Browsing: Hassan

The New York City Marathon, like the city it takes over each fall, is as vast as it is vibrant; as loud as it is chaotic; and more than a little daunting, too.

No marathon is easy. But an air of unpredictability lingers over the five boroughs, with hopefuls humbled, and favorites frustrated, as they embark on a challenging 26.2-mile tour of the city.

“Iâ€m really scared,†Olympic champion Sifan Hassan, who has won the London, Chicago and Sydney marathons, told reporters on Friday. Throughout her life, she said, people have told her that New York – which she is about to race for the first time – is “so hardâ€.

Hassan will headline Sundayâ€s race alongside Eliud Kipchoge, often hailed as the greatest marathoner of all time, who is also making his debut in the city. Both ran the Sydney marathon, which Hassan won, just nine weeks ago.

New York City is no place for world records, or meticulously-crafted race plans. On the first Sunday of November, a blank canvas is stretched around the worldâ€s biggest stage. At the front of a 55,000-strong pack of runners, expectations quickly fall by the wayside.

Some World Major marathons, like Chicago and Berlin, are famously flat and fast. New York, with five bridges along the course and an undulating finale through Central Park, is an altogether different beast.

Fiona Oâ€Keeffe was not interested in chasing records or beating the clock this time around. “What I was looking for this fall was just a really competitive race,†she explained in an interview. “Racing is the fun part of what we do.â€

And so, early on Sunday, Oâ€Keeffe will line up among a stacked elite field on Staten Island with an open mind. “Anything can happen on race day,†she said.

When it comes to the marathon, few know this better. In February 2024 Oâ€Keeffe won the US Olympic Trials with a stunning debut that raised high hopes for the Games last summer. She was forced to withdraw about a mile into the race in Paris, however; scans would later reveal a femoral stress fracture.

“Itâ€s just interesting – having experienced the very high-high of the trials, and then obviously my Olympic experience was pretty rough,†Oâ€Keeffe told the Guardian. “So I think Iâ€ve seen both sides of the coin now.â€

Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan both ran the Sydney marathon, which Hassan won, just nine weeks ago. Photograph: Fairfax Media

“The sport is simple,†she added. “I really do love to run. And Iâ€m so grateful for the people that have supported me through all of this. So [Iâ€m] kind of just leaning into that side of it, more than dwelling on, you know, what it could have been.â€

Spanning almost 15 months later, the road back has been long. Training with the Puma Elite Running Team in Raleigh, North Carolina, Oâ€Keeffe did not want to return to the marathon until she was back at her best.

“I expect it to be a tough race, but Iâ€m excited for that,†she said. “Iâ€m excited to see how it plays out and how it unfolds and see what can happen if I just keep putting myself in it, and trusting myself when those moves do happen.â€

Oâ€Keeffe and Hassan, who won the Sydney marathon just nine weeks ago, will face strong competition in the elite womenâ€s field. Former champions Sheila Chepkirui, Sharon Loekdi and Hellen Obiri will also toe the line. A strong American contingent includes Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidl, Emily Sisson and Susanna Sullivan, fresh off a strong performance at Septemberâ€s world championships in Tokyo.

The menâ€s field, led by Kipchoge, likewise includes plenty of contenders, including former champions Abdi Nageeye and Albert Korir; 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Benson Kipruto; and Alexander Mutiso, who won the London Marathon last year. The Americans Hillary Bor and Joe Klecker will also both make their respective marathon debuts.

Runners get drinks at a hydration station as they compete in last yearâ€s New York City Marathon. Photograph: David Dee Delgado/AFP/Getty Images

“I always thought being in the stadium, with the track races, was the biggest thing in our sport,†said Britainâ€s Patrick Dever, who previously focused on the 5,000m and 10,000m, and will make his marathon debut on Sunday. “But after having been around these major marathons, you realize how much of a spectacle they are.â€

Dever, who, like Oâ€Keeffe, trains with Puma Elite, has been steeling himself for the longer distance. “Youâ€re just out there for such a longer period of time, so you just have way more time in your own head to talk yourself out of it, or keep yourself calm,†he said. “The biggest thing Iâ€ve been trying to work on in these long runs is just not panicking in my head a little bit if things arenâ€t feeling right.

