5th September 2014 10:00
They have already won their respective events in the competition and just need to take part to ensure their prize, but for a number of Europe’s other leading athletes, there is a bit more to do.
European champions Bohdan Bondarenko and Barbora Spotakova both find themselves in similar positions, leading their events by only a few points and knowing that they could miss out on winning the top prize of the Diamond Trophy and $40,000 with double points on offer on this last night.
Ukrainian Bondarenko, the 2013 male European Athlete of the Year, has had quite a summer on the circuit, topped by his performance at the Diamond League in New York in June when he equalled the European high jump record of 2.42m.
That was some performance, matching the mark set by Sweden’s Patrik Sjöberg in 1987, and more recently by Russia’s Ivan Ukhov in Prague this year, and it gave Bondarenko one of three wins in the series.
It came on one of the best days in the history of world high jumping as he won only on countback with great Qatarian rival Mutaz Essa Barshim being just as impressive with his 2.42m and it is the pair who go head-to-head on Friday.
Bondarenko, who also won in Lausanne and Monaco, leads with 16 points from Barshim with 12 and with eight points going to the winner in Brussels; it will be a tense evening.
In the women’s javelin, it has been a glorious summer for Spotakova, of the Czech Republic, whatever the outcome in the King Baudouin Stadium.
In her comeback year after having her first child, Spotakova, the world record-holder, won a thrilling javelin competition at the European Athletics Championships in Zurich with a throw of 64.41m.
Back in sixth was Martina Ratej with 61.58m but it is the Slovenian who poses the biggest threat to Spotakova in this Diamond League finale as, like in the men’s high jump, they are separated by only four points.
Spotakova, who leads the race with 14, has won in Rome, Lausanne and Monaco while Ratej, whose only triumph was in the first meeting in Doha in May, has been consistent throughout, finishing second behind her rival in Rome and Monaco and then fourth in Birmingham.
The men’s long jump is also wide open, with Ignisious Gaisah, of the Netherlands, who is in fourth place with five points, still in with a real chance.
The event is led with eight by American Jeff Henderson but he is not competing, though his teammate Christian Taylor, the Olympic champion, and China’s Li Jinzhe, both with six, have the upper hand.
Martinot-Lagarde cannot be caught in the 110m hurdles and as for pole vaulter Lavillenie, he has made it a record five Diamond Race titles in a row and he said: “My aim is to go over six metres. I just want to enjoy myself and give everything.”
He will not be alone.