Lynsey Sharp lines up in the Continental Cup in the Grande Stade de Marrakech tonight in a similar position to her father's old sprint rival, Allan Wells, in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome 33 years ago:
with something of a point to prove.
The competition was known as the World Cup back in the mists of 1981, when Wells showed the planet that his 100m victory in the boycotted Moscow Olympics 12 months previously had not been a hollow one. The Edinburgh Southern Harrier left his global rivals trailing in his wake in the 100m, and finished runner-up in the 200m for good measure.
It would be impressive enough for Cameron Sharp's daughter to avenge the defeat she suffered in the European Championships in Zurich a month ago by getting the better of Maryna Arzamasova.
Sharp has already claimed the Belarussian's scalp since Zurich, having finished two places and 1.43sec ahead of her as runner up to Brenda Martinez of the US in the Ivo van Damme Memorial Meeting in Brussels eight days ago.
It would be even more satisfying if the 24-year-old Edinburgh AC athlete could beat the rest of the world in the process. It would make her the first Scot to record a victory at what has been the IAAF Continental Cup since 2010 - following in the historical footmarks of Wells and the other two Caledonians who triumphed in the World Cup era of the competition: Tom McKean (800m, Barcelona 1989) and Yvonne Murray (3000m, Crystal Palace 1994).
Sharp has been in a rich vein of form since emerging from her sick bed and launching the grandstand finish that earned her Commonwealth silver on home ground at Hampden Park six weeks ago. She won her European silver in a Scottish record time, 1min 58.80sec, and has beat Eunice Sum - the Kenyan who was a clear winner of the Commonwealth title in Glasgow and who also happens to be the reigning world champion - in Diamond League races in Birmingham and Brussels.
Sum is also in the line-up tonight and Sharp said: "I'm really looking forward to racing her and Arzamasova again. Hopefully the conditions will be good because I think there's definitely a little bit more in there. If I hadn't got a bit boxed in on the first lap in Brussels I think I would have run a fast time there."
Sharp stands ninth in the world rankings this year with her 1:58.80. Ajee Wilson tops the list with 1:57.67 but Sharp has beaten the American twice in the last three weeks and races her again tonight.
Eilidh Child will also be wearing a European vest on the opening night. The European 400m hurdles champion faces two of the three women ahead of her in the world rankings - Kaliese Spencer, the Jamaican who beat her to Commonwealth gold, and Kori Carter of the US.
"It's another chance to race against the top girls," said the Pitreavie athlete. "I see it as a stepping stone to next year and to trying to bridge that gap between myself and them."
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