“I feel like Iâ€m fully prepared, going into the race, knowing that itâ€s for sure not going to feel good the whole way. Thereâ€s going to be periods in the race where Iâ€ll probably want to drop out. I feel like you just have to be okay with that, and just try not to pay attention to how youâ€re feeling at any one point.â€

New Yorkers will turn out in force to cheer, amplifying the highs and cushioning the lows, as tens of thousands of runners – from first-timers and fundraisers to big dreamers and distinguished veterans – parade through the city.

Kipchoge has two Olympic and 11 World Major marathon titles, and remains the only person to have run the distance in less than two hours. He is running New York City amid speculation that he is preparing to retire from elite marathoning, and has trailed a “huge announcement†after the race.

“I want to experience, I want to go through it,†Kipchoge told reporters. “I want to actually see the two million people who are lining up around the course. I want to pass all the bridges in New York, the best places in New York – actually to see, with my eyes, wave to the people. This is the best city, where everything is here.â€

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“I felt so good in the first 5km and I think I pushed too hard,” said Sifan Hassan. Her hard…

Dutch multi-distance phenomenon Sifan Hassan has set a race record to claim victory in the first running of the Sydney…

Sifan Hassan will test her speed once again when she races the mile at the Muller British Grand Prix – a Wanda Diamond League meeting – at Gateshead International Stadium on 13 July.

The world 1500m and 10,000m champion holds the world mile record with 4:12.33 and last weekend set a world record for 10,000m with 29:06.82 at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Hengelo, although it survived only two days before being beaten by Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia.

The Dutch athlete is clearly in form to challenge her world mile record if conditions are good in Gateshead. In addition to her 10,000m world record in Hengelo, she beat Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya and European champion Laura Muir of Britain over 1500m at the Diamond League in Florence on Thursday night, clocking 3:53.63.

“I’ve raced several times in the past at events in the UK – at the Anniversary Games in London, meetings in Birmingham and Glasgow and of course the 2017 World Championships and 2018 World Indoor Championships. There is always a warm welcome, a great atmosphere and the fans have good knowledge of the sport,” said Hassan.

“Running over one mile in Gateshead on 13 July gives me a chance to test my speed ahead of the Olympic Games. Maybe I can run a good time too although much will depend on the weather. Hopefully it will be warmer and drier than it was for the Diamond League in Gateshead last month!”

Gateshead staged the first Wanda Diamond League event of 2021 after it was moved from Rabat in Morocco to the North East of England and now the same venue will host the seventh Diamond League of the season after it was moved from its original home of London.

Organisers for World Athletics

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Fresh from her heroics at the FBK Games in Hengelo, world record-breaker Sifan Hassan will again take centre stage at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, a Wanda Diamond League meeting, in Florence on Thursday (10).

Dutch world champion Hassan, who improved the global 10,000m record to 29:06.82c on Sunday (pending ratification), will give herself a speed test in the Italian city, stepping down to her other world title distance, the 1500m, where another exceptional challenge awaits.

The other contenders include the Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon, also in brilliant form after a commanding win in the 800m at the previous Wanda Diamond League meeting in Doha, and the European champion Laura Muir, undefeated outdoors this year at this distance.

But having won the world titles over 10,000m and 1500m a week apart in Doha in 2019, Hassan will fancy her chances at taking this double too.

On the 40th anniversary of Sebastian Coe’s monumental world 800m record, also set in Florence, it is fitting that the middle distance events will command the spotlight.

The men’s 5000m and 3000m steeplechase also promise to be outstanding races based on the quality of the fields assembled.

