Olympics News and Info » Olympics 2008

Bolt tin the Money

RSS — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:32:36 +0000

MONTE-CARLO, Monaco (CMC) – Jamaica’s phenomenal World and Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt is set to enjoy a whopping US$500,000 payday for competing in the 100 metres in South Korea later this month.

Bolt… has been labelled the greatest sprinter of all time

Bolt is expected to tackle the shorter sprint on September 25 at the Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting.

Moon Dong-hoo, vice-president of the organising committee for the 2011 Daegu IAAF World Championships in Athletics, said Bolt confirmed that he will race in Daegu and the details are now being worked out for his 100-metre appearance.

In Berlin, Bolt shattered his own world record by 0.11 seconds with a time of 9.58 seconds.

The Daegu organising committee did not disclose his payment, but media reports suggest Bolt is likely to receive US$500,000 for the race.

The Daegu Meeting is expected to attract 200 athletes from 30 nations competing in 16 track and field events.
Meanwhile, Bolt has confirmed that he will also be racing at the IAAF World Athletics Final in Greece this month.

Bolt, who brilliantly won the sprint double – both in world record times – at the IAAF World Championship in Germany last month, is set to run the 200 metres at the September 12-13 World of Athletics Final in Thessaloniki.

Organisers of the IAAF World Athletics Final confirmed Monday that the sprint giant will race in the half-lap sprint on the second day of the final on Sunday, September 13.

Bolt has contested only three 200-metre events so far this year including his Berlin World Championship run last month in an astounding 19.19 seconds, erasing his own world mark of 19.30 he posted in his Olympic victory in Beijing a year earlier.

Bolt last competed in the World Athletics Final in 2006 when he came third in 20.10 seconds in Stuttgart, Germany.

Already being labelled the greatest sprinter of all time, the 23-year-old Bolt is expected to compete in Shanghai after the World Athletics Final before travelling to Daegu.

In the meantime, the projected clash between Bolt and the American Tyson Gay at the Brussels Golden League Meeting on Friday will no longer happen.

Bolt has decided to run the 200 metres and Gay is booked for the 100 metres at the last Golden League meet of the season.

Bolt takes sprint double at trials

RSS — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:11:47 +0000

Triple Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt clocked 20.25 seconds in a strong negative wind of
(-2.4 m/s) to win the 200 metres and complete the sprint double as the 2009 Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships ended at the National Stadium in Kingston last night.

Sprint star Usain Bolt cruises to victory in the men’s 200m final at the Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the National Stadium last night. Steve Mullings (centre) was second while Ramone McKenzie finished fourth. (Photos: Bryan Cummings)

On a day that Olympic silver medallist Shawn Crawford posted a wind-assisted (+3.3) 19.73secs to win at the American trials, the world 100m and 200m world record holder Bolt, came off the curve well ahead of the field before cruising the last 50 metres to win ahead of Steve Mullings 20.40 and Marvin Anderson 20.63.

“I’m feeling alright (though) I’m a little tired after the rounds (three 100 and two 200) because I’m not really in the best shape of my life,” Bolt told the Observer. “I think I ran the corner pretty well and my coach will decide what we need to do to improve it,” added the 22-year-old sprinter.

“I think I’m still a little behind the schedule (when compared to 2008), but I have a lot of work to do to get back there and like how we’re leaving for Europe, there will not be any distractions,” Bolt said.

Running into a head wind of (-1.1), two-time Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, who missed the entire month of April with a toe injury, captured the female equivalent in 22.40secs.

“I have a little under two months before Berlin so I’m confident that I’ll be back in the shape that I need to win (the double),” Campbell-Brown said, who confessed that she was not fully recovered from her injury.

Olympic 200m gold medallist Veronica Campbe-Brown (left) powers to victory in the half-lap event at the Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the National Stadium last night. Simone Facey (right) finished third.

