Sharing the record eases the pressure

At the IAAF Grand Prix track and field meeting in Qatar, Doha last month, Gatlin, the World and Olympic champion, equalled Powell's record mark of 9.77 seconds and although he's confident he's the still the fastest man on the planet, the Jamaican is happy that the spotlight is not solely on him anymore.

"I'm still the fastest man, no doubt," Powell was quoted as saying in a Reuters report. "Everybody wanted to beat me. Now that he (Gatlin) has equalled the record people will go after him also, so the spotlight is off me."

Golden hunt begins

On Friday (June 2) Powell will start his hurt for the Golden League million dollar jackpot in Oslo, but more interestingly, the 23-year-old says he's ready to make his move on being the sole owner of the world record.

It is still doubtful as to whether Powell and Gatlin will meet in a head-to-head clash this season so reclaiming sole possession of the record might also be a solo effort.

Nigerian and African new record holder Olusoji Fasuba will get a chance to show that his sizzling 9.85 performance in Doha two weeks ago was no fluke as he will also face the starter.

Fasuba will be joined by Powell's training partner Michael Frater, the 2005 World Championships silver medallist, Trinidad and Tobago's Marc Burns, Shawn Crawford, the Olympic 200m gold medallist as well as Guadeloupe-born French sprinter Ronald Pognon and Marcus Bronson, the man who shocked a relatively strong field at the Adidas Track Classic on May 21.

Ferguson looking for Ostrava repeat

The women's race will feature Ostrava's surprise 100m winner Debbie Ferguson from the Bahamas and Americans Stephanie Durst and Rachelle Smith, who won a silver medal in the 200m at the world championships last summer.

World Indoor 60m champion MeLisa Barber will look to put her mid-week to defeat to Ferguson behind her when she line up against her again.  Sherone Simpson of Jamaica finished second to Torri Edwards at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, last Sunday and she too should be a challenge to other competitors, despite reports suggesting that she has just really began to do serious speed work.

Strong female field for obstacle title

Commonwealth Games champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton from Jamaica, 2003 world champion Perdita Felicien of Canada and the inform Lolo Jones of USA are set to battle it out for the women's crown in 100m hurdles. Also expected to face the starter's gun is Foster-Hylton's team mate Delloreen Ennis-London and Spain's Glory Olozie.

Cayman Islands' Cydonie Mothersill will compete in the women's 200m dash against European champion race favourite Kim Gevaert of Belgium and Russian sprinter Yuliya Gushchina.

Sinclair going for Melbourne revenge

Rising Jamaican middle distance star Kenia Sinclair will match up against Janeth Jepkosgei, the Kenyan world-leading in the women's 800m run and the woman who defeated her in Melbourne for the Commonwealth Games title in March.

The two will lock heads again in the same race for a change to take stab at winning the million dollar jackpot.

Although Jepkosgei's 1:57.88 is the top time this season, she hasn't run the event since Melbourne and Sinclair, who travels to Oslo on a high after pushing Mozambique's veteran Mari Motula to the wire at the Pre-Classic last Sunday, could very well be a difficult competitor to beat at the Bislett stadium.

On the other hand, Jepkosgei is the only athlete this season to run under the 1:58 barrier and could be saving her energy for the European circuit.

400m battles begins

World Indoor champion Alleyne Francique and Bahamian world championships finallist Chris Brown line up in the men's 400m dash against American World and Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner.

Jamaican-born Sanya Richards will look to continue her good form this season when she starts her quest for the Golden League million dollar jackpot. Two-time world indoor Champion Natalia Nazarova of Russia and Bahamian 2006 world indoor medallist Christine Amertil will also show up for the start.

Kenenisa Bekele, who became the first man in history to win crowns at a world championship on three different surfaces will also grace the newly laid surface when he competes in the men's 5000m run.