Uganda’s world 5000m record-breaker Joshua Cheptegei heads a stacked 5000m field that includes seven sub-13-minute men, among them the Ethiopian duo of world champion Muktar Edris and Hagos Gebrhiwet, as well as the Norwegian boy wonder Jakob Ingebrigtsen, European champion but yet to prove he can mix it with the world’s very best over this distance. This is his opportunity.

Joshua Cheptegei on his way to a world 5000m record in Monaco

Spain’s Mohamed Katir, who was an impressive winner of this event at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Gateshead last month, will also contend.

Cheptegei returns to this distance for the first time since he set the world record in Monaco last year. He has made no secret of his desire to turn his dominance of the clock over 5000m and 10,000m in the past two years, into two Olympic gold medals in Tokyo in August.

The steeplechase line-up is equally formidable, featuring three of the first four from the 2019 World Championships podium from Doha, Kenyan winner Conseslus Kipruto, Morocco’s bronze medallist Soufiane El Bakkali and fourth-placed Getnet Wale.

Another athlete who will bring outstanding form to Florence is the world 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith, who will have her first outing over her preferred distance this year, coming off a dominant display over 100m at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Hengelo.

Waiting for her will be the dual world champion Dafne Schippers, world bronze medallist Mujinga Kambundji and the highly-regarded Marie-Josee Ta Lou.

In the men’s 100m, Akani Simbine, who inspired South Africa to victory in the 4x100m at the World Athletics Relays in Silesia last month, returns to Europe to take on a field that includes four other sub-10-second performers.

A warm evening in early summer in Italy promises to provide perfect conditions for the sprints, and will give world leader in the 100m hurdles Jasmine Camacho-Quinn every chance of improving her personal best of 12.32 and extending her unbeaten run this year.

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn at the 2021 USATF Grand Prix in Eugene

Olympic 110m hurdles champion Omar McLeod is also rounding into form after a 13.08 clocking in Hengelo and will take on world bronze medallist Pascal Martinot-Lagarde.

Following her 54.33 400m hurdles season-opener in Hengelo last weekend, Femke Bol will look to go even quicker in Florence when she takes on Olympic silver medallist Sara Slott Petersen, the winner in Gateshead, and Ukraine’s Anna Ryzhykova.

In the men’s 400m, world silver medallist Anthony Zambrano takes on Botswana’s Isaac Makwala, European champion Matt Hudson-Smith and Italian record-holder Davide Re.

Florence is not only likely to be faster, but higher too, with world-class fields assembled in both the women’s pole vault and men’s high jump.

The pole vault will feature Olympic champion Katerina Stefanidi on the comeback trail from injury where she will face world champion Anzhelika Sidorova and in the in-form Holly Bradshaw.

In the high jump, world champion Mutaz Essar Barshim of Qatar will compete in Europe for the first time in two years, taking on the early season pacesetter Ilya Ivanyuk (2.37m) and the home favourite Gianmarco Tamberi.

Mutaz Barshim at the Ready Steady Tokyo meeting

The only horizontal jump programmed, the women’s long jump, will be similarly intriguing as world champion Malaika Mihambo takes on a high-quality field including fellow seven-metre jumpers Chantel Malone and Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova, two-time world triple jump champion Caterine Ibarguen, world indoor champion Ivana Spanovic and world silver medallist Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk.

For stronger (to complete the Olympic motto), look to the men’s shot put and the women’s discus.

New Zealand’s 2017 world shot put champion Tom Walsh will face the leading thrower in Europe this season, Poland’s Michal Haratyk, who has a best mark of 22.17m this year.

Cuba’s world discus champion Yaime Perez will look to extend her unbeaten run this year, taking on the dual Olympic discus champion Sandra Perkovic again after a narrow victory in Hengelo.

Nicole Jeffery for World Athletics

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Back in the stadium where she set her European 10,000m record of 29:36.67 last October, Sifan Hassan continued to make history by smashing the world record with a time of 29:06.82* in Hengelo on Sunday (6).

