Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson (right) and teammate Oblique Seville will face a crack field in Switzerland likely resembling the one they will face at the World Championships final next month.
JAMAICANS KISHANE Thompson and Oblique Seville will be involved in a heavyweight clash in the men’s 100 metres at the Wanda Diamond League in Lausanne, Switzerland, on August 20, as they go head to head with the United States’ Kenneth Bednarek, Noah Lyles, and Courtney Lindsey.
Thompson, the fastest man in the world this year with his 9.75-second clocking done in winning at the Jamaica National Senior Championships, will renew rivalry with Olympic champion Lyles, who outdipped him in Paris for gold —both athletes credited with the same time of 9.79.
Seville will add to the mouth-watering clash after he easily defeated Lyles in the event at the London Diamond League. Also in the line-up are Bednarek, the US national champion with a personal best of 9.82, and runner-up at the US Championships Courtney Lindsey, who, like Seville, has a personal best of 9.83.
Despite only clocking a modest 10.00 when finishing second to Seville in London, Lyles — who also ran 10.05 in the preliminary round of the 100m at the US Trials — is showing signs of returning to his best form, especially after defeating the previously unbeaten Bednarek in the 200 with a world-leading 19.63.
Not to be outdone in Switzerland, the women will also share centre stage in the 200 metres.
St Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who leads the world over the half-lap event with 21.71 seconds, will line up against the Olympic champion who beat her in Paris, the United States’ Gabby Thomas.
Thomas, who has gone 21.95 this season, will be looking to get back to her best after just squeezing onto the US team for the World Championships with a third-place finish in 22.20 — the same time clocked by Brittany Brown and McKenzie Long, who ended fourth and fifth, respectively.
Defending world 200-metre champion Shericka Jackson and Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith will also line up.
Jackson is yet to hit her stride this season after recovering from injury last year and will be hoping to step things up after a season’s best 22.53 at the National Stadium in Kingston in June — her second race in the event this season. Jackson had opened with 22.79 two months earlier, finishing behind the United States’ Anavia Battle at the Xiamen Diamond League.
Fresh off her narrow win in the event at the Great Britain National Championships in 22.13 — edging out Amy Hunt, 22.14 — Asher-Smith will be hoping for a special performance.
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