Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor - Sport

Campbell

Jamaica's track and field great Donald Quarrie is expecting great things from 2004 Olympic 200 metres champion Veronica Campbell at this evening's fourth Jamaica Inter-national Invitational meet at the National Stadium.

"The crowd will see that Veronica (Campbell) is on her way back to the top," Quarrie, the athletes' liaison and member of the organising committee, said on the eve of the star-studded meet.

"This will be a good start for her in a top field to show us what she has been doing. She should be a major contender for gold in the Osaka World Championships," Quarrie said.

Campbell clocked

Two weeks ago, Campbell clocked a wind-assisted 22.39 seconds over 200 metres at the John McDonnell Invitational in Arkansas.

The meet starts at 7:00 p.m. with the women's long jump and the 4x100m for high school boys and girls and ends at 9:35 p.m. with the men's 200m.

Campbell, who was injured for most of last season, is down to face Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie and former Holmwood Technical standout Nadine Palmer in the 100m.

Ferguson-McKenzie won last year's 100m in 11.28. In 2006 Campbell ran the 200m and was beaten by local rival Sherone Simpson, who clocked a fast 22.14. Campbell was second in 22.51.

Both athletes will be separated this year. Simpson from the outstanding MVP Track Club has been looking strong, while competing in a few 400 metres races and relay legs. She goes in the 200m, an event in which she was the world's fastest last year, twice running 22.00 on the Grand Prix circuit.

The men's 100m and 200m will be two of the stellar events at the meet. World 100m record holder Asafa Powell is out with an injury but this adds to the competitiveness of the event.

The ones to watch are American Darvis Patton, local-based Trinidadian Darrel Brown and Jamaicans Michael Frater and Dwight Thomas.

Patton has already been running fast this year. On March 31 in Texas, he clocked 10.13 for the 100m.

Thomas was upbeat yesterday.

"I am ready to run and you can expect fast times," Thomas said at the Hilton hotel yesterday. "My training has been going good and I have been getting good coaching. Over the years I have been running fast, almost like the second sprinter behind Asafa (Powell), but he is not here so someone has got to step up, and that's what I will do."

Thomas, who has a personal best time of 10.00 for 100m, feels the time is right for him to break the 10-seconds barrier.

"This is the year to do it . I will have no excuse, you just have to go out there and execute," he added.

Gay, who was edged out in the 200m last year by local sprint sensation Usain Bolt, expects to not only win today but to run a fast time in his first half-lap run for the season.

Bolt in top shape

"I think I am in top shape. My practice has been going very well. I have run some 150 metres in time-trials and I think those have pulled me in the 20.1 range or faster," Gay said.

Commonwealth Games champion Omar Brown and silver medallist Chris Williams are the other leading contenders in the event.

Another Jamaican who expects to run well at the meet is former national 400m champion Michael Blackwood. Blackwood will go up against top Americans LaShawn Merritt, last year's winner in 44.67 and Andrew Rock who was second in 2006.

The Oklahoma-based Blackwood said this year should be a good one.

"You can expect great things from me this year as I am stronger in terms of my core strength. For tomorrow I think I am in 45.00 shape or 44.90. I may even go below that but I am not thinking of a final time right now," he added.

The men's 400m is expected to be one of the most exciting of the meet.

Bolt, who ran some fast times in his final year at Boys Champion-ships is eyeing the event for this year. Also down to compete in this event are Jermaine Gonzales and 2005 national champion Lansford Spence.

The women's 100m hurdles will, as usual, be one of the top events.

Last year's winner, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, faces America's 2004 Olympic champion Joanna Hayes and compatriots Delloreen Ennis-London, Lacena Golding-Clarke and Vonette Dixon.

Foster-Hylton had an excellent 2006 and would want to begin the year with a good run and gain the psychological advantage over her Jamaican rivals just weeks before the national trials.