Americans Seek Dominance in Men’s Shot Put, Women’s Hurdles

By Scott Bush

The IAAF Diamond League is on fire and it’s time to learn what’s in store for Friday’s big meet in Monaco. With a month break ahead, due to the IAAF World Outdoor Championships taking place, Monaco is one of the last big meets athletes have a chance to test their fitness over before the focus swings to Beijing.

Can the American Women Sweep the 100m Hurdles…Again?

This past week in Lausanne, the U.S. women dominated the 100m hurdles, placing 1-4 and edging out Great Britain’s Tiffany Porter from a podium finish (she finished fifth). The United States continues to show the world that it owns this event, as eight of the top ten ranked athletes in the world are Americans and one must remember that the world’s sixth fastest hurdler Sally Pearson is out for the foreseeable future (and the World Championships) due to injury.

As Dawn Harper-Nelson continued her dominance with a win in Lausanne, that coming off her big win at the USATF Outdoor Championships last month, the rest of the Americans are continuing to soar. Sharika Nelvis placed fourth in Lausanne, Keni Harrison third and Jasmin Stowers second, with Nelvis and Harrison prepping to compete in Beijing next month.

While Brianna Rollins continues to find her form that won her World Championship gold in 2013, the American hurdlers are looking in fine form and ready to challenge for a sweep in Beijing.

Rollins joins the previously mentioned Americans in Monaco, which means there’s a chance the U.S. athletes could go 1-5, with Tiffany Porter wondering what she needs to do as the World Championships near.

The Field: Cindy Billaud (FRA), Dawn Harper-Nelson (USA), Kendra Harrison (USA), Sharika Nelvis (USA), Tiffany Porter (GBR), Brianna Rollins (USA), Jasmin Stowers (USA) and Alina Talay (BLR)

Taylor vs Pichardo – Round 3

Christian Taylor (USA) versus Pedro Pablo Pichardo (CUB0 is arguably the most entertaining match up this season, thus far. The two triple jump stars own nine of the ten furthest leaps in 2015, while each owns two of the four total leaps over 18 meters.

In Doha earlier in the season, Pichardo edged Taylor 18.06m-18.04m in what was a simply inspired performance from both athletes. Fast forward to this past week, where Taylor got revenge and bested Pichardo 18.04m-17.99m.

The two square off again in Monaco, round three of their Diamond League rivalry.

USA champion Omar Craddock, the only other athlete with a top ten jump in the world this season, isn’t quite in 18 meter shape, but he could push his best of 17.53m. Keep an eye on this event.

The Field: Benjamin Compaore (FRA), Alexis Copello (CUB), Omar Craddock (USA), Alexey Fyodorov (RUS), Pedro Pablor Pichardo (CUB) and Christian Taylor (USA)

Can the American Men Hold off Germany’s David Storl?

As dominant as the American men have been in the shot put so far this year, it’s David Storl (GER) who has track and field fans inspired as the IAAF Outdoor Championships near. Joe Kovacs (USA) has been nearly unbeatable this season, with three marks over 22 meters, while owning six of the top ten marks in the world. However, it was Storl who won in Lausanne last week, throwing an impressive 22.20m for the win. The German owns the other four top ten marks in the world this season, setting up a classic match up of USA versus Germany in Monaco.

As in Lausanne, Kovacs’ fellow Americans Christian Cantwell, Reese Hoffa, Jordan Clarke and Ryan Whiting all seek to improve upon their seasonal and personal best performances. Cantwell is throwing very strong, while Beijing-bound Clarke and Tom Walsh (NZL) cannot be overlooked.

The men’s shot put is hands down one of the more entertaining events and gets the meet in Monaco off to a great start.

The Field: Tsanko Arnaudov (POR), Christian Cantwell (USA), Jordan Clarke (USA), Reese Hoffa (USA), Joe Kovacs (USA), Tomasz Majewski (POL), David Storl (GER), Tom Walsh (NZL) and Ryan Whiting (USA)

American Record Watch: Emma Coburn in the Steeplechase

Just because Emma Coburn (USA) took third in her event specialty in Lausanne doesn’t mean you can discount a serious record attempt on Friday. Who knows how quickly the pace will go out, but after her 9:20.67 effort last week, there’s a feeling Coburn has it in her to challenge her 9:11.42 best.

Not only will Coburn eye the clock, but she’ll look to get the better of Virginia Nyambura (KEN) and Hiwot Ayalew (ETH), who both beat her comfortably in Lausanne. A new week and a new race, Coburn always seems up for the challenge, but she’ll need to step it up a notch if she hopes to take down either steeple standout.

