SHANGHAI, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Olympic stars and an innovative competition format will be featured in this year's IAAF Shanghai Diamond League which kicks off on Saturday evening here.
For the first time, the men's and women's discus events will be combined into a single event and see the world's best male and female throwers take the spotlight in alternating rounds, a change introduced by local organizers.
Meeting director Ellen van Langen of Global Sports Communication described the new format as "another important step in improving the attractiveness of the Diamond League series overall."
Two-time Olympic discus champion Sandra Perkovic, 26, will try to extend her winning streak at this one-day track and field competition here while Melina Robert-Michon of France is looking to dethrone Perkovic after the 38-year-old finished runner-up to Perkovic in Rio Olympics with a French national record of 66.73m. Another serious contender is Cuba's Denia Caballero, bronze medalist in Rio.
A rematch from the top three finishers at last August's Olympic Games will also be witnessed on the men's side.
Germany's Christoph Harting, who bettered his PB to 68.37m when winning Olympic gold last year, will be facing Poland's Olympic silver medallist Piotr Malachowski, who is also the defending world champion and 2016 Diamond Trophy winner, as well as countryman DanielJasinski, who took the Olympic bronze at 67.05m.
In the sprint events, Jamaica's double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson, fresh from a win over world 200m champion Dafne Schippers in a wind-assisted 10.75 (+2.2) in Kingston last month, faces challenges from Olympic 200m silver medallist Tori Bowie of the United States and Olympic 100m and 200m finalist Michelle-Lee Ahye of Trinidad and Tobago.
Another Olympic gold medallist, Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas will take on Jamaica's Stephenie Ann McPherson in the women's 400m in her season's debut. Miller-Uibo clocked a winning time of 50.45s to beat McPherson by 0.53 last year in Shanghai, but the latter turned out to become the eventual Diamond Trophy winner of 2016.
The men's 200m features three Olympic finalists including Britain's Adam Gemili, Churandy Martina of the Netherlands and two-time world and 2008 Olympic 400m champion LaShawn Merritt of the United States, who ranked fourth, fifth and sixth respectively in Rio last year.
Men's pole vault is another event to watch as seven-time Diamond League winner and world record holder Renaud Lavillenie will start his outdoor season in Shanghai.
The 30-year-old Frenchman will face reigning Olympic champion Thiago Braz, who scored a stunning upset victory in front of jubilant local crowds en route to his 6.03m Olympic record, leaving Lavillenie to settle with the silver medal at 5.98m.
The star-studded field also includes 2015 world champion Shawn Barber from Canada, 2013 world champion Raphael Holzdeppe of Germany and Olympic bronze medallist Sam Kendricks of the US, who claimed the title in Shanghai at 5.88m last year. China's national record holder Xue Changrui is also in the field.
The men's 800m race showcases world record holder and reigning world and Olympic champion David Rudisha. The 28-year-old Kenyan will be challenged by countryman Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich, last year's Diamond League winner.
The women's 1500m field will be led by Kenya's Olympic gold medalist Faith Kipyegon, who set the meet record of 3:56:82 last year, while the women's 5000m race will feature a clash between Olympic silver medalist Hellen Obiri of Kenya and Ethiopia's world runner-up Senbere Teferi.
As the 2016 Olympic champion and Diamond League winner in men's 400m hurdles, Kerron Clement is ready to bounce back from the disappointing seventh finish in Shanghai 12 month ago. The two-time world champion will take on Turkey's Olympic runner-up Yasmani Copello and Kenya's world champion Nicholas Bett.
Although the women's 3000m steeplechase is not a point-scoring race in Shanghai, it remains attractive to a group of stars including Bahrain's world record holder and Olympic champion Ruth Jebet and Kenyan Hyvin Kiyeng, who outkicked Jebet in the Diamond League opener in Doha.
The home crowd will be delighted to see their beloved high jumper Zhang Guowei back in contention.
After failing to reach the Rio final due to injury, the 26-year-old Zhang has been struggling to find his form which helped him set his PB of 2.38m in Eugene two years ago.
In Shanghai, Zhang faces his long-time Qatari rival Mutaz Essa Barshim, a recent winner in Doha, and defending world and Olympic champion Derek Drouin of Canada.
Another home medal hopeful is Gong Lijiao in women's shot put. Gong is aiming to collect her third title after victories in 2011 and 2015 here. This time, the 28-year-old 2015 world silver medalist has to overcome Hungary's Anita Marton, the Olympic bronze medallist, to win.
The men's long jump will see 22-year-old Chinese promising star Gao Xinglong in title defense, against the likes including Olympic gold medalist Jeff Henderson of America and South African Luvo Manyonga.
And as is tradition in Shanghai, the 110m hurdles will conclude the meeting and the organizers have assembled a field worthy of any global final.
Olympic winner Omar McLeod of Jamaica, last year's Diamond League winner Orlando Ortega and world record holder Aries Merritt of the United States and former world champion David Oliver are all in the field. Xie Wenjun will represent the host country to compete.
