Shelly-Ann Fraser of Jamaica en route to winning her first World Championship 100m title (© Getty Images)
Ann Fraser, the 100m World and Olympic champion as well as one of the 14 IAAF Diamond League Ambassadors, will be the undisputed start of the Meeting International Mohammed VI which will celebrate its third edition on Sunday.
The meeting will be held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah sporting facilities in Rabat and is part of the IAAF World Challenge.
Although the meeting will be held only 2 days after the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Oslo, no fewer than 15 Olympic and World medallists (indoor, outdoor and cross country) have confirmed their participation. A total of 40 countries will be represented in addition to the strong participation of national athletes in the 15 events included in the programme.
Fraser, who currently holds the fifth fastest time of the year at 100 at 11.04 was second in Shanghai, the second leg of the IAAF Diamond League behind current World leader Carmelita Jeter (10.94). In Rabat she will face the challenge of veteran Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas who came 3rd in both Shanghai and last week in Hengelo.
Phillips, Kemboi, Kaki...
Other major participants include three-time World champion Dwight Phillips of the US who was also the 2004 Olympic champion and leapt a respectable 8.40m last week in Hengelo.
Another reigning World champion who will compete in Rabat is Kenya’s Ezekiel Kemboi, the 3000m Steeplechase winner in Berlin. The Steeple is expected to be a tough race with Berlin silver medallist Richard Kemboi (KEN) and France’s Mahiedine Mekhissi, the Olympic silver medallist, also expected to be on the start line.
In the sprints keep an eye on World Championships bronze medallist Wallace Spearmon of the US while the 800m should see double World Indoor champion Aboubaker Kaki of Sudan reign supreme after his convincing win in Hengelo. Infield, triple World champion Virgilijus Alekna will take on Lois Martinez of Cuba and Scott Rashaud of the US in the Discus Throw.
Iguider Vs Laalou
The home interest will focus on the men’s 1500m where World Indoor silver medallist Abdelaâti Iguider and Amine Laalou will aim at breaking the 3:30 barrier with the assistance of pace makers Surum Samson and Korir Amos, both Kenyans.
In the women’s 1500m Olympic champion Nancy Jebet Langat of Kenya who won in Doha and Hengelo this year and has set the fastest time of the year at 4:01.63 will face off Moroccans Siham Hilali and Btissam Lakhouad who were third and fourth respectively in Doha.
In the two-lap race, local heroine Hasna Benhassi, a two-time World silver medallist who had an off year in 2009 will take on Maggie Vessey of the US and the Russian duo of Ekaterina Kostetskaya and Evgenia Zinurova.
The women’s Triple Jump will also be an exciting affair between Russians Anna Piatykh, bronze medallist in Berlin and Alekhina Nadezhda and former World champion Trecia Smith of Jamaica.
M. Abdeslam Ahizoune, President of the Moroccan Royal Athletics Federation, is adamant the organisation of the meeting will be of the highest standards. The Organising Committee has done an excellent job and has also included the added attraction of renown singer Cheb Khaled who will hold a short concert to close off the meeting.
Mohammed Benchrif for the IAAF
