Staff WriterDayron Robles of Cuba, the World Record-holder (12.87) and reigning Olympic gold medalist in the 110-meter hurdles, has been officially added to the field of the adidas Grand Prix on June 9, organizers have announced. The event begins at 1 p.m. on June 9 at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island.
Robles, ranked #1 in the world for 2011 by Track & Field News magazine, has never competed in the mainland United States.
The addition of Robles, 25, gives the adidas Grand Prix the top three hurdlers in the world for 2011. Americans Jason Richardson (#2) and David Oliver (#3), along with Aries Merritt (#5) already comprised a formidable field: Richardson is the reigning World Champion, Oliver is the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and American Record-holder who was ranked #1 in the world in 2010; and Merritt is the 2012 World Indoor Champion whose time of 13.03 is the fastest in the world so far this season.
With the World Record-holder added to those three, the 2007 meet record of 12.92, set by former World Record-holder Liu Xiang, is in even more jeopardy.
Challenging them all will be a trio of rising stars. Two new additions to the field—Omo Osaghae, the 2011 U.S. Indoor Champion; and Orlando Ortega, also from Cuba, the 2011 Pan American Games bronze medalist—join previously announced Hansle Parchment, the sensational Jamaican 21-year-old whose time of 13.19 in winning the Jamaica Invitational makes him the fourth-fastest in the world this year.
The adidas Grand Prix will begin at 1 p.m. June 9 at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island. The sixth stop on the international Samsung Diamond League circuit, it is also part of the Visa Championship Series.
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