Great things are expected at the second edition of the Jamaica International Track & Field Invitational this Saturday, 7 May at the National Stadium in Kingston. And so they should be, considering the calibre of athletes at this North and Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Area Permit Meet.

Three individual Olympic champions, two World junior record holders and several World number one athletes will be among the headliners in the third high-profile meet in the Caribbean this season. Starting from 7pm, 19 events are on the programme, featuring a number of Jamaica’s and the World’s top athletes.

Caribbean versus the World

The Caribbean trio of Asafa Powell (JAM), Kim Collins (SKN) and Darrel Brown (TRI) would suffice to whet the appetite of any athletics fan. Powell is IAAF World ranked number one for the 100m, and 2003 World champion Collins, now 7th has also been been ranked number one in the world in his career, whilst Brown holds the World junior record.

Another World junior record holder, this one in the men’s 200m, Usain Bolt will hope to make a triumphant return home after an absence of over 12 months. Still several months shy of his 19th birthday, Bolt will seek to complete his return to fitness after injury cut his season short last year.

But the stellar West Indians will have to contend with impressive opposition. Olympic relay silver medallist Coby Miller of the United States and Olympic relay champion Mark Lewis-Francis of Great Britain will certainly be in the mix this weekend. Darvis Patton (USA) will also figure.

High voltage ladies

The true star power is among the women. Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell will run the half-lap event in front of her home crowd. Her Olympic champion 400m relay teammates - Aleen Bailey, Sherone Simpson and Tayna Lawrence – are all likely to run the 100m dash on this occasion.

Bailey was a 100m finalist at the 2003 World Championships in Paris, France, and the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad in Athens, Greece, the latter along with Campbell and Simpson. Lawrence, the 2000 Olympic 100m bronze medallist, is one of only five Jamaicans to have run under 11 seconds.

But another woman in that final, silver medallist Lauryn Williams (USA) heads the field. American Inger Miller and former Jamaica national champion Peta-Gaye Dowdie will certainly pose a threat. Slight of build though she is, however, nobody will underestimate the third American, Muna Lee.

Fenton looking for 400 return

The women’s 400m will see Jamaica's  4x400m Olympic bronze medal team – Novlene Williams, Michelle Burgher, Nadia Davy and Sandie Richards – competing against each other, and against a field that includes the American duo of Monique Hennagan and Sanya Richards.

Like Bolt, 31-year-old Lorraine Fenton is set for a return from injury that saw her miss the latter part of last season. If Fenton is recovered, she should at least show the home fans a glimpse of the form that saw her to medals at the Olympic Games (2000) and the World Championships (2001 and 2003).

Sanchez, Lagat change events

Olympic 400m Hurdles champion Felix Sanchez (DOM) will be in Kingston. But he will eschew the sticks for the flat 400m, taking on Jamaica's Olympic 400m finalists Brandon Simpson, Michael Blackwood and Davian Clarke. 2004 Invitational champion and Athens bronze medallist Derrick Brew (USA) is also back.

Squaring off against an improving group of Jamaican middle distance runners will be the outstanding and consistent Bernard Lagat. Although the 30 year-old a silver medallist in Athens, sits atop the 1500m IAAF World Ranking, he is expected to line up in Jamaica for the men’s 800m.

Tight hurdles competition expected

Perhaps the most mouth-watering showdown in Kingston will be the women's 100m hurdles. Olympic champion and World number one Joanna Hayes of the United States, World champion Perdita Felicien (CAN) and Olympic silver medallist Melissa Morrison (USA) are all in the top 10 for this event.

The Jamaican flag always flies proudly in sprint hurdles. National record holder Brigitte Ann Foster-Hylton, Delloreen Ennis-London, Vonette Dixon and Lacena Golding-Clarke are all in the top 20. Veteran Michelle Freeman, returning from injury, will seek to build on her encouraging indoor season.

Though the men’s 400m hurdles may not be one of the events with a lot of big names entered, it will surely have keen interest from ‘yardies,’ who will be rooting very hard for Olympic silver medallist Danny McFarlane. The 33-year-old was named Sportsman of the Year in Jamaica for 2004.

Jumps to come first

The men’s Long Jump should provide decent entertainment. A pair of Americans, Athens long jump silver medallist John Moffitt and 2001 World Championship silver medallist Savanté Stringfellow, are due to square off in the early evening. The jumps are among the first events scheduled for Saturday.

American high jumper Jamie Nieto will try to make up for a weak performance last weekend in the French Antilles. Another American, 2004 Olympic silver medallist Matt Hemingway, and Canada’s Mark Boswell, are down to compete. So too is Jamaica’s 2003 Pan American champion, Germaine Mason..
 
Terry Finisterre for the IAAF