World's fastest runners set to race at London Grand Prix before Olympics opening

(BEIJING, July 18) -- Some of the planet's premier runners, along with a contingent of Great Britain's Olympic team, are set to warm up for the Beijing 2008 Games by competing first at the Aviva London Grand Prix July 25-26.

One of a series of summer competitions being staged by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the London Grand Prix will gather more than three dozen British Olympic team members at the Crystal Palace, according to the official website of UK Athletics.

Usain Bolt (Photo by: Victah Sailer/Getty Images)The world number one in men's long-distance running, Kenenisa Bekele, will compete in the 5000-meter race in London. Bekele won the 5000-meter race at the London Grand Prix in 2005, but was defeated by Bernard Lagat in 2006 and was absent in 2007.

The first woman who vaulted over 5.00 meters, Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva, will compete in the pole vault event in London before traveling to Beijing.

An impressive performance for an around