2006 IAAF Athlete of the Year Sanya Richards will once again take on 2007 U.S. champion DeeDee Trotter, 2007 U.S. runner-up and 2007 NCAA champion Natasha Hastings and 2007 third-place finisher Mary Wineberg. Richards is still in the hunt to win the Golden League jackpot, having won in the first two events in Oslo and Paris. Reigning World champion Michelle Perry has also won the first two Golden League meets in the women's 100m hurdles and will look to continue her streak Friday in Rome. She will face strong competition from two-time U.S. champion Ginnie Powell and 2007 U.S. Indoor champion Lolo Jones. The women's pole vault is shaping up to be the duel of the night as two-time U.S. champion and American record-holder Jenn Stuczynski is set to confront World record-holder Yelena Isinbayeva of Russina. Stuczynski had held the world-leading mark all season until last Friday when Isinbayeva vaulted 4.91 meters/16-1.25 for the win in Paris. The two last met at the 2007 Millrose Games, when Isinbayeva won over Stuczynski, 4.82m/15-9.75 to 4.53m/14-10.25 In the women's 5,000m, American record-holder Shalane Flanagan will face off against the American record-holder in the marathon and five-time U.S. 10,000m champion Deena Kastor. Also in the mix is 2007 U.S. runner-up Jen Rhines. For more information and complete results on the 2007 Golden Gala, visit www.iaaf.org.
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