“I must admit that the five weeks that I’ve lost hurt me a little, but I’m staying positive and just continuing to train hard,” the reigning 100m champion and silver medallist in the 200m from 2007 added.

Olympic 100m gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser, who captured the 100m title on Saturday with 10.88, finished second behind Campbell-Brown with 20.58ecs, while 2008 NCAA champion Simone Facey was third with 22.96.

The women’s 200m was run as a straight final after two-time Olympic medallist Kerron Stewart and Commonwealth Games medallist Sheri-Ann Brooks, who placed second and third in the 100m on Saturday, withdrew from the half-lap event.

Two-time World Championships medallist Delloreen Ennis-London produced a late burst to overhaul early race leaders Lacena Golding-Clarke (12.89) and Brigitte Foster-Hylton (12.87) at the 10th and final hurdle to win the 100m event in a head wind of (-1.1 m/s).

Commonwealth Games champion Maurice Wignall easily won the men’s equivalent in 13.48 (wind -0.8 m/s) ahead of Dwight Thomas in 13.50 and Olympic finalist Richard Phillips in 13.61secs.

Although Olympic finalist and national record holder Kenia Sinclair retained her 800 metres title with a time of 2:01.63, she expressed dissatisfaction with the time.

“I was really hoping that I could have hit, like two minutes flat or one minute 59. I know I’m in better shape than two minutes 01, because I’ve already run sub- two minutes for the year and split one minute 57 at the Penn Relays,” Sinclair said.

Grenadian Neisha Nerard-Thomas posted 2:02.02 for second, while Marian Burnett of Guyana placed third with 2:04.72.

Aldwyn Sappleton retained the men’s crown with a time of 1:48.20secs, following a titanic sprint over the last 200 metres with Ricardo Cunningham, who lost by 0.01 second on the photo finish. Andre Drummonds placed third with 1 min. 50.49secs.

Phillips post personal best at trials

RSS — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:08:40 +0000

Olympic 400-metre hurdles semi-finalist Isa Phillips says he is ready to challenge for a medal at this summer’s 12th IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany (August 15-23) after posting a lifetime best 48.05 seconds.

Isa Phillips cruises to victory in the heats of the men’s 400m hurdles at the Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the National Stadium on Friday.

The time makes the St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) alumnus, the joint-third fastest Jamaican of all time in the event.

“The goal is not to take over from Danny McFarlane; it’s the Americans that I want to beat because we’re (I’m) not just thinking national, we are dealing international,” Phillips said, after posting the world-leading mark to win the national title at the National Stadium in Kingston. McFarlane was second with 48.54secs, national junior record holder Josef Robertson finished third in 49.22.

The only Jamaicans to have run faster than Phillips in the one-lap obstacle race are 1992 Olympic silver medallist Winthrop Graham with 47.60secs and 2004 silver medallist Danny McFarlane with 48.00.

Phillips, who had entered the Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships with a lifetime best of 48.36secs says his fast time has been long in coming.

“It’s nothing unexpected because I’ve been running and working hard from day one. It’s a process. We already know that if you work for what you want and want it hard enough, you get it,” he said.

The American trio of Angelo Taylor with 47.25secs, Kerron Clement 47.95 and Bershawn Jackson 48.06 swept the 400m hurdle medals at last summer’s 29th Olympiad in Beijing, China.

“I have seen people working at it for a couple years before they get a breakthrough, so it’s the same thing for me,” Phillips added, noting that he still has some way to go before perfecting his race.

“We’ve (I’ve) just started to get it right. the right steps (between hurdles) in practice have me on 47 high, so that’s coming because once we do it in training , it’s only a matter of time before we do it in competition,” the confident Phillips said, noting that Graham and McFarlane have been tutoring him.

Bolt and Fraser take 100M victory

RSS — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:52:53 +0000

Olympic 100-metre champions Shelly-Ann Fraser and Usain Bolt confirmed their readiness for this summer’s 12th IAAF World Championships in Berlin by posting world leading times in the blue riband event on day two of the Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the National Stadium last night.

