Periklis Iakovakis of Greece (© Getty Images)
Last year in the World Championships in Paris Greece's Periklis Iakovakis was the surprise winner of the bronze medal in the men’s 400m Hurdles. This year his goal is distinction in the Olympic Games of Athens.
For Iakovakis, the road to distinction goes through Heraklion and the Super Grand Prix “Tsiklitiria – OPAP”, that will take place in the newly built stadium on Sunday 4 July.
The Greek champion who faced injury problems earlier this season will make his competitive re-appearance on the track at this IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting.
With a time of 48.17 (Paris Worlds 2003) Iakovakis is the national record holder for the 400m Hurdles, while his season’s best is currently 49.33.
Iakovakis, will among others face two of his fellow finalists from last year’s World Championships, the Jamaican Kemel Thompson (48.95 this year) who was 5th last August, and Britain’s Chris Rawlinson (48.58 this year) who took 6th place in the Stade de France.
Two more top Jamaicans, Dean Griffiths (49.28 this year) and Ian Weakley (49.00 this year) are also in the line-up.
Cuba’s reigning Olympic 110m Hurdles champion Anier Garcia will be the star attraction of the men’s sprint hurdles, and will face compatriot Yuniel Hernandez, and the Americans Duane Ross and Chris Phillips, who was fifth in the World Championships final.