World-Class Athletes Prepare for a Thrilling Showdown
The prestigious Boris Hanžeković Memorial is gearing up to welcome an array of in-form athletes and global champions during the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, taking place from June 24 to June 26 in Zagreb. This event promises to be a highlight of the athletic calendar, as it serves as a precursor to the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship scheduled for September in Budapest. Among the notable competitors is Slovenia’s Kristjan Čeh, who returns to Zagreb after his remarkable 72.34m discus throw at last year’s event. He will be joined by fellow global gold medallists, including Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, USA’s Cordell Tinch, Devynne Charlton, and Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, all eager to showcase their talents and set new records.
Highlighted Events and Rivalries
The meeting will feature the 110m hurdles as the event's memorial race, honoring Croatian hurdler Boris Hanžeković. This race will feature fierce competition between world champion Cordell Tinch, who is aiming for consecutive victories after his success in Doha, and rising stars Jamal Britt and Kendry Menéndez. Tinch has been in excellent form, while Britt recently achieved a personal best of 12.99 seconds this season. Jamaica's Thompson-Herah will also make her European debut this year, headlining the 100m event on Friday. With a season-best of 10.92 seconds, she has her sights set on breaking the long-standing Zagreb meeting record established in 1988.
In addition to the 100m, the 200m race will be led by Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo, a two-time Olympic champion in the 400m, who is coming off strong performances in previous Diamond League meetings. The 100m hurdles will showcase three-time world indoor champion Charlton, who is in phenomenal form after clocking a national record of 12.37 seconds in Xiamen. The competition promises to be intense, with formidable challengers including USA’s Alaysha Johnson, who previously won in Zagreb, among others.
As the event unfolds, the men’s shot put will take center stage on Thursday, featuring two-time world medallist Leonardo Fabbri, who recently excelled with a throw of 22.50m. The competition will also include Olympic bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell and world indoor champion Tom Walsh. The men’s discus event is set to feature Čeh, who aims to improve upon his stellar performance from last year, alongside other strong contenders.
The excitement continues with the men’s hammer throw, where world record-holder Yann Chaussinand will face off against notable athletes including Mykhaylo Kokhan and Poland’s seasoned competitors. The triple jump will see Cuba's Leyanis Pérez Hernández compete against Dominica's Thea LaFond, while the long jump features Portugal’s world indoor champion Gerson Baldé.
As the three-day meeting progresses, spectators can look forward to thrilling contests across various disciplines, including the javelin event featuring home favorite Sara Kolak and the women’s 400m hurdles, where Emma Zapletalová aims to build on her success from the Doha Diamond League.
This multifaceted event not only highlights the athletes’ incredible talents but also serves as a significant milestone on the road to the World Athletics Ultimate Championship. Fans of athletics will not want to miss the action as these world-class athletes gather in Zagreb for an unforgettable experience.
As reported by worldathletics.org.
