Kenya: Kaki Eyes Rudisha

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

3 May 2011

Two-time world indoor 800m champion Sudan’s Abubaker Kaki will be up against Kenya’s world record holder David Rudisha when the 2011 Samsung Diamond League series open in Doha, Qatar this Friday. The confirmation by the Sudanese speedster promises to make the 800m race one of the day’s highlights in Doha.

Olympic 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop’s participation is sure to make the two-lap event even more unpredictable although Rudisha starts favourite to floor his opponents.

Another Kenyan to watch in Doha will be world women’s 3,000m steeplechase champion Milcah Chemos . She begins her follow-up campaign in the steeplechase with a difficult test, facing Russian Yuliya Zarudneva, the 2010 European champion and winner at the Continental Cup.

Elsewhere, nearly a dozen Diamond Race Trophy winners from last season will be kicking off their follow-up campaigns in the Qatar show.

All three of the men’s top throwers are on the programme at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium on Friday. All three 2010 series winners-along with their fiercest rivals-will be in attendance.

Reigning world indoor and outdoor champion Christian Cantwell of the USA, last season’s dominant shot putter, will again face the world’s best when he defends his Doha title. Cantwell, who reached a massive 21.82m here last year, will take on perennial foes Reese Hoffa, his compatriot whom he succeeded as World champion, and Poland’s Tomasz Majeweski, the reigning Olympic champion.

Another Pole, Piotr Malachowski, will begin his Diamond Trophy defence campaign in the Discus Throw where he’ll face, among others, Estonia’s Olympic champion Gerd Kanter.

Andreas Thorkildsen, the reigning Olympic and world champion in the javelin throw, is set to face long-time rival Tero Pitkamaki of Finland and event rising star Petr Frydrych of the Czech Republic. In the women’s side on the infield, Britney Reese of the USA, the world long jump champion, will tangle with Brazil’s Maurren Higa Maggi, the 2008 Olympic champion.

Allyson Felix, the 200m and 400m Diamond Race Trophy winner, triple jumper Teddy Tamgho of France and his pole vaulting compatriot Renaud Lavillenie, have also been previously been announced. Felix will open her Samsung Diamond League season in the 400m.

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