If you’re like me, you got spoiled during the Olympics with high level track and field every day for over a week. Things settled down quite a bit last week in Stockholm as many of London’s stars took time out to catch their breath and rest a bit. Well, they didn’t get paid in London, as many of the athletes pointed out, so it’s back to the Circuit to collect checks. And that means a big weekend of track and field as a host of the sports top athletes will be in Lausanne and Birmingham producing some of the best matchups outside of the Olympic Games.

Things get started on Thursday in Lausanne where the track that has proven to be fast in the past will host several of the sports top sprinters including headliner Usain Bolt. Olympic champion Bolt will be running the 200 against several Olympic finalists including bronze medalist Warren Weir (JAM), Churandy Martina (NED), and Wallace Spearmon (USA). To add spice, sub 20 performers Nickel Ashmeade (JAM) and Jason Young (JAM) – that’s six menn with PR’s under 20 seconds. It will be interesting to see how non Olympians Ashmeade and Young perform against the Big Boys!

The only big name missing from the 200 is Yohan Blake, who will be in the 100 meters instead. Fear not, as he too gets a star studded field that includes Tyson Gay (USA), Ryan Bailey (USA), Richard Thompson (TRI), Keston Bledman (TRI) and Jimmy Vicaut (FRA). Olympic bronze medalist Justin Gatlin was scheduled to compete but has come back to the states after suffering a bout of food poisoning. Still I expect a hot race that will produce some good times.

The women’s version of the 100 will find the Olympic gold, silver, and bronze medalists locking up as Shelly Ann Fracer Pryce (JAM), Carmelita Jeter (USA), and Veronica Campbell Brown go head to head. There should be no love lost in this race as neither Jeter or VCB are enamored with losing and VCB did not have the best Olympics – by her lofty standards. Expect this to be a 100 meter knock down drag out fight!

Another hot one should be the men’s 110 hurdles where Olympic champion Aries Merritt (USA) will attempt to continue his hot streak against silver medalist Jason Richardson (USA),  David Oliver (USA), Hansle Parchment (JAM) and Jeff Porter (USA).

Lausanne will be full of great matchups including Olympic champion Kirani James (GRN) v Gordon Lalonde (TRI) and Luguelin Santos in a battle of the events top young quarter milers. Olympic champion Mariya Savinova (RUS) v Pamela Jelimo (KEN) in the 800. And a very deep men’s 1500 with Kenyans galore – and this is a Circuit race not a championship so it should be fast! For full meet line ups click here.

Then on Sunday the 26th the action shifts to Birmingham with several athletes doing double duty. with perhaps the best repeat matchup being another head to head with Shelly Ann Pryce (JAM) and Carmelita Jeter in the 100 meters – can you say possible revenge race! Hot on it’s heels will be another deep men’s 110 hurdles with Merritt (USA), Richardson (USA), Oliver (USA), and Parchment (JAM)

We also get what should prove to be a very interesting men’s long jump with Olympic champion Greg Rutherford IGBR) taking on Will Claye (USA), Mitchell Watt (AUS) and Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor (USA).

Birmingham is going to be loaded in the field events. The women’s discus will be huge with all three medalists – Barboa Spotakova (CZE), Christina Obergfoll (GER) and Linda Stahl (GER) – in attendance. So will the men’s high jump where gold medalist Ivan Ukhov (RUS) will take on Jesse Williams (USA) – looking to rebound from his London disappointment – Andrey Silnov (RUS), and Robbie Grabarz (GBR). Just two of many hot events in the field

And of course I have to mention that the meet will end with a two mile race featuring Brit Olympic hero Mo Farah. Birmingham should cap off a hot weekend of track and field! for full meet line ups click here. I’m sure we’ll have lots to chat about for the next several days as this weekend should feel a lot like the Olympics! So a few days with hot action then I’ll get back to taking a look at things going forward.

Tags: Birmingham, Diamond League, Lausanne