May 26: Watch LIVE on Universal Sports at 2:00pm ET!

The Diamond League continues into the summer, its third stop coming in Rome on May 26th. At this point in the professional season many athletes are officially starting their seasons, particularly on the track. Distance races, specifically, are intriguing to see if veterans are returning, and what new faces are emerging from the Africans. Runners are trying to find a balance between racing and training, in preparation for the World Championships in Daegu, just a few short months away. For countries with a World Championship Trials system, such as Kenya, Jamaica, and the United States, the athletes must be sharp as they will be competing for spots on the team in the weeks to come. While all of the events will be fast, high, and far at Rome this weekend, five events: the men’s 100, 800, and shotput, and the women’s 100 hurdles and 400, will be hotly contested, showcasing great racing and possible previews of Daegu.

The Men’s 100 meter dash

This banner field is highlighted by Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell of Jamaica. They are the most celebrated century men of the past five years, but they are surrounded with an air of speculation as they travel to Rome. Usain Bolt is looking to defend his Olympic and World Championship titles in the 100 and 200, but his season was cut short due to injury last year, and a 9.82 season best was far off his 9.58 world record performance. He says that he is bigger and stronger, but Bolt has never been short on confidence. Is he ready? Asafa Powell had one his best seasons last year, running 9.82, good enough for a 3rd place world ranking and a Diamond League runner up finish. He also won the Diamond League 100 in Shanghai comfortably in 9.95 seconds. Powell is now 28, not young by sprinting standards, and he must be noticing the crop of Jamaican sprinters coming behind him. Eleven Jamaicans ran under 10.11 seconds last year, and are vying for a spot on the World Championship team. Mario Forsythe, only 25, of Jamaica is one of those eleven looking to challenge. He is entered in the 100 this weekend, and with a personal best of 9.95, has a World Championship team spot in his sights. Forsythe, plus Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago, Christophe Lemaitre of France, and Rae Edwards of the United States are looking to upset Bolt and Powell. Thompson was the 2008 Olympic silver medalist, who comes in with a personal best of 9.89 seconds. Lemaitre, only 20 years old, is known as the first Caucasian to break 10 seconds, returns a season stronger with a 9.97 personal best. Rae Edwards, with a 10.00 best, looks to recreate the magic of his 2009 season where he qualified for the World Championship team in the 100. All of these men have something to race for, something to prove. With warm weather and a favorable wind, this winning time could dip under 9.80 seconds.

The Women’s 400 meter dash

The Rome Diamond League women’s 400 is a race many spectators have been waiting on for over two years, a duel between Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards-Ross. Throw in 2010 US Champ Debbie Dunn, Jamaican Olympic and World Championships silver medalist Shericka Williams, Collegiate Record Holder Francena McCorory, and Amantle Montsho, the 2010 2nd place world ranker from Botswana, and you have the most exciting women’s race of the weekend. Felix is coming off of two Diamond League series wins in the 400 and 200 in 2010, and a fast debut in the 400 in 50.33 seconds. McCorory and Montsho have also run well under 51 seconds to start the season, respectively running 50.50 and 50.41. Richards-Ross comes in with a superior track record in the 400 and a 48.70 personal best, but after not running last season, and a 51.62 debut on her home track in Waco, Texas, she must be slightly concerned about running against these sharp women. Regardless of time, this race should be competitive, and if the race turns into a stretch duel, don’t be surprised if you see the time dip under 50 seconds.

The Men’s 800 meter run

Although both World Record holder David Rudisha of Kenya and his rival Abubaker Kaki of Sudan are not competing this weekend, there is still a stellar field that has six runners that have ran under 1:44, and a precocious 19 year old with a personal best of 1:44.06 this season. The winning time could come into the low 1:43’s if an honest pace is determined by Rudisha’s pacer, Sammy Tangui. This Rome 800 is a showcase of Kenya’s depth, with Asbel Kiprop, Boaz Lalang, Alfred Yego, and David Mutua highlighting the Kenyan contingent. Kiprop won the Doha race in 1:44.74, and won gold in the 2009 World Championships in the 1500. Lalang has a personal best of 1:42.95 and serves as Bernard Lagat’s training partner in Tucson. Yego has medaled in 2008 and 2009, and looks to regain form as he dropped in the world rankings to number 9 last year. A new face in the Kenyan middle distance group is prodigy David Mutua. Only 19 years old, he has run a 1:44.06 800 and looks to become the new face of Kenyan middle distance in his Diamond League debut. Battling this group of Kenyans are Michael Rimmer of Great Britain and Mbulaeni Mulaudzi of South Africa. Rimmer ranked 7th in the world 800 rankings last year and opened this season with a 1:45.12. Mulaudzi is a veteran who won the 2009 World Championships 800 using a superior kick after that race started slow. This will be his debut this year as he looks to defend that title in spite of Rudisha and Kaki. In a race where many will come looking for the World Championships A Standard of 1:45.40, this should be fun and competitive to watch.

