By Anthony Foster, Freelance WriterTOP-CLASS international track and field action returns to the National Stadium this evening when the staging of the first Jamaica International Invitational meet takes centre stage.
Track stars such as sprint queen Marion Jones, world 100m record holder Tim Montgomery and Olympic gold medallist Gail Devers of the United States along with Mozambique's Olympic and World Champion Maria Mutola will be making their first appearances at the National Stadium.
Also listed for the three-hour 'super meet', organised by Independence Park Limited (IPL) and the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), are former Jamaica 100m champion Peta-Gaye Dowdie, national sprint double champion Aleen Bailey, American Coby Miller, Olympic long jump silver medallist James Beckford, former national sprint hurdles champion Delloreen Ennis-London, former indoor champion Sandie Richards, world 100m champion Kim Collins and Michael Blackwood.
With the absence of crowd favourite and world junior 200m record holder Usain Bolt, who pulled out with an injury, all eyes will be on the women's 100m
scheduled to run off at 8:10 p.m.
The field is extremely strong with the likes of Jones opening up her 100m outdoor season, Bailey who has already ran 11.39 this season, Dowdie back from injury, 2000 Olympic bronze medallist Tayna Lawrence, Americans Teneeshia Jones, Wyllesshia Myrick and Brianna Glenn and Puerto Rican Roxanna Mercado, this race could go down to the wire.
EXCITED
Jones yesterday said she was excited to open her 100m and long jump outdoor season in Jamaica.
"I am looking for good performances on Friday," she said. "I am way past giving predictions on what I will run, but all I know is that Tayna (Lawrence) and Peta-Gaye (Dowdie) will give me a good run for my money."
For the long jump, Jones said: "I putting a lot of time into my long jumping and hopefully that will be reflected tomorrow evening. I am going to go out there and put on a show and hopefully be competitive and I know that will be the case."
The men's 100m looks easier to call, as Montgomery, who has the second fastest time in the world this year, Coby Miller, World Championship 200m silver medallist Darvis Patton and Dwight Thomas should decide the top three.
The 200m race, despite the withdrawal of Bolt should still be hot with Miller, the world champion Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Jamaican trio of 2001 World Championships 200m silver medallist Chris Williams, Latonel Williams and Ricardo Williams.
Another hot race on the card is the men's 400m where Olympic and world 400m hurdles champion Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic goes up against Jamaicans Blackwood, a former world No. 1, Davian Clarke, Michael McDonald and the fast-rising World Junior Championship bronze medallist Jermaine Gonzales.
Beverley McDonald, Debbie Ferguson of the Bahamas and Dowdie will line-up in the 200m for women. Jearl Miles-Clarke of the US, Jamaicans Ronetta Smith and Richards are some of the athletes listed for the women's 400m.
American Gail Devers will face Jamaicans Lacena Golding-Clarke, Ennis-London and Vonetta Dixon in the women's 100m hurdles.
The women's 800m should see Mutola win easily while world outdoor and indoor silver medalist James Beckford and world indoor champion Savante Stringfellow should battle it out in the men's long jump.
