On-the-comeback-trail world 800m record holder David Rudisha returns to action at the seventh IAAF Diamond League meeting in Icanh Stadium in New York tonight.
The Iten-based Rudisha seems to follow in the counsel of Richard Milhous Nixon, the 37th President of the United States of America: “A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished when he quits.”
Rudisha, who picked a not-so-serious thigh muscle spasm injury at the IAAF World Challenge in Ostrava a fortnight ago, will carry his 1:44.94 season best time to the start line at the Adidas New York Grand Prix here.
He will take on home boys Robby Andrews (1:46.83) and Matthew Centrowitz (1:46.55), who was raised from an athletes’ family in USA where his father Mark Centrowitz Senior was a good 1,500m runner.
Others are Irish Mark English (1:45.83) and other homeboys who include Leonel Manzano (1:46.63), Michael Rutt (1:48.30) and Andrew Wheating (1:48.40).
Olympic bronze medalist Thomas Longosiwa (12:45.8), Diamond League 1,500m speedstar Nixon Chepseba (13:37.3) and Fredrick Kiptoo (12:45.8) will lead the mens’ assault.
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They will tackle a strong Ethiopian challenge that has Hagos Gebrhiwet (12:47.53) and Dejen Gebremeskel (13:23.72), the former world junior bronze medalist.
Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion Moses Kipsiro (12:50.72) and Antonio Abadia Beci (13:30.91) are others to watch.
Virginia Nyambura (9:21.51), the surprise winner at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha, Qatar, on May 15, but lost to Hyvin Kiyeng in the Rome leg before revenging in Birmingham, is Kenya’s sole competitor in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase race.
She will be up against Ethiopia’s Sofia Assefa (9:35.32), Ayalew Hiwot (9:21.53), Diro Neda (9:14.07) and homegirls Franek Bridget (9:46.34), Higginson Ashely (9:41.27), Praught Aisha (9:46.43) and Stowe Rebeka (9:53.72).
Former world 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei, who basks in 2:00.02 season best time and Violah Lagat (2:05.09) will parade in the two-lap race.
They will fight it out with Commonwealth Games silver medalist Sharp Lynsey (2:00.61) and home girl Brenda Martinez, who boasts 1:59.06 season best.
Ludlow Molly (2:01.09) and Hargrove Monica (2:07.07) are also in the mix.
The meet has attracted some of the world’s top track-and-field athletes like Rudisha, the 2012 Olympic champion and world record-holder in 800m, whose time of 1:41.74 at this meet in 2012 is the fastest ever on American soil, Usain Bolt, a two-time Olympic champion medalist and world record-holder at 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay.