Home  Sports The world will be watching
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The world will be watching |
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Friday, 27 June 2008 |
The world will be watching the Jamaica National Championship in Kingston, Jamaica June 27-29 especially the prestigious 100 meters dash both men’s and women’s as the world fastest runners of the event will be on their marks in one of the most competitive trials in recent years.
The anticipated showdown between the worlds two fastest men Usain Bolt (9.72) and Asafa Powell (9.76) who will do battle to secure their spots in the sprint event on the Jamaican roster for the Beijing Olympic games in China latter this summer is expected to be the highlight. The question will really comes down to whether or not the race will be competitive as the top three finishers will be selected to represent Jamaica in the event. In just securing their places both runners may settle for placement rather than challenge each other, and save their best for Beijing where it matters most.
Bolt record came on June 1, naturally giving him the fastest time of the season. While Powell who is recovering from injury and hasn’t competed much this year clocked 9.96 seconds in a guest appearance at the SAGICOR Trinidad and Tobago National Championship as he won his 100-metre semi-final last Saturday.
Competing for the first time since a pectoral muscle injury – from weight training – in April, Powell did not contest the final, which Marc Burns won in 10.01 seconds.
Powell's time makes him the fourth fastest in the world this year behind Bolt (9.72), American Tyson Gay (9.85), and Trinidad and Tobago's Richard Thompson (9.93) who finished second to him in the semis with 10.11 seconds under wet conditions.
With four women, Campbell-Brown (world-leader, 10.88 and 10.91), Simone Facey (10.95), Kerron Stewart (10.96 and 10.99) and Sherone Simpson (10.99) having already gone under 11-seconds this season the women’s division may turn out the more competitive event.
Not included in that group is Commonwealth Games 100-metre champion Sherri-Ann Brooks who has high hopes as she prepares for this weekend's trials. So far this year she ran (11.19) and is currently only on the radar for a relay spot as she is yet to break 11.00 seconds.
Reigning Olympic champion Campbell-Brown is the overwhelming favorite to win both sprint crowns. Simpson, the best sprinter in both the 100 and 200 meters in 2006, has recovered from the injuries she suffered last season and is one of Campbell-Brown’s main rivals. But the way Facey and Stewart have performed this year the top three will be anybody’s guest.
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