Posted by KINGSTON, Jamaica – Olympic Games sprint hero, Usain Bolt, headlines a huge field of 100m male sprinters entered for this weekend’s Jamaican Championships, set for the National Stadium here in Kingston.
Bolt, winner of the men’s 100 and 200 metres at last year’s Beijing Games, (in 9.69 and 19.30 seconds respectively), heads a field of 63 athletes entered for the men’s 100m.
Asafa Powell, who anchored Jamaica’s sprint relay team, which also included Bolt, Nesta Carter and Michael Frater, to a world record 37.10 seconds clocking, is also down to compete.
National junior record holder Yohan Blake, Michael Frater, Steve Mullings, Mario Forsythe, Nickel Ashmeade and Lerone Clarke will also be facing the starter, along with World Junior, World Youth Champion Dexter Lee,
On the distaff side, 2008 Olympic Games 100m Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser, heads a field of just 19 women who will be competing in the 100 meters dash.
The field also includes Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson, (both who finished in a dead heat for Silver in Beijing), Aleen Bailey, Samantha Henry, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Nickesha Anderson, Schillonie Calvert and Simone Facey.
Veronica Campbell-Brown is only entered in the 200m at the trials and shall be an eager spectator of the 100m dash, as she awaits her three selected teammates, whom she will spearhead in Berlin to take on the rest of the world in that event.
Just over 50 athletes have entered for the men’s 200m, and again, Bolt heads the list. Marvin Anderson, Christopher Williams – the 2001 World Championships Silver medalist, Ainsley Waugh and Xavier Brown will also be fighting for one of three coveted, individual spots in the 200m.
The men’s 400m, which has failed to put up a real world challenge in recent years, has attracted 52 athletes. Sanjay Ayre, Michael Blackwood, Ricardo Chambers, Jermaine Gonzales, Allodin Fothergill, Leford Green and Ansert Whyte should make it an interesting race.
Olympic Games silver medalist, Shericka Williams, Rosemarie Whyte and Novlene Williams are among the 20 entered in the women’s 400m.
However, the ‘word on the ground’ is, the female 400m dash may be the event to watch at this year’s trials. A few new faces are already emerging on the horizon and if anything can be taken from the recent Penn Relays College section for women, (where UTech stole the spotlight in the mile relay event), we can rest assured that Jamaica’s 400m women are ready to take it to the big stage and carry away all the prizes.
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