Thursday 31st May 2018 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome has started. The tickets can be bought on Listicket outlets, Ticketing partner of the Rome meeting, and on the website of the company at the address Listicket.com (in the sport section or searching Golden Gala on the engine search on the website): Monte Mario Main Stand Finish line: 30 Euros – Reduced price for under 14: 15 Euros – Monte Mario start line: 20 Euros – Tribuna Tevere Distinti Finish line: 15 Euros – “Curve and Distinti” except from the Distinti finish-line: 5 Euros. The ticket office of the Foro Italico is also open at the Foro Italico in Rome (Viale delle Olimpiadi 61, former Youth Hostel). Opening hours: from Monday to Friday: 10:00-13:00: 14:00 -17:00).
