World and Olympic 100-metre champion Usain Bolt and double Olympic 200-metre gold medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown, headline a strong Jamaican contingent down to run in today's Golden Spike track and field meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

After a less than impressive win over compatriot Asafa Powell in Rome last Thursday, Bolt will be looking to run much faster than the 9.91 seconds he did in the Olympic Stadium. Bolt came with a late surge to pip Powell on the line after a slow start.

Today he meets world leader Steve Mullings in another clash of Jamaican sprinters. Mullings clocked 9.89 in Florida on May 22 and is now on top of his form. Also down to face the starter are Bolt's training partner, Antigua and Barbuda's Daniel Bailey, and 2003 World champion Kim Collins.

"Competition-wise, I am feeling better and confident after my last race. I'm ready to run as fast as possible," Bolt said yesterday. He said he wanted to improve on his Rome time.

"Now, I'm really much, much more relaxed, much, much more focused," he added.

Campbell-Brown used a bullet start to lower the colours of muscular American Carmelita Jeter in Shanghai recently, winning her first 100 metres of the year in 10.92. Today's race will be easier. Her opponents include compatriots Aleen Bailey and Schillonie Calvert, Bahamian Debbie Ferguson and Americans Lashauntea Moore and Stephanie Durst. Calvert clocked a career-best 11.05 to win the 100m in a European meet on Sunday.

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Rising star Yohan Blake, who, like Bolt, is coached by Glen Mills, runs in the 200 metres. Blake who has already clocked a wind-aided 9.80 in the 100m this season could get close to his career-best 19.78 in the half-lap event. Among his rivals are training partner Marvin Anderson and American Shawn Crawford, the 2004 Olympic champion.

In the men's 400 metres national record-holder Jermaine Gonzales will line up against Chris Brown of the Bahamas and fellow Jamaican Edino Steele. Brown clocked 45.13 in Rome last Thursday to beat Gonzales, and it should be close between the two again as Gonzales is just returning from injury.

Jamaica's Dwight Thomas faces crack Cuban Dayron Robles in the 110m hurdles. The Cuban clocked his 12.87 World record on this same track in 2008 while Thomas ran a near career-best 13.18 on Sunday. Robles won that event on Sunday in 13.07 a time which equalled Liu Xiang's world best from Shanghai. Also down to face the starter is 2009 World champion Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados.

Former Calabar and Wolmer's Boys' star, Josef Robertson, with a season best 49.71, lines up against South African LJ van Zyl in the one-lap hurdles. The South African opened his campaign with a national record 47.66 in February and appears untouchable at the moment. He also clocked a sub-48 seconds time (47.91) in Rome last Thursday. The field includes Britain's European champion David Greene who was second in Rome and defending World champion Kerron Clement of the United States who was ninth in Rome but has a season best of 48.74.

NOTE: The meet will be televised locally on SportsMax starting at 10:30 a.m. (Ja time). The women's 100 metres is at 12:50 p.m., and the men's at 1:20 p.m.

Olympic and World 100-metre record holder Usain Bolt, of Jamaica, plays as a deejay during a visit to a shop in downtown Rome before his season debut in last Thursday's Golden Gala meet in Rome. Today he faces compatriot and world leader Steve Mullings in the Ostrava Golden Spike meet in the Czech Republic. - AP