EUGENE, Oregon, Sporting Alert – Organizers of the Prefontaine Classic – IAAF Diamond League meeting – on Monday (25) announced a stellar line-up for the women’s 400m on 28 May.
The current setup sees six of the eight entrants owning sub-50 seconds personal bests while another sprinter has dipped under the 49 seconds barrier several already in her career.
The event pits two of USA’s top quarter-milers together, in Sanya Richards-Ross, who has a PB of 48.70 and Allyson Felix, who is capable of reaching those heights as well.
Based on form, Felix will enter the event as the favourite to take the win.
The 2015 IAAF World Championships gold medallist, Felix, was the leading women’s 400m runner last year and the American has revealed that her gold is to duplicate or better those achievements in 2016 as she tries to complete a rare 200/400 double at the Rio Olympics.
Four-time Olympic gold medallist and five-time World Championships gold medal collector, Richards-Ross sits seventh on the world all-time list with her personal best and has clocked four times faster than 49-seconds in her career.
The 31-year-old has been struggling with her form in the last few seasons, but the 2008 Olympic champion believes she’s slowly rounding back into good competitive shape and will be ready to challenge this summer.
Another strong competitor to look out for in the event is Bahamian world silver medallist Shaunae Miller, who has a personal best of 49.67 seconds and has already posted a seasonal best and world-leading time of 49.69.
Listed in the event as well is USA’s Francena McCorory, the 2015 IAAF Diamond League winner who also ran three of the top five times over the distant last term.
Americans Natasha Hastings and Quanera Hayes and Stephenie Ann McPherson of Jamaica are also confirmed to race in the event at this year’s Prefontaine Classic.
The only athlete in the field who is yet to run under 50-seconds is American Ashley Spencer.
She has a PB of 50.28.
Women’s 400 Meters Personal Best
Sanya Richards-Ross (USA) 48.70
Allyson Felix (USA) 49.26
Francena McCorory (USA) 49.48
Shaunae Miller (Bahamas) 49.67
Natasha Hastings (USA) 49.84
Quanera Hayes (USA) 49.91
Stephenie Ann McPherson (Jamaica) 49.92
Ashley Spencer (USA) 50.28
2016 Complete IAAF Diamond League List
6 May – Doha, QAT
14 May – Shanghai, CHN
22 May – Rabat, MAR
28 May – Eugene, USA
2 Jun – Rome, ITA
5 Jun – Birmingham, GBR
9 Jun – Oslo, NOR
16 Jun – Stockholm, SWE
15 Jul – Monaco, MON
22-23 Jul – London, GBR
25 Aug – Lausanne, SUI
27 Aug – Paris, FRA
1 Sep – Zurich, SUI
9 Sep – Brussels, BEL
