ASAFA POWELLWORLD 100 metres record holder Asafa Powell will put his fitness to the test today when he opens his 2006 season at the Queen's/Grace Jackson Track & Field Meet at the National Stadium East complex.
Over the past week there have been rumours that the world's fastest man was in doubt for March's Commonwealth Games, but this has been shot down by his coach Stephen Francis.
"At this moment he is good to go, as good as he has ever been," Francis said after reports broke that Powell could miss the Commonwealth Games.
When contacted yesterday, Francis said Powell will be running at his own pace today when he competes over 400 metres.
"I don't have any expectation. How fast he runs will all depend on him and what his personal goal is," Francis told The Gleaner. Powell's race is set for 1:00 p.m.
The organisers will honour Powell for his support over the years.
MISSING SUPER STAR
However, the meet will be missing one of its superstars, World Championships 100m hurdles bronze medallist Brigitte Foster-Hylton. The 2005 world 100m hurdles bronze medallist has a sinus problem. Tayna Lawrence, a member of Jamaica's 4x100m gold medal quartet in Athens two years ago, will also miss the meet with an injury.
Olympic 400m hurdles silver medallist Danny McFarlane will line up in the men's 800m where he will face Jermaine Gonzales and national junior 400m hurdles record holder Gregory Little.
Other top MVP athletes will compete at the meet, including World Championships silver medallist Michael Frater, Olympic relay gold medallists Sherone Simpson, national 400m champion Shericka Williams, Ainsley Waugh and Winston Smith.
Frater, Simpson, Waugh and Smith will run the 400m events, while Williams will contest the 800m .
Usain Bolt from Glen Mills' camp could also run his second meet this season.
Mills said that all other athletes from his Racers Track Club and High Performance Training Centre are likely to compete.
"They (athletes) have been entered," Mills said, but the decision as to who will run would not be taken until late yesterday afternoon.
HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES
A number of top high school athletes will also run, including Cawayne Jervis, Andre Wellington, and Leford Green from KC, former Calabar star Josef Robertson now competing for Wolmer's, Remaldo Rose of Camperdown, Samantha Henry of Queen's, and Winston Barnes of JC,
The meet is a fundraising event for the school and its sports programme. It also serves as a qualifier for Boys' and Girls' Champs and athletes must run in school colours.
Sixty-five male and 55 female teams are expected to compete in 300m hurdles, 400m hurdles open, 800m, 400m, 200m, 4x100m, 4x400m open, along with high and triple jumps.
They will also make a special presentation to Carol Cuffley, a Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) official who has served the sport for over 20 years.
Meanwhile the Alpart/STETHS Invi-tational Track and Field meet will be staged at the school's playing field in Santa Cruz.
Sanctioned by the JAAA, the meet, which is also a qualifier for National High School Championships will include 4x400 and 4x800 relay events for boys and girls.
There will also be competition in high jump, long jump, triple jump, discuss, and shot put.
Leading schools Holmwood, Kingston College, Manchester High, Edwin Allen, Calabar, Munro, Jamaica College, Cornwall, Vere Technical, Herbert Morrison and STETHS are among those expected to participate.
