News11 Apr 2019


Miller-Uibo to tackle 300m in Ostrava

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Shaunae Miller-Uibo takes the Continental Cup 200m title in Ostrava (© Getty Images)

Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo will contest the 300m at the 58th edition of the Golden Spike, an IAAF World Challenge Meeting, on 20 June.

The 24-year-old Bahamian will be making her outdoor debut over the rarely-run distance, one the 200/400m standout is especially well suited for. Besides her already long list of laurels at standard distances - 2016 Olympic 400m gold, 2017 world bronze and 2018 Commonwealth gold at 200m among many others - Miller-Uibo equalled the world indoor best over 300m in New York last year, clocking 35.45. That performance trails only the outdoor world best of 35.30, set by Anna Guevara of Mexico in Mexico City in 2003.

The meeting in the eastern Czech city is building a reputation for hosting fast 300m races. Usain Bolt made his only appearance over the distance, clocking 30.97 in 2010. Wayde van Niekerk set the current world best of 30.81 at the 2017 edition. This year will mark the first time women will run the event. 

Miller-Uibo will face Justyna Swiety-Ersetic, the European 400m champion, who is from the nearby Polish city of Raciborz.

Organisers have also announced that reigning shot put, javelin and high jump world champions Tom Walsh, Johannes Vetter and Mariya Lasitskene are also confirmed.

Walsh, who last weekend threw an outdoor world-leading 21.91m in Sydney, will face Czech Tomas Stanek, the 2018 world indoor bronze medallist, and Poland's Konrad Bukowiecki and Michal Haratyk, the 2017 and 2019 European indoor champions.

Other leading names announced include pole vault world record holder Renaud Lavillenie of France and Ronnie Baker of the US, the 100m winner in four IAAF Diamond League meetings last year. 

Organisers and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF