Olympic silver medallist Kishane Thompson is set to headline the Shanghai Diamond League meet today as he is scheduled to open his season in the men’s 100 metres set for 7:24 a.m. Jamaica time.
Thompson will take on a stacked field which includes Olympic 200m gold medallist Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, current world leader Akani Simbine of South Africa, USA’s Christian Coleman and Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya.
Jamaica’s Rohan Watson will also feature in the lineup for his second Diamond League appearance this season.
The race will mark Thompson’s first appearance in the 100m since the final of the Paris Olympic Games where he took the silver medal in 9.79 seconds.
Thompson’s appearance is a highly anticipated event as the fourth-fastest Jamaica over the distance has seldom graced the track this year.
Another marquee Jamaican set to headline the track meet is sprint hurdler Danielle Williams who will line up in the women’s 100m hurdles.
Williams has been enjoying a great start to her outdoor season which includes claiming the Kingston Grand Slam title last month.
Williams will line up against the world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria with USA’s Grace Stark also expected to challenge for a top spot.
JAMAICAN TRIO
In the men’s 110m hurdles, Jamaica will have the trio of Hansle Parchment, Rasheed Broadbell and Orlando Bennett taking on the field.
They are expected to face stern competition with current world leader Cordell Tinch of the USA also in the lineup.
In the men’s triple jump, Jordan Scott has set high expectations ahead of his event as the Jamaican is in the form of his life, setting a new personal best of 17.27 metres last week at the Xiamen Diamond League.
Wayne Pinnock and Tajay Gayle will be involved in the men’s long jump event with the duo looking to improve on their performance in Xiamen where they placed fifth and eighth respectively.
Jamaica will be well represented in the women’s field events as well as 2019 World Championships silver medallist Danniel Thomas-Dodd is down to compete in the women’s shot put.
Thomas-Dodd has only competed once this season at the Miramar Invitational where she threw 18.80m.
Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands and Canadian Sarah Mitton are expected to lead the field, however, as the duo have thrown the furthest distances this year with 20.69 and 20.68 respectively.
