Athletics Australia
2 February 2000 – Perth - Top international long jumper Kareem Streete-Thompson from the Cayman Islands arrives in Perth today to take on Australia’s world beating trio of Jai Taurima, Peter Burge and Shane Hair at the BankWest Grand Prix, part of the Optus Grand Prix Series, at Perry Lakes Stadium on Saturday.
The men’s long jump promises to be the best international clash in this event since the Commonwealth Games in 1962 and with favourable conditions the Australian record and allcomers record could come under threat.
Streete-Thompson has an amazing record including a personal best in the long jump of 8.63 metres coupled with a best 100m time of 9.96 seconds. He also made the 100m final at last year’s World Championships in Seville.
As a 16-year-old he made the long jump final at the 1990 Commonwealth Games and then went on to win the prestigious NCAA Championships title in the United States in 1994.
Streete-Thompson has now returned to compete for his native country, Cayman Islands, after briefly representing the United States. He trains in Houston, Texas with his old college coach Wen Yang.
He has also refocussed on the long jump this year after a successful stint over 100m including his sub-10 seconds p.b.
The Australians will be looking to capitalise on good early season form to not only beat Streete-Thompson but threaten the Australian record of Taurima.
At the 1999 World Championships Taurima (AIS) and Hair finished fourth and fifth respectively with Taurima breaking the Australian record with a leap of 8.35m and Hair recording a p.b of 8.24m.
NSWI athlete Peter Burge missed the 1999 season through injury after winning the Commonwealth Games gold medal on a countback as both he and Taurima recorded 8.22m.
This season Burge has jumped consistently and achieved his first Olympic A qualifier with an 8.09m performance at the Optus Canberra Grand Prix. The same weekend Hair leapt out to a wind-assisted 8.13m in Perth Interclub competition.
In good conditions all four athletes could go close to the Australian allcomers record held by world record holder Mike Powell at 8.43m.
