17.06.2009

Aussie four get set for Ostrava

Australians Jeff Riseley, Ryan Gregson, Youcef Abdi and Fabrice Lapierre are just hours away from a start at tonight’s Golden Spike Grand Prix meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic, as the European summer season continues to heat up. 

Joining the Aussies in action at the 48th edition of the meet are seven reigning Olympic gold medalists, 100m world record holder Usain Bolt amongst them.

The Jamaican sprint sensation will face up to fellow sub-10 men Marcus Brunson (USA) and Asian record holder Samuel Francis (QAT) in the blue riband event, the pair running 10.12 and 10.19 respectively this year. With personal best times of 9.99 to their names the duo could push Bolt to a quick time in Ostrava.

On track for a showdown with another Olympic champion is Youcef Abdi, the New South Welshman set to take on Beijing victor Brimin Kipruto (KEN) and former Olympic gold medalist Ezekiel Kemboi (KEN) in the steeplechase.

Following his sub-eight minute run in Doha last month, the fastest the world has seen since September 2007, Kemboi enters tonight’s race in red-hot form. Countryman Paul Koech, arguably the best steepler of 2008, finished second in the Doha event after leading most of the race and will line up in Ostrava with revenge on his mind. Kipruto finished third in that race then took home a win in Hengelo two weeks ago.

Abdi, the reigning Australian steeplechase champion with a personal best time of 8:16.36 to his name, will have a tough fight on his hands against the Kenyan trio as preparations continue towards his third world championships campaign.

Also gearing up for the world titles is Victorian young gun Jeff Riseley, who tonight takes on the 800m ‘B’ event ahead of his start in the 1500m at the Berlin championships.  

With a dynamic mix of speed, endurance and big-meet experience, the feature 800m race is shaping up as one of the more intriguing events of the night. The line-up of heavy hitters includes world champion and Olympic bronze medallist Afred Yego (KEN), Olympic silver medallist Ahmed Ismael (SUD), Olympic 1500m silver medalist Asbel Kiprop (KEN), the versatile Augustine Choge (KEN), and another pair of swift Kenyans, David Rudisha and Olympian Boaz Lalang, who were second and third in the same event at Ostrava last year.

Kiprop posted an impressive mile victory in Eugene eight days ago and lowered his personal best over 800m to 1:43.17 in Doha, while Choge arrives in Ostrava hot on the heels of a sub-3:30 1500m victory in Berlin.

With Kiprop and Choge busy with the two-lapper, New South Welshman Ryan Gregson will take on rising star Haron Keitany in the meet’s inaugural mile run. Over the past two weeks Keitany, the 2008 Zurich and World Athletics Final 1500m winner, lowered his career bests in both the mile and 1500m, finishing second to Kiprop and Choge.

Gregson, who will contest the 1500m at the World University Games in Belgrade next month, is in Europe in hot pursuit of selection to the Australian team bound for the world championships and will be hoping to get his international campaign off to a good start in Ostrava.

Fresh from a fourth place in Berlin at the weekend with a best leap of 8.04m, 2009 Australian long jump champion Fabrice Lapierre tonight lines up in the men’s long jump event in the next round of his hectic competition schedule.

Featuring on the start list for the event is Olympic silver medallist Godfrey Mokoena (RSA), who arrives on the heels of his victory in Berlin on Sunday. Mokoena jumped consistently in the German capital, posting a season best 8.33m, and according to rising German talent Sebastian Bayer, is fully capable of jumping 8.50m or more in his current form.

Freshly-minted French record holder (8.42m) Salim Sdiri and Bayer, who etched his name into long jump history with his 8.71m leap at the European indoor championships, are also in the field, where sights will be firmly focused on Cuban Ivan Pedroso’s meet record of 8.35m, set in 1998.

For results from Ostrava live as they come to hand, click here.

With the IAAF