Despite the Zagreb competition not part of the Diamond League, fifteen medal winners from the recently closed Olympic Games are attending the Hanžek Memorial
The Zagreb athletics meet, lasting form September 5 to 6, will again be host to the largest athletics stars. Regardless of the competition not being part of the Diamond League, Zagreb will see fifteen Olympic medal winners from Rio in track, jump and shot put competitions, Večernji List reported on September 5, 2016.
The first to compete tonight, next to the Zagreb fountains, were three shot putters – gold medalist Ryan Crouser, silver medalist Joe Kovacs and bronze medalist Tom Walsh. Other stars include Asafa Powell, from world record holder in 100 metres who ran in Rio in the Jamaican 4×100 relay. His goal in Zagreb is to top the meet record of 9.85 seconds, set by his friend Usain Bolt. Despite their bronze medals from Rio, current stars of world athletics are French Christophe Lemaitre, competing in 200 metres and Serbian Ivana Španović, in long jump.
The women’s 400 metre race will be interesting as three Americans will compete against each other, having won gold in the 4×400 metre relay in Rio – Hastings, Okolo and McCoroy.