Running in lane three, Fraser exploded from the blocks to lead from start to finish, just like she did at last summer’s Beijing Olympics.

Olympic champion Usain Bolt (left) celebrates approaching the finish line in the men’s 100m final ahead of former world record holder Asafa Powell on the second day of the Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the National Stadium last night. Bolt clocked an impressive 9.86 seconds. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

The second fastest Jamaica woman of all time who previously struggled to break 11 seconds all season after an appendix operation in April, crossed the line in 10.88secs despite running into a head wind of (-1.5 m/s).

“Yes, I’m (satisfied) because my coach has been working really hard with me and I love him so much for all his patience and everything he has worked on for me,” Fraser told the Sunday Observer.

“I mean, it was a really bad season for me because I had to take out my appendix and after that I got a hamstring strain, so at times I was really frustrated, but my coach was my motivator, along with my teammates, so I thank God for that,” Fraser added.

Olympic silver medallist and defending champion Kerron Stewart, who entered the meet with the world leading mark of 10.92, surged in the last 50 metres after getting off to a poor start to claim second place with 10.93ses ahead of Commonwealth Games champion Sheri-Ann Brooks, 11.16.

Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser (right) wins the blue riband event ahead of Olympic silver medallist and defending champion Kerron Stewart at the National Stadium last night. Fraser clocked a fast 10.88secs. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

Olympic silver medallist Sherone Simpson, who was running her first race since undergoing surgery on her left knee in September, finished fifth in semi-final two and did not make the final.

World 100 and 200m record holder Usain Bolt recovered from a less than impressive start to catch and pass early leaders Asafa Powell and Michael Frater at the 50-metre mark before cruising to victory in 10.86secs (wind -0.2).

Bolt, who was retaining his national 100m crown, was satisfied with his effort.

“I did not know it was a negative wind, so that is good because it shows that I’m really getting into shape and I’m feeling good after finishing injury-free,” Bolt said.

“The execution was good because I think I got a fairly good start as I didn’t get left in the blocks and I got my drive phase right even though I came up a little early,” he added, noting that he may take it easy in the 200 metres today.

World 100m bronze medallist Powell, who has struggled with an ankle injury all season, broke 10 seconds for the first time this season taking second position in 9.97seconds, ahead of 2005 silver medallist Frater, 10.02secs.

Powell said: “I’m pretty much running on one leg, so I’m very happy and my main aim here was just to finish in the top two.”

Earlier, Olympic semi-finalist Isa Phillips produced a world leading 48.05 seconds to win his first national 400m hurdles title ahead of 2004 Olympic silver medallist and five time champion (2003, ‘04, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08) Danny McFarlane, 48.54.

National junior record holder Josef Robertson produced a World Championship automatic qualifying mark of 49.22 to finish third.

The women’s equivalent went to Olympic gold medallist and record holder Melaine Walker, who had to catch the fast-starting 2006 World Junior champion Kaleise Spencer (54.71secs) in the last 20 metres to win by 0.01 with 54.70secs.

Pan American Games silver medallist Nickiesha Wilson finished third with 56.01.

In other finals contested yesterday, national 10,000m record holder Mardrea Hyman posted 10:09.58 to win the event over Korene Hinds, 10:35.89. Andre Drummonds won the men’s 1500m in 3:55.09secs.

Fireworks are expected in the finals of the men’s and women’s 400 metres today following some impressive running in yesterday’s semi-final round.

Olympic and World Championship semi-finalist Ricardo Chambers produced a season best 45.43secs to win semi-final one and progressed to the final with the fastest time ahead of Allodin Fothergill, 45.48.

Defending champion Michael Blackwood, who clocked 45.59 to finish fourth in his semi-final, was later disqualified for a lane violation (Rule # 1633.3).

