Spread the word: Mohammed VI Rabat Meeting, which is taking place on Friday, July 13th, promises to be the most important event on the headlines. Two sprint events to turn heads. The men's 100m alone deserves to push the door of Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah for the Moroccan stage of the Diamond League. Initially, the three best world performers of the year, plus the World record holder and indoor world champion in the 60m.
The first trio consists of three of the new phenomena of the American sprint. Noah Lyles, who is going to turns 21 years old, five days after Rabat Meeting, leads the world top lists in 100m (9''88) and 200m (19''69), his two personal best records. Lance Brauman’s student, crowned Junior World Champion on the shorter of the two distances in 2016, became last month the youngest champion in the United States after 34 years. On this occasion, he beat Ronnie Baker, another sensation of the previously undefeated US sprint. Noah Lyles is in great shape. He is the winner of Lausanne Meeting on 200m on Thursday (July 5th), equaling his best time (19''69).
Ronnie Baker, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, resumed his winning streak Saturday, June 30th at Paris Meeting with a time of 9''88, his personal best. He will be present at Mohammed VI Rabat Meeting. As for Michael Rodgers, 23, 2014 US Champion, credited with 9''89 this season, he has a personal best of 9''85 (2011).
Another prodigy of this distance, also from the United States: Christian Coleman. At 22, the previous student from Tennessee made a splash last winter on 60m, setting himself the world record holder (6''34) and the world champion in 60m. Injured at the beginning of the season, he announced his return to the Diamond League at Mohammed VI Rabat Meeting. An event with such a foursome, victory seems promised to an American. However, an eye should be kept on the Ivorian Arthur Cissé (9''94 this season), and the British Reece Prescod, 22, winner of Shanghai Diamond League Meeting on May 12 (10''04).
The same smellof gunpowder could wrap up the women's 200m. The top four in the world ranking of the season are expected on the track of Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah . The Jamaican Shericka Jackson, previously known as a specialist in the 400m (bronze medalist at World championship Beijing 2015, then at Olympic Games Rio 2016), brought her personal best to 22''05 at Paris Meeting, June 30th. Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas, the 400m Olympic champion (and 200m bronze medalist at London 2017 World Championship), is only enjoying the victory this season: she won the 200m in Kingston, at the Commonwealth Games and at Shanghai Diamond League Meeting (22''06). The American Jenna Prandini (22''22) became last month's US champion. She ran 11''00 in the 100 m, Thursday, July 5th in Lausanne, without giving the impression of forcing the pace. However, the favorite of the 200 m in Mohammed VI Rabat Meeting could be the Ivorian Marie Josée Ta Lou. Winner of Rome Diamond League Meeting, 22''49 against the wind, she shows this season an impressive regularity under 10 seconds in the 100m, with already 4 times, including a victory in 10''90 at Lausanne Meeting. To follow, finally, the British Dina Asher-Smith, credited with 22''29 this year. Explosive !
