Apart from the Italian Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs, package, the straight line on the track of Hayward Field will be five stars, with the other medalists of Tokyo, the American Fred Kerley (silver) and the Canadian Andre De Grasse (bronze).

There will also be Christian Coleman, reigning world champion, author of a timid return (10 sec 09), on May 8 in Tokyo, during his first race over the distance since his 18-month suspension for breaches of his whereabouts obligations.

Erriyon Knighton, who at just 18 years old became the fourth fastest man in 200m history (19 sec 49/100th) in Baton Rouge earlier this month, could become the first high school student to run under 10 seconds.

And also entered Trayvon Bromell, who ran 9.75 in Florida on May 1.

However, his time was not approved, due to a slightly too favorable wind (2.1 m/s), preventing him from supplanting the best performance of the year by Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala (9 sec 85).

But it may only be a postponement...

Peak form for Thompson-Herah?

The women's 100m will also look great, with two-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah as the favourite.

The Jamaican remains on a victory in Kingston last Saturday, having withdrawn from the Diamond League stage scheduled for the same day in Birmingham, due to a shoulder injury.

Also bothered by pain in an Achilles tendon, and not yet at the top - her reference time this year (10.89) is quite far from her standards -, Thompson-Herah is nevertheless supposed to "reach her peak form in Oregon “, warned her trainer and husband Derron Herah to the Sportsmax media.

Canadian André de Grasse (g), American Noah Lyles (c) and American Fred Kerley during the 200m at the Doha meeting, May 13, 2022 KARIM JAAFAR AFP / Archives

Her main rival will be the American Sha'Carri Richardson, also in search of her optimal form.

The 22-year-old sprinter caused a sensation last year at the American Olympic trials, running in 10.64 (with the help of the wind) in the semi-finals before winning the final.

But she had been deprived of the Tokyo Games for smoking cannabis.

The other Jamaican sprint star, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price, who achieved the ERA on the straight (10.67), will run the 200m.

Is she coming to gauge herself in view of doubling in two months on this same track, where she is supposed to defend her title of world champion in the 100m?

"I did it last year, it was tough," she said on Friday.

"It all depends on how I feel, because some mornings I feel really good and then the next morning I feel like I'm 35."

Duplantis wins

Will also be scrutinized Ryan Crouser, reigning double Olympic champion and world record holder in the shot put, the American Rai Benjamin, silver medalist in Tokyo in the 400m hurdles, or even Michael Norman, 4th performer of all time in the 400m Mr.

On the women's side, the Puerto Rican Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, reigning Olympic champion, and the American Kendra Harrison, silver medalist, will meet for a duel in the 100m hurdles.

Gold medalist Armand Duplantis of Sweden poses during the podium ceremony of the pole vault final during the 2022 World Indoor Athletics Championships at Stark Arena, Belgrade March 20, 2022 pedja milosavljevic AFP/Archives

The 800m will pit American Athing Mu, Briton Keely Hodgkinson and American Raevyn Rogers who made up the Olympic podium in Tokyo.

As the rain is expected on Saturday, some events have been brought forward to Friday evening.

Armand Duplantis, world record holder and reigning Olympic champion, won the pole vault competition with a bar at 5.91 m.

The world record holder (6.20 m indoors) beat the American Christopher Nilsen (5.81 m) who remains the owner of the best world performance of the year outdoors (6 m), since the Swedish then failed three times at 6.07.

American Valarie Allman, the reigning Olympic discus champion, won with a throw of 68.35m.

Kenyan Joshua Cheptegei, reigning Olympic champion and world record holder, set the best time of the year (12:57.99) over 5,000m.

© 2022 AFP