Bolt, Blake set to shine again

André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

Diamond League season ends today

Olympic legend Usain Bolt and double sprint silver medallist Yohan Blake will bring the curtain down on another successful season at today's Diamond League meet in Brussels, a city that remains a special place for the younger Blake.

One year ago, shortly after his World Championships 100m gold medal run, Blake turned up in Brussels and upstaged his training partner Bolt, who minutes earlier had registered the fastest 100m time for the year. Blake romped to a blistering 19.26 effort in the 200m - the second-fastest time ever for the half lap event. It is bettered only by Bolt's 19.19 world record.

The pair will again run in different events with Bolt, who just a few weeks ago defended his 100m and 200m titles at the Olympic Games, lining up in the shorter sprint while Blake has been entered in the 200m.

Bolt will lead a very strong Jamaican contingent, which includes the youngster, who many see as his carbon copy, Kemar Bailey-Cole, who should legally go below 10 seconds for the first time here. Nesta Carter, Kenroy Anderson and 200m Diamond winner Nickel Ashmeade will also face the starter with American Ryan Bailey looking to prevent complete Jamaican dominance.

Bolt, on eight points, with a win, will cement his first Diamond win and add his name beside defending champion Blake, as wild card entrants in the 100m for next year's World Championships. The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association will decide, through policy, which athlete will get the bye, as only one can enter the World Championships as an actual wild card, as per IAAF rules.

Blake will be looking to better his season best 19.44 seconds in the 200m with Olympic bronze medallist Warren Weir, 19.84, and Jason Young, 19.86, will also be hoping to lower their marks.

Kaliese Spencer is also expected to crown her Diamond capture with a win in the women's 400m hurdles, where she will have company in the form of Melaine Walker, Ristananna Tracey and Britain's Perri Shakes-Drayton.

Spencer has an unassailable 16 points on the lucrative circuit, while Walker, who had a miserable Olympic Games, is currently positioned on seven points in second place.

Another tough field

Olympic bronze medallist Hansle Parchment will compete in another tough field with gold medallist Aries Merritt, silver medallist Jason Richardson and David Oliver, all Americans, also expected to line up.

Rusheen McDonald and Allodin Fothergill will feature in the men's 400m while Anneisha McLaughlin and Samantha Henry-Robinson will compete in the women's 100m. Kimberly Williams will bring her break-out season to a close in the women's triple jump.

Schedule for Jamaican athletes

1:05 p.m: Women's 400m hurdles - Kaliese Spencer, Melaine Walker, Ristananna Tracey.

1:25 p.m: Men's 110m hurdles - Hansle Parchment

1:30 p.m: Women's triple jump - Kimberly Williams

1:45 p.m: Men's 100m - Usain Bolt, Kenroy Williams, Nickel Ashmeade, Kemar Bailey-Cole, Nesta Carter

1:55 p.m: Men's 200m - Yohan Blake, Jason Young, Warren Weir

2:05 p.m: Men's 400m - Allodin Fothergill, Rusheen McDonald.

2:30 p.m: Women's 100m - Anneisha McLaughlin, Samantha Henry-Robinson.