Racing at the FBK Games – a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting – and with the world record always in her sights, the double world champion took more than 10 seconds off the 29:17.45 global mark for the 25-lap event which had been set by Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

On world record pace from the start, the Dutch star began behind pacemakers Diane van Es and Jackline Rotich, with Van Es taking the leaders through 1000m in 2:56.12.

Rotich was then to the fore, reaching 2000m in 8:47.91, but soon after Hassan was clearly wanting to push the pace. With 19 laps to go she had passed the pacemaker and was following the Wavelight technology, steadily ticking off the laps.

She went through halfway in 14:38.75 and continued to get quicker, running a 2:45 final kilometre and lapping the entire field which included seven other athletes who would go on to achieve the Olympic qualifying time of 31:25.00. Crossing the finish line with 29:06.82 on the clock, Hassan raised her hands to the air and then sank to the track in delight.

“Wow, to run this world record here today in Hengelo is something I could only dream of,” she said. “It’s the perfect confirmation of the hard work we’ve put in getting ready for Tokyo. I am so happy to share this record in front of my Dutch fans. I am so happy!”

Hassan adds this latest mark to her world records in the mile, one hour event and road 5km.

In addition, she also holds European records in the 1500m, 3000m, 5000m and half-marathon.

More than a minute and a half behind her were Kenya’s Irine Jepchumba Kimais and Daisy Cherotich, with Kimais narrowly claiming the runner-up spot – 30:37.24 to 30:37.31. Their compatriot Joyce Chepkemoi Tele was fourth in 30:59.01.

Duplantis soars

The women’s 10,000m had been the first track event on the main programme and it ensured that celebrations for the 40th FBK Games started in superb style. Innovations at the event – which welcomed 1500 fans to the Fanny Blankers-Koen Stadion – included a live ‘second screen’ broadcast and a virtual audience connected by Zoom, and fans were treated to even more record-breaking performances as the meeting went on.

World pole vault record-holder Mondo Duplantis had been looking to return to winning ways after a rare loss at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Gateshead but he didn’t stop at just securing victory, eventually clearing a world-leading height of 6.10m and attempting a world record of 6.19m.

Although the world record was not to be this time, the 21-year-old’s third-time clearance of 6.10m – a height only he and Sergey Bubka have ever achieved outdoors – was hugely impressive. It also added 19 centimetres to the two-year-old meeting record which had been set by two-time world champion Sam Kendricks, who handed Duplantis that defeat in Gateshead.

“Since Sam wasn’t going to be here and I was just coming off a loss to him, that was my way to get back at him, to take his meeting record away from him,” Duplantis said with a smile. “I haven’t checked my phone yet but I’d imagine I’ll have a text from him.”

On his Hengelo debut performance, he added: “I felt really motivated coming to this meet, I haven’t felt like that in a pretty long time – that I really had something to prove. Today I wanted to show everybody that I can still jump really high.”

Sweden’s Duplantis had opened his competition by easing over 5.50m first time and he also achieved 5.74m and 5.86m on his initial attempts. The competition was won at that point but the world silver medallist also managed a world-leading 5.92m on his first try and then soared over six metres on his second attempt.

Asian champion Ernest Obiena and Dutch record-holder Menno Vloon finished second and third respectively, with both athletes having cleared a best of 5.80m.

More meeting records fall

World leader Jasmine Camacho-Quinn now has three of the four fastest 100m hurdles times in the world so far this season as she followed her world lead of 12.32 set in Florida in April with a dominant 12.44 meeting record in Hengelo.

Starting fast, she powered away in the second half of the race to finish clear ahead of Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska, who ran a PB of 12.80.

The time was a pleasant surprise for Puerto Rico’s Camacho-Quinn, who hadn’t expected to run so fast having felt tired after arriving in Hengelo the day before.

“I just wanted to get a good race in,” said the two-time NCAA champion, who moved to equal seventh on the world all-time list with her run in Gainesville earlier this year.

The women’s 100m delivered another dominant performance, with Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith achieving her first sub-11.00 time of the season after a similarly strong run two weeks earlier in a very wet and windy Gateshead.

