Most of the main participants had in their possession a gold medal from the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 and despite various Diamond Races still to be contested on Thursday, most could also afford to relax a little<\/p>\n
Among those sharing a laugh with the assembled media were Great Britain\u2019s Greg Rutherford and USA\u2019s Christian Taylor, the Beijing long and triple jump winners respectively, although the latter will compete in the Briton\u2019s specialist event before taking part in the triple jump in Brussels on 11 September.<\/p>\n
Rutherford was asked whether he had any goals left after becoming the reigning Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth champion.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of goals,\u201d he responded. \u201cWe are one year away from an Olympics and the long jump is improving massively at the moment. What we are seeing now is that people are starting to jump better because there are more people jumping well, and when there are multiple people doing well then you have to up your game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to jump a lot further than I have done, I want to go down (in history), like this man, as one of the best ever in my event,\u201d added Rutherford, nodding at Taylor.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I can win another Olympic or world title, then I\u2019ll be able to say I\u2019ve had a very successful career. There\u2019s still a lot of fire in my belly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Portland possibilities<\/b><\/p>\n
However, Rutherford did cast some doubt on whether he would contest the IAAF World Indoor Championship or the European Championships in 2016<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be based in the US from January next year, through to June, so I\u2019ll be on the continent (for the World Indoor Championships) but I will only go to the world indoors if I\u2019m in good enough condition to win it, but we will assess that closer to the time. I\u2019ll jump a few times in America in the build up to Portland and if all goes well, I\u2019ll go.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs for the Europeans, I\u2019m not sure; we\u2019ll see how the season goes. Obviously, I\u2019m the defending European champion but we will have to look at the competition schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDefending an Olympic title will be incredibly tough so if that means I have to miss it, so be it, but then I\u2019ll get myself ready for the next one after that. However, I would love to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taylor caused some amusement and briefly some bewilderment when he piped up: \u201cI\u2019ll be going (to Amsterdam).\u201d<\/p>\n
However, he quickly quashed any thoughts that he might be about to apply for a transfer of allegiance. \u201cAmsterdam is only 45 minutes where I\u2019m based in the summer so I\u2019ll be going\u2026 as a spectator. I just hope there is some good weather!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs far as the world indoors is concerned, my priority is the Olympic Games and I want to jump far when it counts; but there are records indoors that are obtainable and I now believe I can get.<\/p>\n
"The American record is 17.76 and the world record is 17.92. I definitely think those distances are possible but, at the same time, I don\u2019t want to be that guy that does well in Portland and is tired or drained in Rio.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hair-raising times possible<\/b><\/p>\n
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the 100m world champion, caused a stir in Beijing when she sported a bright green hair style resplendent with additional yellow flowers, so it was a surprise to see her arrive at the press conference with her hair restored to its natural black colour albeit in a completely different braided affair.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always have a new haircut. I just got my hair done yesterday, here in Zurich. The first thing I did when I got to Zurich was Google \u2018hair dresser\u2019. I found one nearby and spent about two hours there yesterday,\u201d she revealed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went there and I don\u2019t speak German but the hairdresser came from Senegal and since I knew what I wanted and had a translator on my phone, everything worked out well. I\u2019m getting to be an expert and finding hairdressers in foreign cities,\u201d she joked. \u201cI guess I\u2019ve been to the hairdressers in more than 10 different countries.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Fraser-Pryce couldn\u2019t get away from the fact that she is also the defending Diamond Race champion and she can retain that accolade if she wins in Zurich.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe championships have finished and this is a new race. Many of them (her rivals in Zurich) are coming here having had disappointments coming into this race and there are things they want to get right here.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, I am looking forward to running a personal best, and hopefully I can do it here,\u201d said Fraser-Pryce, offering up the tantalising possibility of some super-fast sprinting as she currently lies fourth on the world all-time list with her national record of 10.70 from 2012.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut what do I like about Zurich? Well, I love chocolate! And the atmosphere is great. Outside of Jamaica, and a major event like the world championships or Olympic Games, there isn\u2019t anywhere louder with the fans all cheering and banging on the sides of the track.\u201d<\/p>\n
South Africa\u2019s Wayde van Niekerk advertised that he has the potential to become one of the most high-profile athletes of the current generation when he ran a stunning 43.48 to win the 400m in Beijing.<\/p>\n
He was famously unable to take a lap of honour in Beijing, having run himself into the ground and then being briefly hospitalised. It\u2019s something he quietly hopes he can rectify in Zurich, but is far from certain that he will.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seems like I\u2019m the only 400m runner who gets tired after his race. I saw the other guys with their flags but I don\u2019t think I could have done a lap of honour. I saw the other guys walking around and I was just sitting there, trying to find myself. I need to find a way to handle the lactic and handle the pressure after a hard race.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still new to the 400m and I\u2019ve got a lot to learn but hopefully, one day, I\u2019ll get stronger and be able to take a victory lap without feeling like I\u2019m dying,\u201d reflected van Niekerek, with a smile on his face and in his rather modest fashion.<\/p>\n
Phil Minshull for the IAAF and the IAAF Diamond League<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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