On the women’s side, Olympic silver medallist Shericka Williams (50.88) and Novlene Williams-Mills (51.05) are the fastest qualifiers.

Bolt on fire – Clocks 9.77

RSS — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:59:15 +0000

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic (AP) – Olympic champion and world-record holder Usain Bolt won the 100 metres in 9.77 seconds at the Golden Spike meet yesterday.

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic – Jamaican Usain Bolt (2nd right) crosses the line to win the men’s 100m at the IAAF World Athletics Tour Golden Spike meeting yesterday. From left are Ryan Moseley from Austria (eighth), Samuel Francis of Qatar (fourth) and US sprinter Marcus Brunson (sixth). (Photo: AP)

Bolt had a strong tail wind of 2.1 metres per second – too fast to make the time count officially – but he wasn’t complaining.

“I’m just happy I got under 10 seconds,” he said. “Sometimes I got the right wind, sometimes I don’t. I’m just happy I ran injury free.

“It was quicker than I thought,” said the Jamaican, who was cheered by the crowd long after his race.
“It was not an easy victory. I had some problems at the beginning so the result is great for me. I enjoy winning.”

After a seemingly slow start he wasn’t happy about, Bolt cruised to victory ahead of Britain’s Craig Pickering, who finished well behind in 10.08. Ronald Pogon of France was third in 10.17.

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic – Doloreen Ennis-London of Jamaica celebrates after winning the women 100m hurdles at the IAAF World Athletics Tour Golden Spike meeting yesterday. (Photo: AP)

“I’m satisfied with the time, it was a good time,” Bolt said. “Even though there was wind I’m proud of myself anyway.

“I’m running fast; that’s what I’m sure about. It’s a positive sign for me. I’m happy.”

Bolt established himself as the world’s fastest man by winning the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay at the Beijing Olympics in world record times. He won the 100 gold medal in 9.69.

Bolt ran 9.93 in Spanish Town, Jamaica on March 14, but the tail wind was also above the maximum allowed.
He is set to race at the Jamaica championships and meets in Switzerland, Paris and London before the world champs in Berlin in August.

Olympic 110 hurdles champ Dayron Robles of Cuba, who set the world record at 12.87 seconds in Ostrava last year, won this year in 13.04 seconds, the world’s best time this season. He was followed by Dexter Faulk of the United States in 13.13 and Shamar Sands of Bahamas in 13.38.

“Even though it is a new world-leading time (this year), I did not feel well today,” Robles said. “I don’t know what happened. I think I need one more week to train and it will improve.”

The 2005 world champion, American Bershawn Jackson, won the men’s 400 hurdles in 48.32 seconds, also in the best time of the season, with Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic second in 49.20 and Marek Plawgo of Poland third in 49.59.

Meselech Melkamu of Ethiopia was running neck and neck with Kenya’s Linet Masai in the women’s 5,000 until she reached the finish in 14 minutes, 34.17 seconds.
Masai was just 0.19-second-behind followed by another Kenyan, Vivian Cheruiyot, in 14:38.26.

Paul Hession of Ireland took the men’s 200m with a strong finish, beating Brian Dzingai of Zimbabwe by one hundredth of a second in 20.44 seconds.

Double world champ Michelle Perry of the United States was beaten by Jamaica’s Delloreen Ennis-London in the women’s 100 hurdles. Delloreen crossed in 12.79 seconds.

“I’m really satisfied with my time today I can say I ‘m ready for Jamaica’s trials next weekend,” Ennis-London said.

Perry, who hit a hurdle, finished in 12.86 while another American Danielle Carruthers was third in 12.90.

Selected results
Men
100-1, Usain Bolt, Jamaica, 9.77 seconds. 2, Craig Pickering, Britain, 10.08. 3, Ronald Pognon, France, 10.15. 4, Samuel Francis, Qatar, 10.17. 5, Martial Mbandjock, France, 10.24. 6, Marcus Brunson, United States, 10.28.

