Susanna Kallur (SWE) - Malaga (© Getty Images)
Europe’s quickest 100m Hurdler of 2006, Sweden’s Susanna Kallur will take on the world’s fastest of the current season Virginia Powell at the DN Galan - IAAF Super Grand Prix - on Tuesday 25 July in Stockholm’s Olympic Stadium.
“It looks as if the women’s 100 metre Hurdles will be a real thriller,” says meeting director Rajne Söderberg. Four of the seven fastest runners of this outdoor season will be on the starting line in the Swedish capital.
Confirmed are Virginia Powell, USA, who tops the list with 12.48, Priscilla Lopes, Canada, third with 12.60, Susanna Kallur who is fourth with 12.61, and Jenny Adams, USA, who is seventh with 12.68.
The race will be an excellent opportunity for Kallur to once again prove that she belongs among the world’s best and why she is the favourite to win the European title in Gothenburg next month, having set her personal best of 12.61 in Paris at the IAAF Golden League meeting last Saturday, 8 July. On that occasion she beat Damu Cherry, USA, who is second in the world with 12.58, and ran her seventh race under 12.86 this season. It equals Kallur's fastest time in seven starts at DN Galan.
“I enjoy running at the Olympic Stadium and I hope I will have a good race,” says Kallur.
Virginia Powell, 22, won the US Championships in June (12.63) and NCAA (12.48), but just last year was only seventh in the B-final(!) at the DN Galan, behind among others Susanna’s sister, Jenny Kallur.
“Powell is a lot better this year, as is Susanna, so it will be a great race,” Söderberg points out.
Keijo Liimatainen for the IAAF