Fields feature Britain’s new world U20 indoor record-holder Keely Hodgkinson and Jemma Reekie in the 800m, Laura Muir in the 1500m and five six-metre-plus vaulters
Many of the sport’s biggest stars will be in action as the second World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting of the year is held in Liévin on Tuesday (February 9).
The Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais will welcome five six-metre-plus pole vaulters including world record-holder Mondo Duplantis, an 800m field featuring Britain’s world under-20 indoor record-holder Keely Hodgkinson and double European under-23 champion Jemma Reekie, European champion Laura Muir in the 1500m and world indoor triple jump record-holder Hugues Fabrice Zango.
Joining Duplantis, who cleared 6.03m in Rouen, in the men’s pole vault are former world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie, Olympic champion Thiago Braz, two-time world champion Sam Kendricks and world bronze medallist Piotr Lisek, while the women’s competition features British record-holder Holly Bradshaw, who cleared 4.85m in Rouen, and Olympic champion Katerina Stefanidi.
Hodgkinson ran 1:59.03 in her first race of 2021 in Vienna, improving her previous best by more than two seconds to break the global under-20 record. Also on the 800m ‘A’ race start line will be her fellow Briton Reekie and world indoor fourth-placer Habitam Alemu. The ‘B’ race features Ireland’s Nadia Power, while men’s race entries include Britons Elliot Giles, Kyle Langford and Guy Learmonth.
READ MORE: Keely Hodgkinson smashes world under-20 indoor 800m record
Reekie’s training partner Muir goes in the 1500m where she will face world bronze medallist Gudaf Tsegay and European indoor 3000m bronze medallist Melissa Courtney-Bryant, with world indoor record-holder Samuel Tefera racing the men’s event along with Jakob and Filip Ingebrigtsen, Bethwell Birgen and Jimmy Gressier.
The women’s 3000m entries include double world champion Sifan Hassan and world steeplechase record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech, while world silver medallist Selemon Barega contests the men’s race.
World champion Grant Holloway, who has already clocked 7.35 this season, goes in the 60m hurdles against Wilhem Belocian, while the women’s field features world indoor silver medallist Christina Clemons, African champion Tobi Amusan and European indoor champion Nadine Visser.
Britain’s world leader Dina Asher-Smith had been due to contest the 60m but has withdrawn with a tight quad. In-form Ajla Del Ponte is among the entries and Arthur Cissé lines up in the men’s race.
World indoor champion Juan Miguel Echevarria is in long jump action and world leader Auriol Dongmo contests the shot put.
Startlists can be found here.
Fans in the UK will be able to watch the meeting live via the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.