Victory at 2.03m for Blanka Vlasic in Rome (© Giancarlo Colombo)
2010 Athlete of the Year Blanka Vlasic has joined the all-star cast for the Compeed Golden Gala on 26 May, the third stop on the 14-meeting Samsung Diamond League series.
With a 2.08m personal best, the popular Croatian is the second highest jumper in history, just one centimetre shy of World record holder Stefka Kostadinova, who set her venerable 2.09 World record in Rome's Olympic Stadium at the IAAF World Cup in 1987. The 27-year-old, who won the Samsung Diamond Race Trophy winner in the event last year, opened her Samsung Diamond League campaign with a victory in Shanghai on Sunday (15), equalling the World lead at 1.94m before bowing out at 1.97m.
Vlasic has won in Rome on four occasions - in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010. Her three-year streak was halted by Italian record holder Antonietta Di Martino who took top honors in 2009. Di Martino, who returned from injury to top form indoors this year to capture the European indoor crown, will also be in the Rome field. The pair will also face Swede Emma Green, the European outdoor silver medallist, and Spaniard Ruth Beitia, the World indoor silver medallist.
Organisers have announced that Sudanese speedster Abubaker Kaki, the two-time World indoor champion, has withdrawn from the 800m due to injury.
Samsung Diamond League
