Usain Bolt en route to his 19.56 win in Kingston (© trackalerts.com)
After a sparkling opening in Doha last Friday (14 May) the second meeting of the new IAAF Diamond League takes place on Sunday 23 May in Shanghai.
Jamaica’s multiple World and Olympic sprint champion and World record holder Usain Bolt and China’s own 2004 Olympic and 2007 World 110m Hurdles champion Liu Xiang, had already been announced for the meeting, and the provisional entry list confirms they will be joined by a large swathe of global talent.
Usain Bolt, who will run 200m in Shanghai, is one of five IAAF Diamond League Ambassadors in the meeting, the others being Steve Hooker (AUS) and Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR), the World and Olympic champions respectively in the Pole Vault and the Javelin Throw**. The two women Ambassadors are also the reigning World and Olympic champions in their events, Shelly-Ann Fraser (JAM) in the 100m and Valerie Vili (NZL) in the Shot Put.
In total, at next Sunday’s meeting there will be 15 athletes who are the reigning World or Olympic champions and hold 20 gold medals with respect to the 16 Diamond Races being staged in Shanghai.
**NOTE: The men's Javelin Throw is an additional international event being staged by the Shanghai meeting organisers, and the results will not count for the Diamond Race. The men's Javelin Throw begins its Diamond Race in Oslo, Norway on 4 June.
Chris Turner for the IAAF Diamond League
Go to 'Related Content' under the photo to the right of this text to download the Provisional Entry List and Timetable for Shanghai
Go to the bottom of the home page of the IAAF Diamond League website to watch the video highlights of Doha Diamond League
