Olympic gold medallists Ohuruogu, Kanter to compete at Rabat meet – European Athletics (EAA) – NEWS

Beijing Olympic gold medallists Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain and Gerd Kanter of Estonia will be two of the stars competing at the second Meeting Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme on Saturday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sporting complex in Rabat.

Points from the Moroccan Area meeting count towards qualification for the IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final on September 12-13 in Thessaloniki, Greece.

World and Olympic 400m champion Ohuruogu will run the 200m against Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of Bahamas, following their recent head-to-head in the 150-metres race in Manchester. The 25-year-old Ohuruogu finished second behind Ferguson-McKenzie in that race in 17.10.

Kanter, the European Athlete of the Month for April, goes into the Rabat meet in excellent form. The reigning world and Olympic Discus champion was the first to break the 70m barrier this year in April with a 70.84m effort in Chula Vista, Calif.

Another Olympic medallist set to appear in Morocco is Ukraine‘s 1500m silver winner Irina Lishchinska, who will compete alongside British world junior champion Stephanie Twell.

European Athletics Championships gold medallist Bram Som of the Netherlands will compete in the 800m.

British sprinters Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Simeon Williamson will race against Ronald Pognon of France in the 100m.

Olympic silver medallist in the 3000m steeplechase Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabad of France will compete in the men's 1500m.

Spain's Ruth Beitia, whose PB is 2.02m, will appear in the High Jump, while Russian Tatyana Polnova is favourite in the Pole Vault ahead of Germans Carolin Hingst and Silke Spiegelburg.

European Athletics (EAA) – NEWS