Nia Ali competes during the 2014 World Indoor Championships in Sopot (© Getty Images)
With US athletes occupying 11 of the top 14 spots on the 2016 world list, it’s highly likely the hosts will have a gold medal – and possibly even a clean sweep of the medals – to celebrate when the final takes place on Friday night.
Their challenge is led by 2013 world champion Brianna Rollins, who powered to victory at the US Indoor Championships in 7.76, the fastest time in the world for four years.
A hair’s breadth behind Rollins was Keni Harrison, who ran 7.77, while Nia Ali – who has a wildcard entry as a winner of the IAAF World Indoor Tour – will also be back this weekend to defend the title she won in Sopot, Poland two years ago.
The athlete most likely to upset the US hurdlers is Tiffany Porter, who has been in impressive form on the European circuit over the past month. The British athlete was a bronze medallist at the last edition of the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland, and a silver medallist at the 2012 edition, but the 29-year-old has been running faster in 2016 than she did on the build-up to either of those events. Her season’s best of 7.89 came on her most recent outing when she took victory in Jablonec, and if she can repeat that in Portland, Porter has a great chance of completing her medal collection from this event by taking gold.
Porter’s teammate Serita Solomon was a bronze medallist at last year’s European Indoor Championships, and it will come as no surprise if the 26-year-old sneaks among the medals again. She finished runner-up to Porter at the British Indoor Championships last month in 8.05, then lowered her season’s best again in the heats in Jablonec, running 8.02.
Two-time European champion Alina Talay of Belarus is another sure to make her presence felt. The 26-year-old finished third at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in 2012 and has dipped under the eight-second barrier on four occasions this season, running 7.97 at three separate meetings in February.
Jamaica’s Danielle Williams upset the field at the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015, taking gold in the 100m hurdles in 12.57, but it will be a major surprise once again if she can take the title here as her season’s best of 8.07 dates back to January.
Cathal Dennehy for the IAAF
