Some of the fastest and most celebrated athletes in the world will be competing in the inaugural Cayman Invitational on Wednesday – and their performances in Jamaica over the weekend shows they are already near peak condition as the London Olympics approach.
Many of them – including 100 metres champions Yohan Blake and Carmelita Jeter – limbered up at the Jamaica Invitational in Kingston on Saturday.
Besides Blake and Jeter, other top sprinters who will compete at the Cayman Invitational at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex from 5.30pm are Novlene Williams-Mills, Chris Brown, Michael Frater, Kim Collins, Shawn Crawford and shot putter Dylan Armstrong.
Cayman’s Commonwealth gold medallist Cydonie Mothersill runs in the 200m to open her season in readiness for her fifth Olympics in July. Other Caymanians slotted in are fellow Olympian Kemar Hyman in the 100m, plus the Morgan twins, Carl and Carlos in the long jump, Jon Rankin in the 1500m, sprinter Tyrell Cuffy and Rhymiech Adolphus in the 100m. The meet will feature over 80 athletes in 11 track and two field events – shot put and long jump.
Mothersill is expecting a packed house and ticket prices are reasonably priced and available at easily accessible locations. Seating for finish line area tickets are $35 (adults and children) and general seating at the TE McField Grandstand is $30 (adults) and $12 (children under 12). Mackie Seymour Stadium seating is $20 (adults) and $10 (children under 12).
Blake, Williams-Mills along with sprint hurdlers Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Hansle Parchment sparkled at the JN Jamaica International Invitational at the National Stadium.
After double world record holder Usain Bolt and American Jeter had whetted appetites with world leading performances in the 100m, the Jamaican quartet ensured the packed stadium remained entertained with a series of outstanding performances.
Four world leading times were set at the meet that was an IAAF World Challenge event, while a number of Jamaican athletes also attained Olympic A qualifying standards with only 11 weeks from the start of the globe’s largest sporting extravaganza in London.
Bolt’s 9.82 seconds and Jeter’s 10.81 seconds set the stage for Blake’s 19.91 seconds in the 200m and Williams Mills’ 49.99 seconds over the 400m, their best-ever starts.
Bolt shook off two false starts to win the 100m, Blake showed off an improved curve on his way to the world-leading time, leaving former St Jago High teammate Nickel Ashmeade and Warren Weir in his wake.
Last year’s winner Ashmeade clocked 20.09 seconds, while Weir, Blake’s training partner, was third in a personal best 20.21 seconds.
Blake said while the decision to double has not been made yet, noted that the 200m could be his better event, given his “speed endurance”. He said he was “surprised” at how fast he started as previously his opening 200m races were timed in about 20.30 seconds.
Williams-Mills said she felt she had to defend home turf against the Jamaican-born American Sanya Richards Ross as she chased her down and caught her at about 30 metres from the line in one of the best finishes of the night to win in 49.99 seconds.
Richards Ross, who came into the meet with the world leading 50.18 seconds, lowered her season best to 50.11 seconds and said she was disappointed not to have gone under the 50-second barrier.
Foster Hylton, 37, rolled back the years with a solid 13.51 seconds, the same time she ran to win the World Championships gold in Germany in 2009.
After a dismal 2011, it was an outstanding race for Hylton in her opening run as she beat Canada’s Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (12.64 seconds) who was running her second race after giving birth and Great Britain’s Tiffany Porter (12.65 seconds).
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