OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC – Three sub-10 seconds sprinters will line up in the men’s 100m when Justin Gatlin, Andre De Grasse, and Fred Kerley face-off at the Ostrava Golden Spike. The meeting which is slated for Wednesday, May 19 is a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold level event.
World 100m champion from 2017 Gatlin will target a third sub-10 seconds clocking this season when he steps into the starting blocks in Ostrava. The American who twice ran 9.98s this year, will be looking to win the Golden Spike 100m title for the first time since 2018.
Olympic 100m bronze medallist De Grasse of Canada who posted 9.99s in Gainesville, FL, last month, is slowly working his way back to full fitness and he knows that a good performance on Wednesday would certainly provide a boost to his confidence.
Ready to battle with the 100m specialist is American versatile 400m specialist Fred Kerley, who enters this clash with the fastest time among the starters with his personal best of 9.91s, achieved in Miami, FL, last month.
Kerley To Double At Ostrava Golden Spike
Kerley, who will be targeting a 200/400 double at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June, is using the 100m to work on his speed as he seeks to break 44-seconds for the 400m and 19-seconds for the 200m.
The 26-year-old is also slated to double up in the short sprints on Wednesday, as he is set to return for the 200m as well where he will battle against fellow countryman Kenny Bednarek.
Bednarek, who owns a personal best of 19.80s, is coming off a 19.94s performance for second place at the USATF Golden Games on May 9, and he’s expected to provide the strongest competition to Kerley, who has a personal best of 20.24s, set earlier this year.
Canadian Aaron Brown who owns a personal best of 19.95s will also start in the 200m, and has a season-best of 20.26.