Conditions were more favourable this time and the world 200m champion clocked 10.92 (0.8m/s) to win ahead of Nigeria’s world and Olympic medallist Blessing Okagbare (11.02) and improve the meeting record of 10.94 which had been set by two-time world 200m gold medallist Dafne Schippers in 2015.

“It was nice to run without a gale-force wind!” said Asher-Smith. “I’m happy to have put together a good race and won today. I was hoping to go a little bit faster, but it will come when it wants to come.”

Home favourite Schippers was also racing and clocked 11.15 in fourth after winning an earlier race in 11.22. Britain’s Daryll Neita ran a PB of 11.04 in third.

The meeting record also fell in the women’s 400m hurdles, with Femke Bol securing victory on home soil. The 21-year-old European indoor 400m champion ran 54.33 in what was her first 400m hurdles race of the season, holding off Ukraine’s European silver medallist Anna Ryzhykova (54.59).

Jamaica’s Olympic champion Omar McLeod came close to Grant Holloway’s world 110m hurdles lead of 13.07, clocking 13.08 (1.7m/s) to win ahead of the USA’s Devon Allen (13.32), while the men’s 400m hurdles was won by Qatar’s world bronze medallist Abderrahman Samba in 48.56.

Wightman kicks to victory

A well-judged race by Britain’s Jake Wightman led to an impressive 1500m victory as the European and Commonwealth bronze medallist kicked off the final bend and looked strong down the home straight to win by almost a second. His time was 3:34.67 ahead of Kenya’s Abel Kipsang with 3:35.63.

There was also a British winner in the women’s 800m as Jemma Reekie front-ran her way to lead a GB top three, clocking 2:00.77 ahead of her training partner Laura Muir with 2:00.95 and Ellie Baker with 2:01.02. Uganda’s world champion Halimah Nakaayi was sixth in 2:02.52 in her first race since last August.

The men’s 800m was won by Poland’s European indoor silver medallist Mateusz Borkowski in 1:47.02 from France’s Benjamin Robert (1:47.15) and Britain’s Elliot Giles, who ran 1:47.22 in his first 800m race since his 1:43.63 indoors in Torun.

Back racing his specialist distance after recent 9.91 and 9.96 100m runs, the USA’s Fred Kerley won the men’s 400m in 44.74 ahead of Dutch duo Jochem Dobber (45.51) and Liemarvin Bonevacia (45.77). Victory in the women’s race was claimed by Belgium’s Cynthia Bolingo in 51.16 ahead of Britain’s Laviai Nielsen (51.44) and the Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver (51.46). Botswana’s Isaac Makwala ran 20.37 (0.6m/s) to win the 200m ahead of Italy’s Eseosa Desalu (20.63).

Perez maintains win streak

Cuba’s world discus champion Yaime Perez continued her unbeaten record this year with a 65.91m throw which secured her the win by 11 centimetres ahead of Croatia’s two-time Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic. Portugal’s Liliana Ca was third with a throw of 65.07m.

A close men’s long jump contest was won by France’s Augustin Bey as he leapt a PB of 8.16m, with South Africa’s Ruswahl Samaai second thanks to a leap of 8.10m. Australia’s Chris Mitrevski was third (8.04m) and Italy’s Filippo Randazzo fourth (8.01m). European indoor champion Maksim Nedasekau of Belarus won the high jump thanks to a 2.24m clearance.

Jess Whittington for World Athletics

Photos by FBK Games

*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

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The 40th edition of the FBK Games – a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting – in Hengelo looks set to be celebrated with fireworks on the track and field on Sunday (6), with talk of world and meeting records at the pre-event press conferences.

The Fanny Blankers-Koen Stadion is where Sifan Hassan set her European 10,000m record of 29:36.67 last October and the double world champion is looking to go even faster. That time moved the 28-year-old to fourth on the world all-time list and when asked if she might also be aiming for the world record on Sunday, Hassan replied: “Maybe, who knows! It could be.”