200-1, Paul Hession, Ireland, 20.44. 2, Brian Dzingai, Zimbabwe, 20.45. 3, Nickel Asmeade, Jamaica, 20.72. 4, Jiri Vojtik, Czech Republic, 20.80. 5, Kristof Beyens, Belgium, 20.81. 6, Stephane Buckland, Mauritius, 20.83.

Women 100 Hurdles-1, Delloreen Ennis-London, Jamaica, 12.79. 2, Michelle Perry, United States, 12.86. 3, Danielle Carruthers, United States, 12.90. 4, Derval O’Rourke, Ireland, 12.95. 5, Lucie Skrobakova, Czech Republic, 12.96. 6, Anay Tejeda, Cuba, 12.97.

BOLT WINS LAUREUS WORLD SPORTS AWARD

RSS — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:52:22 +0000

TORONTO (AP) – Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award yesterday for his record-breaking performance in the Beijing Olympics.

Usain Bolt (left) of Jamaica engages in his trademark pose after accepting the prestigious Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award from former world 200 and 400m record holder Michael Johnson in Toronto, Canada, yesterday.

Bolt became the first man to win gold in the 100 metres (9.69 seconds), 200 metres (19.30) and 400-metre relay (37.10) in world record times in the same Olympiad.

“I am delighted to win this prestigious award and would like to thank everyone who voted for me,” said Bolt, who performed his trademark celebration, a lightning-like gesture with his arms.

“It is an honour to succeed such greats as multiple winner Roger Federer, Michael Schumacher, Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods.”

He received the award from Laureus World Sports Academy member Michael Johnson, who set the previous record in the 200m (19.32secs) at the 1996 Olympics.

The other nominees for the award were: Olympic swimming sensation Michael Phelps; Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal; motor sport racers Lewis Hamilton and Valentino Rossi; and Portugal and Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

In Rome last week, Russian pole-vault star Yelena Isinbayeva received the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award.

Bolt is in Toronto to compete in the 100 at the Festival of Excellence track and field meet to be held at the University of Toronto’s Varsity Centre today.

DRESONIC-JAMAICAN TRACK & FIELD 2009-05-20 07:49:10

RSS — Wed, 20 May 2009 07:49:10 +0000

MONACO (AP) – IAAF president Lamine Diack has reminded triple Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt of his “responsibility” as a champion.

BOLT… key athlete in sport of track & field

Diack said yesterday he has spoken to the 22-year-old Jamaican sprinter about the extra pressures he would face following his stunning performances in Beijing last August.

“You’re the key athlete in our sport and you have a responsibility,” Diack told a small group of reporters. “He’s not a movie star or singer – he’s a champion. (So) if you are fit, you make the performance or you are finished.”

Bolt won three gold medals in Beijing last year, all in world record times, but has made off-the-track headlines since then by being photographed in nightclubs, talking about marijuana use and crashing his car last month.

“Now you have a major responsibility,” Diack said he told Bolt. “Now you are the major star.”

Bolt set world records in the 100 and 200 at Beijing and was a member of the record-breaking relay team.
He beat Canadian sprinter Donovan Bailey’s time in the rarely run 150 metres on Sunday in a street race in Manchester, England. Diack praised his performance but said he doesn’t expect street races to become a trend.

“Our sport is in the stadium. The future is not on the street,” Diack said. “This is only for promotion.”

Diack spoke on the day the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) announced a three-year sponsorship deal with Samsung. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Diack said the agreement followed six years of talks with the Korean electronics company.

The deal covers this summer’s World Championships in Berlin, the 2010 world indoors in Doha, Qatar, and the 2011 world outdoors in Daegu, South Korea.

“Daegu is their hometown,” Diack said. “I will discuss it with them after that to continue.”

PowPow ready to rumble – its about time…!!!

