Gatlin vs Jobodwana 150m
Clash at Liquid Telecom Athletix Grand Prix Series,
Anaso Jobodwana,
Justin Gatlin. Photo Credit: Tobias Ginsberg
World 100m champion,
Justin Gatlin and former South African 200m record holder and 2015 World Championship
200m bronze medalist, Anaso Jobodwana will come face-to-face for the third time
in their careers on Thursday, 08 March 2018 at the Liquid Telecom Athletix
Grand Prix Series Meeting at Tuks Stadium, Tshwane.
The American is
currently leading the head-to-head’s 2-0. The first time they met was at the
Pregontaine Meeting in Eugene, Oregon on 30 May 2015. The two came face-to-face again in the 200m
final at the World Championships in Beijing that year. In Eugene, Gatlin raced
away to a 19.68sec win to the second place of Jobodwana who clocked a then
National Record of 20.04sec. At the World Championships it was again the
American who edged Jobodwana as they finished second and third respectively in
19.74sec and 19.87sec behind Usain Bolt.
Now they face off
again. This time in Tshwane on Thursday, 08 March at the second Meeting of the Liquid
Telecom Athletix Grand Prix Series over the seldom run 150m.
For Jobodwana this
will be the seventh race of 2018, while for Gatlin it will be his first of the
season. Jobodwana has yet to lose a race this season and is coming back into
the form that saw him run under 20sec for the 200m at the 2015 World
Championships.
The 150m promises
to be a showdown of epic proportions and Jobodwana is itching to line up
against Gatlin.
“I want to beat
him before he retires. He has about two more years before he hangs up his
spikes, so I need to beat him sooner rather than later. I have huge respect for
Gatlin, he is not a world champion for nothing. But this is my home and this
would be a great opportunity to get a win over him,” said Jobodwana, who has
been training at Tuks for the past three weeks.
Gatlin too has
immense respect for South African sprinters and is expecting a tough battle
against Jobodwana. “It’s really great what is happening in South African
sprints right now and I have massive respect for Wayde (van Niekerk), Akani
(Simbine) and Anaso (Jobodwana). I know Anaso comes through strongly in the
end, I saw that at the World’s in 2015 where he came flying through in the
final 50m. So I know it will be a tough race on Thursday, especially as he will
be in front of his home crowd and I can expect him to put on a good show.”
Gatlin and
Jobodwana will also have Gatlin’s training partner, Trentavis Friday and former
SA 100m Record Holder, Simon Magakwe to contend with. Friday has been
in-country for a week now and would have been able to deal with the effects of
jetlag to a large degree. Magakwe is
fresh from his 100m win over Henricho Bruintjies at the first Meeting in
Roodepoort last week Thursday.
Anaso Jobodwana,
Justin Gatlin and Akani Simbine.
Photo Credit: Tobias Ginsberg
Simbine opens 2018 in the 100m
South Africa’s
100m SA Record Holder, Akani Simbine will also be in the line-up. Simbine will
be racing the 100m. South Africans are used to seeing Simbine open with a sub
10sec time and will be hoping to see that again, especially as he is racing on
his favourite track, Tuks where he has set three of his 15 sub 10sec times to
date.
“I’m excited for
my first race. I love this track, I will be racing in front of my home crowd
(Simbine has actively been campaigning to get as many supporters into the
stadium as possible), so I think this could be a good race,” the 24-year-old
said. “It is the start of a long season and it is always good to lay down a
good marker on your first race. It makes a statement.”
EVENT INFORMATION: Liquid Telecom Athletix
Grand Prix Series
The Liquid Telecom Athletix Grand Prix is
more than just a show, it enables athletes the opportunity to compete against
South African and global talent; for them to be nurtured and invested in, so
that they have the potential of becoming green and gold medalists.
Dates
and Venues:
Thursday, 08 March 2018
|
Tuks Stadium, Tshwane
|
Thursday, 22 March 2018
|
Dal Josaphat Stadium, Paarl
|
Ticket
Prices:
Main
Pavilion Tickets
Standard Ticket:
|
R 100 each
|
Children under 16 years of age:
|
R 50 each
|
Open Stand/Grass Banks
Standard Ticket:
|
R 50 each
|
Children under 16 years of age:
|
R 50 each
|
Tickets can also be purchased at the gate
of each event.
Visit the event’s Facebook page for daily
announcements!
Facebook: AthletixGrandPrix
Twitter: @AthletixGP
