Thursday, May 25, 2006

by Gary Smith
Caribbean Net News Sports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannetnews.com

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic: St Kitts and Nevis' 2001 World Championships 100-metres champion Kim Collins is set to make his first appearance this season, following a late start in his preparation, when he goes up against Jamaican World Junior record holder Usain Bolt at next Tuesday's Ostrava Golden Spike in the Czech Republic, organisers announced on Wednesday.

Collins, a 100m specialist, who surprisingly grabbed a bronze medal at the Worlds in Helsinki, last summer despite not even being on the radar, will run the 200m, an event in which he holds a career best time of 20.20sec in honour of the late Hungarian IAAF General Secretary Istvan Gyulai, who passed away last month.

"I feel honoured to be able to run this special 200m in remembrance of Istvan Gyulai," Collins, who failed to defend his Commonwealth title in Melbourne in late March was quoted as saying on the IAAF web site.

"I will give it my best and hope this race will be organised every year, for us to remember him."

Joining Collins in the event will be fellow Islander, Bolt, who has already produced two impressive performances this season, 20.08 and 20.10, and is the only man with a personal best below the 20sec barrier.

The 19-year-old Jamaican has fully recovered from his injuries, which could see American Justin Gatlin's 2004 record of 20.30 being eclipsed, especially after his manager Norman Peart confirmed that the sprint sensation is in the best shape of his life.

Making the half-lap event more interesting is the inclusion of 2006 Commonwealth Games champion and runner-up Omar Brown (20.33) of Jamaica and Mauritius' Buckland Stéphan (20.06), as well as American Olympic silver medallist Bernard Williams, who holds a personal best time of 20.01.

The organisers also confirmed that reigning World 400-metre hurdles champion, American Bershawn Jackson, will take on Olympic silver medallist Danny McFarlane of Jamaica, in addition to the 2006 Commonwealth Games top three finishers in South Africans Louis Van Zyl and Alwyn Myburgh and Jamaica's Kemel Thompson in his specialty.

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