MONTE CARLO - Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt might be the main drawcard for today's Diamond League meeting, but eyes will also be on Australian Steve Hooker's season debut in the men's pole vault.
Reigning double world and Olympic sprint champion Bolt will race the 100m in another test of his form ahead of the August 27-September 4 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.
The 24-year-old, the 100m world record holder in 9.58 seconds, will face compatriots Nesta Carter and Michael Frater as well as France's European champion Christophe Lemaitre and Portugal's Nigerian-born veteran Francis Obikwelu, the world 60m indoor champion.
Hooker, however, will be up against an even stronger field. The current world, Olympic and Commonwealth champion admitted that he was throwing himself "in at the deep end".
"Monaco will be my absolute first competition since last October," said the 29-year-old, whose opponents will include the French trio of Renaud Lavillenie, Jerome Clavier and Romain Mesnil, 2003 world champion Giuseppe Gibilisco of Italy and 2007 world champion Brad Walker of the US.
The promised duel in the men's triple jump between world indoor champion Teddy Tamgho and world outdoor gold medallist Phillips Idowu will not go ahead after the Frenchman's season was cut short by a fractured ankle.
Idowu will not be able to take his outing at the Louis II stadium easily, however, with in-form Ukrainian Sheryf el-Sheryf in the mix.
El-Sheryf, whose father is Syrian, stormed to victory in last week's European Under-23 championships where Tamgho was injured, jumping a best of 17,72m. Only Tamgho, with 17,91m, has managed better this season.
In what promises to be a fine evening of top-class athletics, in-form American Morgan Uceny, with Diamond League victories in Lausanne and Birmingham to her name, goes up against Bahrain's double world champion Maryam Jamal in the women's 1500m.
The Kenyan trio of Eliud Kipchoge, Isaiah Koech and Lucas Rotich will attempt to keep Mo Farah of Britain, Kenya-born American Bernard Lagat and Australian Craig Mottram at bay in the men's 5000m. Triple world champion Allyson Felix faces American compatriot Carmelita Jeter in the women's 200m.
Bolt, Hooker in spotlight
MONTE CARLO - Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt might be the main drawcard for today's Diamond League meeting, but eyes will also be on Australian Steve Hooker's season debut in the men's pole vault.
Reigning double world and Olympic sprint champion Bolt will race the 100m in another test of his form ahead of the August 27-September 4 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.
The 24-year-old, the 100m world record holder in 9.58 seconds, will face compatriots Nesta Carter and Michael Frater as well as France's European champion Christophe Lemaitre and Portugal's Nigerian-born veteran Francis Obikwelu, the world 60m indoor champion.
Hooker, however, will be up against an even stronger field. The current world, Olympic and Commonwealth champion admitted that he was throwing himself "in at the deep end".
"Monaco will be my absolute first competition since last October," said the 29-year-old, whose opponents will include the French trio of Renaud Lavillenie, Jerome Clavier and Romain Mesnil, 2003 world champion Giuseppe Gibilisco of Italy and 2007 world champion Brad Walker of the US.
The promised duel in the men's triple jump between world indoor champion Teddy Tamgho and world outdoor gold medallist Phillips Idowu will not go ahead after the Frenchman's season was cut short by a fractured ankle.
Idowu will not be able to take his outing at the Louis II stadium easily, however, with in-form Ukrainian Sheryf el-Sheryf in the mix.
El-Sheryf, whose father is Syrian, stormed to victory in last week's European Under-23 championships where Tamgho was injured, jumping a best of 17,72m. Only Tamgho, with 17,91m, has managed better this season.
In what promises to be a fine evening of top-class athletics, in-form American Morgan Uceny, with Diamond League victories in Lausanne and Birmingham to her name, goes up against Bahrain's double world champion Maryam Jamal in the women's 1500m.
The Kenyan trio of Eliud Kipchoge, Isaiah Koech and Lucas Rotich will attempt to keep Mo Farah of Britain, Kenya-born American Bernard Lagat and Australian Craig Mottram at bay in the men's 5000m. Triple world champion Allyson Felix faces American compatriot Carmelita Jeter in the women's 200m.
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