RSS — Wed, 20 May 2009 07:47:29 +0000

Former 100 metres world record holder Asafa Powell says he is almost recovered from the left ankle injury which forced him to withdraw from the Qatar Grand Prix on May 8 after conceding he erred in competing at the 115th Penn Relays Carnival on April 25.

POWELL… everything is looking smooth right now because I’m trying not to make any more bad decisions.

“Everything is looking smooth right now because I’m trying not to make any more bad decisions. I made a bad decision to run at the Penn Relays. but now I’m just working, training hard and trying to get back the ankle to 100 per cent,” Powell told the Observer after training on Monday.

“I’d say I’m 90 per cent ready right now,” added the 2007 World 100m bronze medallist.

Running the anchor leg on Jamaica’s 4×100 team at the Penn Relays with his injured left ankle heavily strapped, Powell trotted to the finish line gingerly after aggravating the damage he sustained in training in early April.

A day before the race, Powell’s agent Paul Doyle indicated the second fastest man in the world would not compete in the sprint relay because he was feeling some discomfort in the ankle.

Now, with the injury almost fully healed and with 10 days to his next scheduled 100m race – at the New York Grand Prix on May 30 – Powell hopes to produce a worldleading mark.

“I don’t really have a time in mind, (but) it’s my second race (after Australia), so I want to go there and put down a benchmark because the fastest time for the year is 10-flat and that’s really nothing right now, so I want to go below that and continue from there, remaining on top,” a confident Powell said.

“Coming off last season, I made a promise to myself that I’m going to really come back and try to get below that 9.7 mark and got injured, but I’m still not going to let that stop me from achieving what I want this year,” he reasoned, noting that he hopes to be fourth time lucky at the Berlin World Championships in August.

Powell was disqualified after a false-start at the quarter-final stage at the 2003 Paris World Championships; missed the 2005 Helsinki edition with a groin injury, before giving up a lead at the Osaka 2007 World Championships to finish third.

The sprinter, who is three wins away from eclipsing American Maurice Greene’s record (52) of the most sub-10 clocking, believes he has finally got over the psychological problems which beset him at major championships.

“I find myself going into competitions with a different focus, so I think what we’re doing right now is really helping and we’re just working on every point that we think is weak. It’s just to wait on the World Championships and we’ll see what happens,” he declared.

Meanwhile, Powell expressed satisfaction with the performance of compatriot Usain Bolt, who showed no signs of discomfort while posting a world best 14.35 seconds in winning a 150-metre street race on Sunday in Manchester, England.

“It was a very good run. I’m sure he can do better because he’s just coming back (after his car accident), and he still represented well,” he reasoned.

“I’m really looking forward to competing with him this year because he did well last year and he knows that I’m still here breathing down his back and he can’t make any mistakes,” Powell added.

Bolt first erased Powell’s world record of 9.74secs at the New York Grand Prix with 9.72 before posting 9.69secs to win the Olympic 100m gold in Beijing.

Jamaica International Invitational meet in full motion

RSS — Sat, 02 May 2009 18:19:19 +0000

ALTHOUGH missing injury stricken Olympic champions Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell-Brown, organizers are insisting that today’s sixth staging of the Jamaica International Invitational meet will still produce many top-class performances.

Chairman of the organizing committee for the IAAF Area Permit meet, Howard Aris, told Sporting World that track and field fans will have a treat inside Kingston’s National Stadium, starting at 6:30 pm.
Jamaican 100m Olympic silver medallist Kerron Stewart (right) and USA’s leading 400m women’s runner Jamaican-born Sanya Richards go through their paces at the National Stadium yesterday in preparation for today’s Jamaica International Invitational meet.

“We have an excellent field of athletes and very competitive events and we look forward to another outstanding evening of entertainment in track and field, as we have been witnessing for the past five years,” Aris said.

Athletes’ liaison and 1976 200m Olympic champion Donald Quarrie noted that even with the absence of Bolt and Campbell-Brown, “the overall quality of the competitors” will lead to excellent times.

