Bolt Headlines Golden Spike In Ostrava

A total of seven reigning Olympic gold medalists scheduled to compete.

Usain Bolt will make his first appearance on the World Athletics Tour this week at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic.  Organizers are offering $100,000 if Bolt can break his own 100m world record of 9.69 seconds.

While Bolt’s is the biggest name on the start lists, there will be plenty of other major talents present, starting with Olympic short-hurdle champion Dayron Robles of Cuba taking on his first real competition of the season.

A showdown of the past two Olympic champions is set up for the men’s steeplechase when Kenyans Brimin Kipruto and Ezekial Kemboi toe the line, but 2008 world #1 and countryman Paul Koech will look to take his revenge for his defeat earlier this year to Kipruto in Doha.

The men’s 800 meters could very well steal the show as it will feature a slew of middle-distance elites looking to post a world leader, including 2009 stars Asbel Kiprop (3:48.50 mile win at Prefontaine) and Augustine Choge (3:29.47 1500 in Berlin) taking on Olympic silver and bronze medalists Alfred Yego and Ahmed Ismael.  Throw in Kenyans David Rudisha (2009 world #4) and Olympian Boaz Lalang and we could see a race with multiple men approaching 1:43.00.

A combined world record attempt is set for the women’s one-hour run and 20,000 meters by Ethiopian Dire Tune.  The Ethiopian star already owns the one-hour world record from this meet last year but will try to improve upon that record en route to breaking another of Kenyan legend Tegla Laroupe’s records, this time her 20,000 meters record of 1:05:26.6.

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