BERLIN, 12 September 2004 — Olympic queen of the track Kelly Holmes returns to action over the metric mile in the sixth and final leg of the IAAF Golden League here today with Christian Olsson and Tonique Williams-Darling still on course for the million-dollar jackpot.
Holmes, whose double gold in the 800m and 1,500m in Athens was the highlight of a career peppered with injury and disappointment, has the chance to confirm her victory against her biggest rivals.
The 34-year-old Holmes, who comes up against 1,500m silver medalist Tatyana Tomashova and Romania’s Maria Cioncan, who took bronze, said: “Getting back on the track will be tough after all that has gone on but I’m looking forward to it.”
Women’s Olympic 400m champion Williams-Darling and Olsson, the men’s triple jump winner in Athens, are still on course for the jackpot which is shared between athletes who win all six events. Holmes completed her first track training session since her Olympics victory last Sunday. She did not appear in last Friday’s IAAF Golden League event in Brussels or a Grand Prix meeting in Rieti, Italy today because of off-track commitments and celebrations since winning her double gold.
Holmes also plans to race in Monaco at the World Athletics Final the following weekend. Berlin meeting director Gerhard Janetzky said the date played a role in attracting many successful Olympians.
In the women’s 400m, Williams-Darling apart, Olympic silver medalist Ana Guevara and Russia’s Natalya Antyukh, who took bronze, have a chance to gain revenge. Romania’s Ionela Tirlea, the Athens 400m hurdles silver medalist, also has a chance to prove herself against Olympic champion Fani Halkia of Greece.
