In-form Asher-Smith looking to maintain momentum in Rome

Rome: Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith will be looking to continue her astonishing start to the season and build towards the world championships in Doha next September when she takes to the track for the women’s 100m at the Diamond League meeting in Rome on Thursday.

Asher-Smith, the triple European champion, underlined her world title ambitions by leaving the reigning Olympic and world champions in her wake with a stunning 200m victory in Stockholm last week.

Thompson, 26, will be looking to hit back, along with Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josée Ta Lou, a double 100m and 200m silver medallist at the 2017 worlds in London, who is making her first international appearance of the year.

“The world championships are a very long time away,” said Asher-Smith, looking towards the September 28-October 6 competition in Doha.

“While it’s good to be in good shape now, it’s important I stay in good shape and continue to progress. Two other Americans cannot be ruled out -- Olympic 4x100 gold medallist English Gardner and Shanghai 100m winner Alecia Hobbs.

The men’s 200m features a duel between Noah Lyles, winner of the past two Diamond League trophies over the distance, and fellow American Michael Norman, the 400m winner in Stockholm.

One-lap sensation Norman equalled his personal record over 200m in Osaka, Japan on May 19 with 19.84. World 200m champion Ramil Guliyev of Turkey will also line up in Rome.

In the 400m hurdles American Raj Benjamin, who equalled Edwin Moses’ historic 47.02 career best last year, will be in the spotlight.

Benjamin ran his Diamond League race in Shanghai, where he set the second best performance of his career with 47.80.

The line-up also features Ireland’s Thomas Barr, the only rival in the Rome race to have dipped under 48 seconds, with the other US hurdler Kenny Selmon.

In the 1500m, Ethiopian world record holder Genzebe Dibaba looks set for a duel with European champion Laura Muir of Scotland.

Dibaba won the Olympic silver medal in Rio, and the world title in Beijing 2015.

Meanwhile, the IAAF said on Tuesday it will fight a Swiss court decision to suspend its rules obliging athletes, including double Olympic champion Caster Semenya, to lower their testosterone levels in order to compete in certain events.

Switzerland’s highest court on Monday temporarily suspended the IAAF rules following an appeal by Semenya, the South African who won the women’s 800 metres at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

Agence France-Presse