Champions headline Sydney Track Classic

[TheEd]

Entry lists for the 2012 Sydney Track Classic are out and the track and field this Saturday, February 18 is set to be draped in gold.

No less than three reigning Olympic and seven Commonwealth champions will join five world and two world indoor gold medallists as the Qantas Australian Athletics Tour continues to thrill audiences across the country.

Leading the charge on the track are Asbel Kiprop (KEN, 1500m), David Rudisha (KEN, 400m), John Steffensen (WA, 400m), Sally Pearson (Qld, 200m, 100mH) and Tamsyn Manou (Vic, 800m).

Australian Flame Collis Birmingham (Vic) and Craig Mottram (Vic) will be joined on the 1500m start line by Kiprop, who is the current Olympic 1500m champion. At the IAAF world championships in Daegu (KOR) last year he clocked 3:35.69 to add the world title to his extensive list of career highlights.

His compatriot Rudisha will make a rare appearance in the men’s 400m against Australian stars including national champion Steven Solomon (NSW) and Commonwealth Games 4x400m relay gold medallists Sean Wroe (Vic), Ben Offereins (WA) and Kevin Moore (NSW).

Once again opening his campaign for major championship glory Down Under, Rudisha has set the straight ablaze in the two-lap event in recent years. The 23-year-old lays claim to the world 800m record (1:41.01), the world 800m title and two African 800m titles from 2008 and 2010.

The 2006 Commonwealth champion Steffensen rounds out the athletes in the hunt for men’s 400m glory and fresh off line honours at the Go for 2&5 Perth Track Classic last weekend he will be one to watch.

Pearson, the IAAF World Athlete of the Year and world 100m hurdles champion, will fly in the sprint and sprint hurdles events.