The Women’s 100 meter hurdles

The women’s hurdles is one of America’s deepest events, consistently producing World and Olympic champions. The World and Olympic USA team trials in the hurdles are extremely competitive, and this Rome Diamond League race has the look of a USA Trials race. All of the big names are entered for this weekend for the USA, with the exception of Damu Cherry and Queen Harrison. The fiery Lolo Jones, Olympic champ Dawn Harper, upstart Kellie Wells, Ginnie Crawford, and Danielle Carruthers are all vying for spots on the World team, and will be laying it on the line in Rome this weekend. Kellie Wells enters this race on a high note, having been named the USATF Indoor Athlete of the Year, and having won the Doha Diamond League hurdles as well. Carruthers also has started well, with a 12.64 personal best two weeks ago in Doha, good enough for 2nd behind Wells. Two years ago, Lolo Jones and Dawn Harper were the cream of a talented crop of US hurlers, but since they have both faced adversity. Jones finished 2nd in the Diamond League standings last year to Priscilla Lopes-Schilep of Canada after starting strongly, but losing 7 of her last 8 races, including this year in Doha. Dawn Harper, the Olympic champion, is returning from injury after not competing last year, having already run 12.73 this year, but she is facing a loaded field in her 2nd race back. Ginnie Crawford holds the 2nd fastest personal best in this field behind Jones, and hopes to rekindle that effort soon for a shot at the world team. Looking to upset the American contingent are Perdita Felicien, who was 4th in the World Rankings last year, and Tiffany Ofili-Porter formerly of the University of Michigan and now competing for Great Britain. This race hopefully will assure us that Jones and Harper are back on track, and if not, which new stars will rise?

The Men’s Shot

Coming into this Rome Diamond League shot competition, these throwers have to be feeling a little more pressure than usual. Why? All nine throwers in this field were ranked in last season’s world top ten. Andrei Mikhnevich of Belarus, last year’s number three in the world rankings, is the only top putter not competing. Five of the top ten putters in the world are from the USA, highlighted by last year’s world number one and Diamond League champion Christian Cantwell. Cantwell threw over 73 feet last year, and has won 22 of his last 25 contests. Reese Hoffa, Adam Nelson, Cory Martin, and first year pro Ryan Whiting are the other United States competitors. Undefeated and off of a personal best, Dylan Armstrong of Canada has came out strong, winning in Doha. Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski of Poland, Ralf Bartels of Germany, and Pavel Lyzhin of Belarus round out this incredible field. It is obvious that the United States throwing is consistently great, and making the world championships team will require being ready to throw in a trials setting in around six weeks, so this competition is vital to get ready.

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Predictions:

Women’s discus-Yarelis Barrios, Cuba
Women’s long jump-Brittney Reese, USA
Women’s high jump-Blanka Vlasic, Croatia
Women’s 400-Allyson Felix, USA
Women’s 100 hurdles-Kellie Wells, USA
Women’s 200-LaShauntea Moore, USA
Women’s 3000 steeplechase-Milcah Chelimos, Kenya
Women’s javelin-Barbora Spotakova, Czech Republic
Men’s shot-Christian Cantwell, USA
Men’s pole vault-Renaud Lavellenie, France
Men’s 400 hurdles-Kerron Clement, USA
Men’s triple jump-Phillips Idowu, Great Britain
Men’s 800-Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, South Africa
Men’s 5000-Imane Merga, Ethiopia
Men’s 100-Usain Bolt
Men’s 200(non DL)-Rondel Sorillo, Trinidad and Tobago
Men’s 400(non DL)-Jermaine Gonzales, Jamaica
Men’s 4X100(non DL)-Canada

May 26: Watch LIVE on Universal Sports at 2:00pm ET!