The optimism from Aris and Quarrie for quality performances, is easily justified given the high calibre of athletes, listed to face the starter in more than 20 events.

The women’s 100m and 400m, as well as the men’s 400m hurdles, 100m and Shot Put should be among the hotly contested races on the three-hour programme.
Jamaican 100m hurdler Deloreen Ennis-London works out at the National Stadium yesterday as she prepares for today’s Jamaica International Invitational meet. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

Shelly-Ann Fraser, who posted a mind-boggling 10.78secs to win the 100m in Beijing and silver medallist Kerron Stewart with a personal best of 10.80secs, will square off against the American pair of Marshevet Hooker and Bianka Knight.

Fraser told Sporting World that she will be using the race to fix her technique flaws, even as she faces some tough competitors.

“I’m just looking to accomplish a good time and to execute a proper race because right now it’s all about my start and technique that I’m focusing on at training,” Fraser said.

Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad and Tobago as well as Jamaicans Aleen Bailey and Schillonie Calvert completes the crack 100m field.

The men’s equivalent will feature Olympic silver medallist Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago, American Darvis Patton, Jamaican junior record holder Yohan Blake and Dwight Thomas, as well as the 2003 World champion Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis.

Melaine Walker, the Olympic 400m hurdles record holder and gold medallist, will step down to the flat 400m to face-off against the current world number one, American Sanya Richards.

They will be joined by Rosemarie White, the seventh-placed finisher in Beijing, as well as 2007 World Championship bronze medallist Novlene Williams, along with rising stars Sonita Sutherland, Bobby-Gaye Wilkins and Moya Thompson.

The men’s 400m hurdles will pit Jamaica’s Danny McFarlane, the fourth-placed finisher in Beijing, against the silver medallist and current world number one Kerron Clement of the USA.

McFarlane, the Olympic silver medallist from Athens 2004, says despite a niggling calf problem, he is close to full fitness and will put on a good show today.

“I’m not a hundred per cent right now… I’m about 85 to 90 per cent, so I’ll go out there and see what can happen,” McFarlane said, noting that it will be his second race of the season after posting 49.96secs one week ago.

Clement, who posted 47.79secs to win here last year, told Sporting World he’s aiming to run a similar time today.

“It is my first 400 hurdle race (of the season) and I’m just looking forward to run an even race and winning in a similar time like last year,” Clement said. Olympic semi-finalist Isa Phillips will also face the starter in the one-lap obstacle race. The men’s Shot Put with world number two Christian Cantwell of the USA and Jamaica’s national record holder Dorian Scott should produce some big throws.

USAIN BOLT SUSTAINS MINOR INJURY IN CAR ACCIDENT!!!

RSS — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:11:31 +0000

WORLD 100 and 200-metre record holder Usain Bolt has been admitted to hospital, reportedly in good condition, following a motor car accident along the Vineyard Toll section of Highway 2000, St Catherine today at about 1:30 pm. Bolt’s manager Norman Peart said that based upon advice from accident and emergency doctors at Spanish Town Hospital, where the athlete is being treated, his only injury are three thorns that became stuck in his feet after he exited the vehicle. Photo: Bryan Cummings Photo: Bryan Cummings Peart said that Bolt is due to be released shortly. He could not say how long the injury might prevent Bolt from competing. He was confirmed to compete in this Saturday’s Jamaica Invitational at the National Stadium in Kingston. Bolt’s car had been travelling into Kingston from Clarendon the accident occurred. The road was slippery from afternoon showers. When this reporter arrived upon the scene at approximately 2:30 pm the BMW car was being towed from the ditch. Examination of the car by this reporter revealed no blood inside the car and no airbags had been visibly deployed. Both front tyres were punctured and the left-front wheel was almost torn off. The front windscreen was shattered while the back windscreen was totally removed. A member of a Highway 2000 wrecker crew said that there were tyre marks for about 50 metres before the car came off the road.