Cuba’s Yargelis Savigne, Trinidad and Tobago’s (T&T) Richard Thompson, and Jamaica’s Nickel Ashmeade, Kaliese Spencer and Jermaine Gonzales are the latest additions to roster of competitors for the adidas Grand Prix meet in New York, June 9.
Savigne is a three-time World triple jump champion (2007 and 2009 outdoors, 2008 indoors.) and has a personal best (PB) of 15.28m, which she set at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan.
Thompson, no stranger to the Icahn Stadium, is the 2008 Olympic silver medalist. He will be looking to make amends for last year when he was disqualified for picking the start. Thompson won the 100m at the 2010 edition, defeating Yohan Blake, whom he faces again in that event.
Ashmeade finished fifth in the 200m final at the 2011 World Championships and last week lowered his 100m PB to 9.93 at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon. He will contest the 200m for which he has a PB of 19.91.
Spencer, fourth in the World Championships in 2009 and 2011, dominated a quality 400m hurdles field in Rome less than a week ago to win in 54.39secs.
Gonzales, Jamaica’s national 400m record holder will take on Jeremy Wariner of the US, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Champion (2005, 2007), and Oscar Pistorius, four-time Paralympic gold medalist, who is seeking to run 45.30 or under to be considered for the South African Olympic team.
The adidas Grand Prix is the sixth stop on the international Samsung Diamond League circuit, and the third stop on the Visa Championship Series. It will begin at 1 p.m.