The 2018 edition of the Prefontaine Classic (Pre) set for Haywood Field in Eugene, Oregon on May 25-26, will feature some of the hottest athletes on the planet. The Pre is the 3rd leg of the Diamond League season following stops at Doha and Shanghai. The Pre will feature its marque event, the Bowerman Mile. With key match-ups of Allyson Felix vs Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Omar McCleod vs Orlando Ortega, the Pre is set to excite.
Felix vs Miller-Uibo
Reigning Olympic 400m champion Miller-Uibo will put her 2018 winning streak on the line when she goes up against a very competitive field including the American trio of Allyson Felix, Phyllis Francis and Courtney Okolo. Miller-Uibo is coming off an impressive win at the Boost Boston Games, winning the 150m race in a world record 16.23 seconds. This was on the heels of her 21.76 seconds performance in the 200m in the 2017 edition. The Pre will mark the first 400m race in 2018 outdoor season for both Miller-Uibo and Felix. While Felix has a lifetime best 49.26 seconds in the 400m compared to Miller-Uibo 49.44 seconds, it has been Miller-Uibo who has been more impressive recently and is favored to take the win. American Shakima Wimbley who has posted 50.18 seconds, the 4th fastest time in the world, may have a say in the outcome.
McCleod vs Ortego
The men’s 100m hurdles will feature Olympic champion Omar McCleod (Jamaica), Orlando Ortego (Spain), Ares Merritt (USA), Devon Allen (USA) and Sergey Shubenkov (ANA). The race will feature the rivalry between McLeod and Ortego and will renew their rivalry in their first head-to-head matchup this season. McCleod got the better of Ortego at the 2016 Rio Olympics, winning the gold medal with Ortego getting the silver. Armed with a personal best 12.90 seconds, McCleod, the Jamaican national record holder, is favored to win this event. However, the presence of the world record holder Aries Merritt (PB 12.80) should not be overlooked along with another rising star in the sprint hurdles, Jamaica’s Ronald Levy.
Can anyone catch Marie-Josee TaLou?
After setting a lifetime best and world-leading mark of 10.85 seconds in the 100m in Doha last month, Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josée TaLou will face a competitive field including Tori Bowie (USA), Dafne Schippers (Netherland), Murielle Ahoure (Ivory Coast), Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor (Nigeria) and Elaine Thompson (Jamaica). With her patented bullet-start, TaLou will certainly put a lot of pressure of the field during the early stage of race. TaLou has been working on her 200m and posted a lifetime best and national record 22.08 seconds in 2017. Thompson who won in Kingston Jamaica last week and seems to have overcome an average 2017 season, could be a factor. While TaLou is favored to take the event, she will face challenges from Thompson, Bowie, Schippers and Blessing.
Other Events
The men’s 800 will feature 24-year-old Nigel Amos (Botswana) versus 22-year-old Emmanuel Kipkur Kszczot (Poland); Wyclife Kinyamal (Kenya) will also face the starter.
World champion, Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim, is the favorite to take the men’s high jump event. Barshim is the current world leader in this event with a leap of 2.40m to take the victory in Doha on May 4.
South Africa’s Caster Semenya is favored to take victory in the women’s 800m. She posted a world-leading time of 1:56.68 for the victory at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast, Australia on April 13. Semenya will again do battle with Margaret Wambui, whom she defeated at the Commonwealth Games. American 800m record holder Ajee Wilson, Charlene Lipsey, Raevyn Rogers and Eunice Sum will also face the starter
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Edited by: Raymond Byfield
O'Neil A Reid is the author of the book "Banned for Life, The Steve Mullings Story" published in 2014