The Field: Bitukan Alemu (ETH), Sofia Assefa (Eth), Hiwot Ayalew (Eth), Lidya Chepkurui (KEN), Emma Coburn (USA), Ann Gathoni (KEN), Tigest Getent (BRN), Habiba Ghribi (TUN), Ruth Jebet (BRN), Hyvin Kiyeng (KEN), Gesa Felicitas Krause (GER), Genevieve LaCaze (AUS), Diana Martin (ESP) and Virginia Nyambura (KEN)

Gia Lewis-Smallwood Looks to Get Back in the Groove

After throwing an American record toss of 69.17m last year and beating the nearly unbeatable Sandra Perkovic (CRO), Gia Lewis-Smallwood has had a much slower start to her 2015 season due to an infected finger. She won the U.S. title, but her 63.09m season best is well off putting her in contention for a medal in Beijing.

Another few weeks of training between the USATF Outdoor Championships and Monaco hopefully finds the 36 year old primed and ready to compete for a top three finish, a mark over 65 meters and a chance to show she’s a true medal contender in Beijing.

The Field: Whitney Ashley (USA), Gia Lewis-Smallwood (USA), Nadine Muller (GER), Sandra Perkovic (CRO), Melina Robert-Michon (FRA) and Dani Samuels (AUS)

Clash of the American Men in the 400m Hurdles

Three of the four men who’ll represent the United States in Beijing are in action and ready to prove who’s America’s best this time around. Reigning U.S. champion Johnny Dutch, reigning world champion Michael Tinsley and former U.S. champion Bershawn Jackson are each entered, along with up and comer Michael Stigler (USA).

The four could very well give the United States a 1-4 sweep in Monaco. Dutch seeks to build upon his U.S. title and his Diamond League win in Rome last month, while Jackson seeks revenge on his training partner Dutch, who narrowly edged him (by .02) at the USATF Outdoor Championships.

For Tinsley, he looks to find his rhythm again, having placed fifth in Lausanne, while Stigler looks to regroup and gain some very valuable European experience coming off a long NCAA season.

U.S. fans have a lot to delight in with this event.

The Field: Johnny Dutch (USA), Kariem Hussein (SUI), Bershawn Jackson (USA), Denis Kudryavtsev (RUS), Michael Stigler (USA), Michael Tinsley (USA) and LJ Van Zyl (RSA)

Gatlin Looks to Lower His 9.74 100m Personal Best

In Lausanne last week, Justin Gatlin (USA) won the men’s 100m event in 9.75, one-hundredth of a second off his personal best and nearly two-tenths of a second ahead of runner-up Asafa Powell JAM) and third place Tyson Gay (USA). No sprinter is even close to matching the form of Gatlin at the moment.

On Friday, Gatlin takes another shot at the 100m distance and don’t be surprised if he lowers his best again. He’ll face good competition from Nickel Ashmeade (JAM) and Femi Ogunode (QAT) and the Monaco track lends well to fast sprint performances.

Gatlin has run 9.74 (Doha), 9.75 (Rome) and 9.75 (Lausanne) and seems poised to push the 9.70 barrier. Can he do it? That is what makes his races must-see events.

The Field: Nickel Ashmeade (JAM), Justin Gatlin (USA), Femi Ogunode (QAT) and Jimmy Vicaut (FRA)

Shannon Rowbury Seeks Sub-4

Yes, Jenny Simpson (USA) looks to rebound from her third place performance in Lausanne, where she seeks revenge on rival Sifan Hassan (NED), but Americans should be equally as interested in fellow American Shannon Rowbury jumping back into Diamond League action.

The Nike Oregon Project standout has been quiet since the USATF Outdoor Championships, where she finished just over a tenth of a second behind Simpson in the 1,500m. In 2014, Rowbury showed she’s once again a medal contender in major championships, but questions remain this outdoor season if she can put herself in prime position to medal.

Her season best of 4:02.28 leaves her nearly three seconds off her personal best, but the field is lined up perfectly in Monaco for her to take another stab at a sub-4 time. Do not be surprised if she challenges for the win.

The Field: Abeba Aregawi (SWE), Sofia Ennaoui (POL), Sifan Hassan (NED), Maureen Koster (NED), Laura Muir (GBR), Shannon Rowbury (USA), Jenny Simpson (USA), Senbere Teferi (ETH), Tamara Tverdostup (UKR) and Laura Weightman (GBR)