High Hurdles:
Jiang Fan (China) and Abdulaziz Al-Mandeel (Kuwait), the gold and silver medalists from Pune, will have a high octane competition this time as the entire podium-finishers from Incheon will be descending on Wuhan Sports Centre this time.
Asian Games gold medalist Xie Wenjun is high on the season list with his 13.36s from Shanghai Diamond League. Next on the rank is Incheon silver medalist Kim Byung-Jun (13.58).
Thailand’s bronze medalist Jumras Rittidet is however yet to attain his peak and hence slower than his Incheon mark of 13.61s this season. India’s Siddhant Thingalya, who missed the podium at Pune, will try his luck once again at Wuhan.
The women’s 100m hurdles also have the full set of medalists from Incheon. Defending champion Ayako Kimura of Japan, who lost the mantle to the Chinese duo Wu Shuijiao and Sun Yawei at the Asian Games, will try her might to take revenge at Wuhan.
However Shujiao, who won the World Challenge at Beijing with a much superior 12.85 secs, will make things difficult for Kimura here again.
Kimura’s best in the season (13.24) came in the Mt. San Antonio College relay at Walnut last month. Also in for a medal is Kazakh hurdler Anastasiya Pilipenko with a season best 13.33 secs.
Intermediate Hurdles:
Bahrain’s Asiad gold medalist Ali Khamis Abbas and home favourite Cheng Wen, who won silver in Pune and bronze at Incheon, will be the main contenders for the men’s 400m hurdles title. Yuta Konishi (Japan), Chen Chieh (Chinese Taipei) and former Youth Olympics silver medalist Durgesh Kumar Pal of India are the others looking for a medal at Wuhan.
Bahraini Adekoya is in for another ‘double’ at Wuhan and clearly the top favourite to clinch the gold in the women’s race. Pune silver medalist Manami Kira (Japan) and Incheon bronze medalist Xiao Xia are also in the fray.
Ram Murali Krishnan for AAA
