Abeykoon to feature in star-studded Diamond League race

Florence Diamond League 2023

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BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 02: Yupun Abeykoon of Sri Lanka runs in the men's 100m heats during the athletics on day five of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Alexander Stadium on August 02, 2022 on the Birmingham, United Kingdom. (Photo by Steve Christo - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Sri Lanka National Record holder Yupun Abeykoon is set to feature in the Men’s 100m at the Florence leg of the Wanda Diamond League 2023 on June 2nd.

Abeykoon will have plenty of competition in the event, with the reigning World Champion Fred Kerley, Olympic Champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs and Commonwealth Champion Ferdinand Omanyala all set to race in Florence. As if that’s not enough stardom in one race, Yohan Blake, former World Champion and Trayvon Bromell, former Indoor Champion, will also compete in the event alongside Commonwealth Games silver medalist Akani Simbine.

Samuele Ceccarelli is the only one to feature in the race, who hasn’t recorded a sub 10 second 100m, with the fastest recorded time among the 8 being Yohan Blake who registered 9.69s back in 2012.

Abeykoon is the 1st and only Sri Lankan athlete to have featured in the Diamond League, having first done so on 2021 and since featured in 5 races, including 2 Zurich Diamond Leagues.

The official start list for the event is as follows

  • Yupun Abeykoon (Sri Lanka) – Commonwealth Bronze Medalist (2022)
  • Yohan Blake (Jamaica) – World Champion (2011)
  • Samuele Ceccarelli (Italy) – European Indoor Champion over 60m (2023)
  • Akani Simbine (South Africa) – Commonwealth Silver Medalist (2022)
  • Trayvon Bromell (USA) – World Indoor Champion (2016)
  • Ferdinand Omanyala (Kenya) – Commonwealth Gold Medalist (2022)
  • Lamont Marcell Jacobs (Italy) – Olympic Gold Medalist (2020)
  • Fred Kerley (USA) – World Champions (2022)

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