Paul Koech, Yohan Blake headline star-studded field at Edmonton International Track Classic
At least 35 Olympians – including Paul K. Koech and Yohan Blake – have confirmed their participation in Saturday’s Edmonton International Track Classic, the third stop on the National Track League’s five-city circuit.
At least 35 Olympians have confirmed their participation in Saturday’s Edmonton International Track Classic, the third stop on the National Track League’s five-city circuit.
Distance running fans will get to see Kenya’s Paul Kipsiele Koech compete in the men’s 3000m steeplechase. The 2004 Olympic bronze medallist set a blistering PB of 7:54.31 last year in Rome – the third fastest of all time. Koech’s compatriot Bernard Nganga should be right up there, too, with an 8:05.88 PB to his name. Top Canadians Alex Genest, Chris Winter and Taylor Milne will be gunning for fast times in that event as well.
In the men’s 800m, newly crowned American champion Duane Solomon, whose 1:43.27 is the fastest time in the world this year, will duke it out with Nick Symmonds, the 5th-place finisher at the London Games, along with Canadians Geoff Harris and Nate Brannen.
Canadian Olympian and sub-2:00 runner Melissa Bishop will be in tough against American Maggie Vessey in the women’s 800m, along with Canada’s national championship runner-up, Karine Belleau-Béliveau.
In the sprints, Jamaican star Yohan Blake will be back in Edmonton for the second year in a row. American 400m specialist Sanya Richards-Ross, who took double gold at the London 2012 Games, just announced her entry as well.
The women’s 100m hurdles should be a highlight of the day with three finalists from the London Olympics toeing the line. American Lolo Jones takes on Canadians Phylicia George and Jessica Zelinka. The men’s hurdles competition will include the lightning-fast, ponytailed Jason Richardson of the U.S.
In the men’s 200m, Olympic bronze medallist Warren Weir of Jamaica takes on American Walter Dix. Canada will be represented by Jared Connaughton, who anchored Canada’s 4x100m relay team that crossed the finish line in 3rd at the 2012 Olympics but faced a heartbreaking disqualification for a lane violation.
Two-time Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica was scheduled to compete in Edmonton this year, but was recently suspended from competition for failing a drug test for a banned diuretic.
In the field events, Canadian shot putter Dylan Armstrong is sure to be a crowd favourite.
Watch live streaming of the event on Flotrack HERE.
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