Titanic tussles to highlight day 4 in Zurich
Two titanic tussles top Friday’s bill at the Letzigrund Stadium on day four of the European Athletics Championships in Zurich.
Abeba Aregawi and Sifan Hassan go head-to-head in the women’s 1500m and three of the world’s greatest high jumpers vie for honours in a contest with genuine record-setting potential.
It was a bruising battle when Sweden’s Aregawi met Hissan at the Glasgow Diamond League last month, with the Dutchwoman just outpacing her rival over a thrilling last lap. Aregawi is bidding for a first European title to add to the world crown she won last August, while Hassan is the quickest in the world this year and full of confidence after smashing the Dutch record.
Bohdan Bondarenko has already equalled the European high jump record of 2.42 this season and qualified for the final with a single leap. But such is the quality of the field the world champion will have to be on top form to win gold when he takes on his Ukrainian colleague Andriy Protsenko and Russia’s Olympic champion Ivan Ukhov who have also leapt over 2.40.
It could be a great night for the Netherlands with 100m champion Dafne Schippers going for a second sprint title in the 200m after her commanding semifinal victory on Thursday, while Adam Gemili is tipped to bag another sprint gold for Great Britain in the men’s final following James Dasaolu’s 100m triumph on Wednesday.
Britons are out in force in the 400m too where World champion Christine Ohuruogu is looking for her first European title against Italy’s Libania Grenot and Spanish hope Indira Terrero, and exciting newcomer Matthew Hudson-Smith takes on his experienced teammate Martyn Rooney in the men’s race.
Estonian record holder Rasmus Mägi is the man to beat in the 400m hurdles after running a European lead in Wednesday’s semifinals, but we can expect rousing support for Switzerland’s Kariem Hussein who also impressed.
Pierre Ambrose-Bosse was the leading qualifier for the men’s 800m final and Anita Wlodarczyk threw down the gantlet to her hammer rivals when she produced the longest qualifiying throw in championships history.
Belgium’s European junior champion Nafissatou Thiam leads the heptathlon by just 10 points from Nadine Broerson of the Netherlands with three events to come on day two.
Central Zurich will be the picturesque setting for the day’s first final when Russians are tipped to dominate the gruelling 50km walk.
One to watch: Bannister v Landy? Coe v Ovett? – Aregawi v Hassan has the makings of another great middle distance rivalry to match so many famous clashes from the sport’s past.
Stat of the day: Only once in athletics history have two men leapt over 2.40m in the same high jump competition. Could three do it in Zurich?