[b]Kingston: American Ivory Williams, the world’s fastest man this season, is the latest big name to be confirmed for the Jamaica International Invitational
Williams, the 2004 World Junior Championships 100m champion, ran 9.95 at the Kansas Relays last weekend (17 April).[/b]
He will join Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Yohan Blake in the men’s 100m.
The 8th Jamaica Invitational will have World and Olympic triple gold medalist, Usain Bolt, as the headline name.
Sanya Richards, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Sherone Simpson, Dee Dee Trotter, Carmelita Jeter and Kerron Stewart are also high profile names.
Kingston: Usain Bolt has been confirmed to run the 200m and American Carmelita Jeter will face off against Kerron Stewart, in the women’s 100m, at next month’s JN Jamaica International Invitational, an IAAF Area Permit Meet.
Jeter had expressed an interest in running at the May 1 meeting, saying she would want to face her main rivals, the Jamaican sprinters on their home soil.
At a press conference held in Kingston today (April 9th), Donald Quarrie, the athletes’ liaison, said: “It’s a 99 per cent chance that we will have a match-up with Jeter and Kerron (Stewart) in the women’s 100m.”
Shortly after, Chris Layne from Jeter’s management team, on a request from trackalerts.com, said: “Carmelita is now confirmed to run the 100m at the Jamaica Invitational. She was very excited to have received the invitation to run in such a great meeting and in a stadium with a great history of sprinting.”
The 100-meter field also includes American Marshevet Hooker, along with Jamaicans Aleen Bailey and Simone Facey. Muna Lee could also be added to the field.
Two-time Olympic Games Champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, will run her pet event, the women’s 200m, and not the 100m as trackalerts.com reported earlier.
Sanya Richards, the World 400m champion, and Bianca Knight, both of the United States, along with Bahamian Debbie Ferguson, will face Campbell-Brown in the half lap event.
United States’ duo of Darvis Patton and possibly Ivory Williams, will be in the men’s 100m. Jamaicans Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Yohan Blake will join them.
Kerron Clement is the other big name down for the meet. He will face Jamaica’s duo of Danny McFarlane and Isa Phillips.
Other athletes confirmed are:
Women’s 400m: Monica Hargrove, Dee Dee Trotter, Novlene Williams-Mills and Rosemarie White.
Women’s 100m hurdles: Dawn Harper and Delloreen Ennis-London.
Men’s 110m hurdles: David Payne, Maurice Wignall, Dwight Thomas, Richard Phillips and Maurice Smith
Men’s shot put: Christian Conwell
NOTE: Top MVP athletes, Asafa Powell, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Shericka Williams, Melaine Walker, Shelly-Ann Fraser and Sherone Simpson, will not be participating in the meet.