BAHRAIN’S former double World champion Maryam Yusuf Jamal will lead a trio of Bahrainis in the Prefontaine Classic tomorrow in Eugene, Oregon, in the US, reports PATRICK SALOMON.

The meeting is an IAAF Diamond League competition, and it is set to feature some of the world’s leading elite athletes.

Maryam will be competing in the women’s 1,500 metres alongside fellow-Bahraini Mimi Belete, while Shtiaye Mubarak Eshete will be running in the women’s 5,000m.

All three were a part of the preliminary entry list published by organisers.

In the 1,500m, Maryam and Mimi are among 16 participants.

Other top runners in the event are Hannah England of Great Britain, Anna Willard of the US, Yelena Soboleva of Russia, Siham Hilali and Ibtissam Lakhouad of Morocco, and Kenyan trip Faith Kipyegon, Nancy Jebet Langat and Hellen Obiri.

Meanwhile, in the women’s 5,000m, Shitaye will be battling with 15 other athletes in their race.

Some of her top competition will come from Tirunesh Dibaba, Gelete Burka and Hiwot Ayalew of Ethiopia, Mercy Cherono and Linet Masai of Kenya, and Shannon Rowbury of the US, to name a few.

The Prefontaine Classic will mark Maryam’s debut on the international stage this year. It will also be all three runners’ first appearances in this year’s calendar of events in the Diamond League.