Javier Culson at the CAC champs in Havana (© Javier Clavelo Robinson)
Local idol Javier Culson is set for another Caribbean classic duel with Felix Sanchez in the 400m Hurdles while two-time World and 2004 Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner is expected to make his season’s debut at the Ponce Grand Prix, to be held Saturday at Francisco “Paquito” Montaner stadium in this southern Puerto Rican city.
A total of 26 former and current World and Olympic medallists (26 men and 10 women) have confirmed their attendance to the NACAC meeting.
Culson relishing local stage
Culson, the 2009 World silver medallist, opened his season with a world leading 48.67 at the Drake Relays in Des Moines on 24 April and improved it last weekend to 48.44 to now only trail USA’s two-time Olympic champion Angelo Taylor who clocked 48.16 in Guadeloupe.
With the Central American Games to be held in July on home soil in Mayaguez, Culson aims to please the crowd with another fast performance as this year he targets the 48-second barrier and his national record of 48.09, set when winning the World silver in Berlin.
“Running in front of my people makes me nervous, I can’t deny it. People expect a lot from me. It is a great pressure, but whatever happens in Ponce, we will move on. Top runners will come and I will be also there. I will do my best,” Culson told the local media.
Culson ran 48.43 in Ponce last year and will face a strong field on Saturday, led by Dominican Republic’s twice World and 2004 Olympic champion Felix Sanchez, who ran 48.85 in Guadeloupe.
The duo will find tough opposition from Jamaica’s 2004 Olympic runner-up Danny McFarlane, Trinidad & Tobago’s Jehue Gordon, fourth placer in Berlin, as well as two other men with personal bests under 49 seconds: USA’s Michael Tinsley (48.02) and Belize’s Jonathan Williams (48.88).
“I believe I have matured. More competitions and the World Championships have helped me gain experience and control my emotions. I am now part of the world elite. I have run with the world’s best and I am already used to it,” Culson added.
Ponce meeting director Víctor López stated that the depth of the field could bring a new record in the 400m Hurdles.
“We could see a time under 48 seconds. If so, I hope it will be Culson and that would be a new national record.”
Watching from the stands will be Culson’s agent and former World record holder Michael Johnson.
Wariner ready for 400m debut
Over the one lap flat race, attention will focus on Jeremy Wariner as the 26-year-old American will make his season’s debut and his first appearance on a Latin American track.
Wariner will be challenged by his fellow countrymen Jamal Torrence, fresh from his World Indoor individual bronze and relay gold, and 2008 Olympic bronze medallist David Neville, as well as African record holder Gary Kikaya and Bahamian Andrea Williams and Michael Mathieu.
Martina leads 100m field
The men’s 100m features 2008 Olympic fourth placer Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles, who aims to defend his 2009 win after running the world’s second fastest time this season: 10.03.
He will meet four members of the sub-10 second club, including 2007 World Championships silver medallist Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas and USA’s 2004 Olympic 200m champion Shawn Crawford and 2001 World Championships silver medallist Bernard Williams.
Williams will double in the 200m, but they will face a serious challenge from their countryman Xavier Carter, who shows an impressive 19.63 best.
Over the sprint hurdles, 2008 Olympic silver medallist David Payne will make his season’s debut in Ponce as in 2009. He will face his fellow American and 2008 Olympic bronze winner David Oliver, who claimed the 2010 World Indoor bronze medal in Doha. They will be joined by Jamaican record holder Dwight Thomas.
Solid women's fields across the board
The women’s field also features top names like 2008 Olympic 400m silver medallist Sheena Tosta, 2005 World Long Jump champion Tianna Madison, 2006 World indoor 60m champion Me'lisa Barber, 2010 World indoor 400m and relay champion Debbie Dunn, all from the USA, as well as Bahamian star Chandra Sturrup.
Me'lisa Barber will start as the top favorite to dominate the 100m and 200m. In the former, she will meet Gabon’s World Indoor Championships finalist Zang Milama Ruddy, who ran a national record of 11.19 the previous weekend in Greensboro, align with Sturrup and Madison, who is back in Ponce aiming for another 100m/Long Jump double.
Tosta will make her season’s first outing with top opponents, including his fellow countrywoman Dominique Darden, Jamaica’s Shevon Stoddart and Nigerian record holder and Ponce defending champion Ajoke Odumosu.
The women’s 100m Hurdles is led by USA’s Olympic fourth placer Damu Cherry, the third fastest woman this year (12.65), defending champion Danielle Carruthers and Jamaica’s Andrea Bliss and three-time World Championships finalist Vonette Dixon.
The Ponce Grand Prix will feature 16 international events with over 120 elite athletes from 20 countries from the Americas and Africa. Men and women will contest the 100m, 200m, 400m, 400m Hurdles, Long Jump and 4x100m. They will also run their sprint hurdles events. Women will also run 800m and men 1500m. Local athletes will contest relays and the Pole Vault.
Following the successful organization of the Iberoamerican Championships in 2006, Ponce has staged its annual Grand Prix. Direct TV will broadcast the Grand Prix live to Latin America. The Paquito Montaner stadium also hosted the 1975 and 1993 Central American and Caribbean Championships.
Puerto Rico will host the 21st CAC Games for the first time since 1993. It will be held in Mayaguez, 17 July - 1August.
Javier Clavelo Robinson for the IAAF