On whether she will set off on a pace targeting Almaz Ayana’s 29:17.45 from the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Hassan added: “I have to talk to my coach and manager. Sometimes I will change my mind the day before, if I feel good.”

The Dutch athlete has been training in Kenya and then Utah, USA, over the past few months, and believes she is in her best ever shape.

“When I look at my training, I have never been so good,” said Hassan, who confirmed she will be looking to double up – probably in the 5000m and 10,000m – at the Olympics in Tokyo. “I have never seen myself so good, but I don’t know how that will show in competition. My speed is still not as great as before but endurance – I have never seen myself as I am now. I want to run a PB but it is sometimes hard for athletes to say ‘I will run this’ because competition and training are not the same.”

Another athlete looking for a strong performance on home soil is Dafne Schippers, as the two-time world 200m gold medallist also builds towards Tokyo.

“I am feeling okay, this weekend is a very nice competition for me,” said the 28-year-old, who opened her 100m season with 11.38 at the adidas Boost Boston Games street meeting. “I always need a couple of competitions to go faster and faster, so I hope to go faster than my last competitions.”

She forms part of a strong 100m field alongside Britain’s world 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith and Nigeria’s world and Olympic medallist Blessing Okagbare.

“I always like to compete with the best in the world and it’s very special to have names like Dina and Blessing in a race like this,” added Schippers. “It’s great to have in the Netherlands. I like to compete with them.”

Asher-Smith excited for Hengelo return

Six years on from her first senior national 100m record in Hengelo, Asher-Smith returns to the Dutch city as a multiple global medallist looking to build on her opener at a wet and windy Gateshead.

The 25-year-old Briton was a dominant force at the Gateshead International Stadium two weeks ago, battling pouring rain and a -3.1m/s headwind to win the 100m in 11.35. There she finished clearly ahead of world leader Sha’Carri Richardson, multiple world medallist Marie-Josee Ta Lou, two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Okagbare, and she has her sights set on another strong race in more favourable conditions.

“Hopefully it will be a little less windy, cold and wet!” she said. “I’m really excited to be running in Hengelo and over the 100m again. I don’t quite know what to expect in terms of, I don’t think what kind of number I would want from a race, I just try and go in and run the best race that I can, which was a very useful mindset to have in Gateshead because times were not happening that day!

“I have had a good winter and I feel good, so hopefully if the weather is kind to us it could be a really good Sunday.”

On returning to the scene of her 11.02 in 2015 – a British record she has since taken to 10.83 – Asher-Smith added: “I have really fond memories of Hengelo for two reasons. One, it was the first time I broke the British record. The record was 11.05 and I did 11.02 in 2015, so I have really fond memories of being in Hengelo for that reason.

“I also really enjoyed racing Dafne there. I think as a professional athlete it was my first experience of being in a race when a really big star is racing at home. It was just so nice to hear the crowd cheering like that. Even though I was a competitor in the race it’s still nice to see a crowd really cheer and get behind their home athlete.”

Although the crowd will be reduced this year because of Covid-19 restrictions, organisers will still be welcoming 1500 fans to the stadium to cheer on the world-class fields.

Duplantis ready for Hengelo debut

Also among those keen to make the most of the crowd support will be world pole vault record-holder Mondo Duplantis as he looks to return to winning ways after a rare loss in Gateshead.

Undefeated in 23 competitions, Sweden’s Duplantis was beaten by two-time world champion Sam Kendricks and the weather at the Diamond League meeting last month and although his US rival will not be competing in Hengelo, Duplantis could get one back by breaking the meeting record and Dutch all-comers’ record of 5.91m set by Kendricks in 2019.

“I definitely have a lot of motivation going into this competition because I’m coming off a loss right now and I want to get back to winning,” said the 21-year-old. “I want to show what I can do and try to put up something high. Sam’s not going to be there but I guess a way to get back at him would be to take his meeting record!”

