By Gary Smith
Caribbean Net News Sports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannetnews.com
DOHA, Qatar: Trinidad and Tobago’s Darrel Brown and club mate Jamaica’s Brigitte Foster-Hylton, will go in search of win number two in as many weekends when they compete at Friday evening’s IAAF Super Grand Prix Meeting in Doha, Qatar.
Packed field for the men’s dash
After opening his season with a couple of 400m in Jamaica, the place in which he trains alongside world record holder Asafa Powell, Brown cruised to an impressive 10.02 seconds to win his first 100m this season against a strong field at the National Stadium last Saturday.
The Trinidadian 2003 world silver medallist will compete against the likes of Olympic 200m champion Shawn Crawford of the USA, double European sprint champion, Francis Obikwelu of Portugal, as well as 2005 world silver medal winner Michael Frater of Jamaica, in a race that is expected to be close to the end.
Also competing on a track that World and Olympic champion Justin Gatlin equalled the world record of 9.77, before being found guilty of using a banned substance, will be Trinidad’s Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Marc Burns, Christopher Williams of Jamaica and Nigerian Olasoji Fasuba, who finished second last year in a sizzling personal best of 9.84sec.
Brooks to challenge Americans
The women’s race will see Jamaican Commonwealth Games champion Sheri-Ann Brooks battling with a host of Americans, including 2005 world sprint champions, Lauryn Williams (100m) and Allyson Felix (200m).
Another American, Stefanie Dunst, who surprised the field to win the race last year, has also come back to defend her title and is expected to be a handful for her rivals.
Foster-Hyton – if she competes is favourite for Hurdles title
Foster-Hyton, who featured in an exciting women’s 100m Hurdles race with Canadian former world champion Perdita Felicien is marked amongst the starters for the race, despite early reports suggesting that she would miss the meeting after feeling tightness in her leg last Saturday.
Virginia Powell of USA, the third fastest runner in the event last season, countrywoman LoLo Jones and Jamaicans Delloreen Ennis-London, reining world silver, and Lacena Golding-Clarke are also entered in the race.
Another well anticipated race on the event card will be the women’s 400m dash, as it features a barrage of athletes who will more than likely be on show in Osaka, Japan, for the world championships in the summer.
Among those vying for the title will be Felix, who is going for a 100m and 400m double, after winning the 200m last year, country-mates Monique Henderson and Moushaumi and Moushaumi Robinson, Christine Amertil from the Bahamas, Jamaican Shericka Williams and Senegal’s Amy Mbacke' Thiam.
Completing the list of Caribbean athletes down to compete in Doha will be Bahamian Leevan Sands and Randy Lewis, who will offer stiff challenges to Brazilian Jadel Gregorio in the men’s Triple Jump; Cuban Yennifer Frank Casanas; Korene Hinds of Jamaica and Jackie Edwards from the Bahamas. |
