Olympic medalists set to star at New York Grand Prix

World Athletics says that Olympic medalists Dalilah Muhammad, Noah Lyles and Rai Benjamin will be among the athletes in action when the New York Grand Prix takes place as part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series for the first time on June 12.

“The competition will be a key part of the journey for many athletes targeting the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, where defending her world 400m hurdles title will be Muhammad’s aim,” World Athletics said.

It said the US athlete set a world record of 52.16 with her gold medal-winning run in Doha in 2019 and then secured silver at the Olympic Games in Tokyo behind her compatriot Sydney McLaughlin, who improved the global mark to 51.46, just ahead of Muhammad’s 51.58 for second place.

Muhammad also claimed 4x400m gold in Tokyo and won the Olympic 400m hurdles title in Rio, World Athletics said.

Joining her at the Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island in New York City will be her fellow 2019 world champion Lyles.

The US sprinter stormed to the 200m title in Doha, where he also won 4x100m gold, World Athletics said.

Last year, it said he added Olympic 200m bronze to his CV in Tokyo and topped the world season list with his 19.52 run in Eugene.

World Athletics said Benjamin will headline the men’s 400m hurdles in New York.

Like his US teammate Muhammad in the women’s event, Benjamin is the second-fastest ever in his discipline thanks to the 46.17 he recorded for Olympic silver behind Karsten Warholm’s world record of 45.94 in Tokyo.

World Athletics said Benjamin also claimed world silver in 2019 and won 4x400m gold at both global events.

Further athletes have also been announced for the Golden Spike Ostrava, which like the New York Grand Prix is part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold calendar.

Joining the previously-announced Gianmarco Tamberi and Femke Bol at the event on May 31 is Namibia’s Olympic 200m silver medallist Christine Mboma, World Athletics said.

As well as her Olympic medal, it said the 18-year-old Mboma won the world U20 title in Nairobi last year and is the world U20 and African record-holder, with a PB of 21.78.

“Now her aim will be to target the long-standing Golden Spike meeting record of 22.07 set in 1981,” World Athletics said. “She will again race against her compatriot Beatrice Masilingi, the world U20 silver medallist and Olympic sixth-place finisher, in Ostrava.”