On the significance of this event on his road to Tokyo, Duplantis added: “It’s super important because I have just four competitions left until the Olympics and every one is just as important as the other – figuring out my jump, the technique, my run, trying to get the rhythm and the timing of the jump down because I want everything to be perfect when it comes to the Olympics.”

Having fans in the stadium provides an added boost. “In Gateshead it was super amazing having the spectators right alongside us there,” he explained. “I haven’t had that kind of energy from the crowd in quite a while, since the indoor 2020 season. Of course, it’s going to be limited right now and they are not going to be able to have full capacity meets, but it’s really great to have people there watching you. It just brings an extra piece of motivation for you when you’re out there jumping in front of real people instead of just cameras.”

In Hengelo there will also be home stars for the fans to support and asked about Dutch record-holder Menno Vloon, who cleared 5.96m indoors in February, Duplantis replied: “He’s a real explosive vaulter. On any given day you never know what to expect from him.

“I know a lot of my competitors are capable of really high heights on any given day. Especially going into this meet in the Netherlands, on Menno’s home turf, I don’t see why he can’t go out there and jump something really high.”

Sandra Perkovic is another athlete hoping her event can provide a show in Hengelo. Croatia’s two-time Olympic champion takes on two other global winners in Cuba’s 2019 world gold medallist Yaime Perez and 2015 world champion Denia Caballero, and they will be joined by Portugal’s Liliana Ca and Melina Robert-Michon of France.

“Last year was really tough for all of us because we didn’t have the Olympics and we didn’t have any strong meets, so this year when I started to compete – first in Doha – and saw all the other girls, I was happy to finally be all together in one place chasing for that goal and the goal is to win,” said Perkovic.

“I expect a nice fight (on Sunday), especially with the Cubans and also the girl from Portugal and of course the silver medallist from Rio 2016, so it is going to be a very good competition for me.”

Like Asher-Smith, Perkovic has fond memories after achieving a milestone moment in Hengelo.

“In 2007 it was my first time in Hengelo, at the European Junior Championships, and that is the place I threw my junior national record which at that time was 55.42m,” she said. “I am happy to be back in this stadium and this place – 14 years later I am still here and still competing, so I am excited.”

Jess Whittington for World Athletics

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Double world champion Sifan Hassan and Olympic gold medallist Faith Kipyegon will go head-to-head over 1500m at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, a Wanda Diamond League meeting, on 10 June.

Two-time world high jump champion Mutaz Barshim and Olympic pole vault gold medallist Katerina Stefanidi are also among the latest athletes announced for the event, as they look to fly high in Florence.

Hassan opened her season with a 14:35.34 5000m and 2:01.54 800m in the USA earlier this month and in Italy she will race over the distance at which she set the meeting record of 3:56.22 in 2017.

The Dutch world 1500m and 5000m gold medallist will face Kenya’s 2017 world 1500m champion Kipyegon, who claimed 2019 world silver behind Hassan in Doha, plus Kenya’s world 3000m steeplechase record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech, who improved the world 5km record in February, and Britain’s European 1500m champion Laura Muir.

Barshim set the men’s pole vault meeting record of 2.41m when the event was held in Rome in 2014 and in Florence he will take on local favourite Gianmarco Tamberi, who set the Italian record of 2.39m in 2016, as well as European indoor champion Maksim Nedasekau and world bronze medallist Ilya Ivanyuk, who have both set PBs of 2.37m this year.

The women’s pole vault will see Stefanidi, who cleared 4.80m to win at the USATF Golden Games earlier this month, go up against world champion Anzhelika Sidorova, European indoor champion Angelica Moser and Italian record-holder Roberta Bruni.

Athletes previously announced for the meeting include Malaika Mihambo, Ivana Spanovic, Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, Caterine Ibarguen, Khaddi Sagnia and Larissa Iapichino in the women’s long jump. The men’s shot put includes Tom Walsh, Tomas Stanek, Leonardo Fabbri, Michal Haratyk and Konrad Bukowiecki.

A total of 1000 spectators will be able to attend the event.

Organisers for World Athletics

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