Bolt, Blake lead star-studded Invitational

RAYMOND GRAHAM, Star Writer

Double world-record holder Usain Bolt and Olympic Champion Yohan Blake will lead a star-studded field at tomorrow's Jamaica International Invitational track and field meet inside the National Stadium today.

Bolt will make his first appearance in an individual event this season as he will compete in the men's 100 metres. There were some doubts surrounding Bolt's fitness earlier this season, but he dispelled all that at the UTech Classics, after he ran a brilliant anchor leg a few weeks ago to give his Racers team a convincing win in the 4x100 metres relay.

The 100m event will boast a quality field, as it will include the local pair of Nesta Carter and Michael Frater, along with Richard Thompson of Trinidad, Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Darvis Patton of the United States.

Blake was the hottest sprinter in the world last year and after winning the 100 metres, ran to an impressive 19.26 over 200 metres, in Brussell last summer. Debuting in the 400 metres earlier this season and running the second leg of the Racers' world-leading 4x100 metres relay at the UTech Classics, he will compete in the half-lap event for the first time this season. His former high-school teammate, Nickel Ashmeade, who is the defending champion in the event, will be coming for Blake's scalp, and after a season best of 19.91 in Florida, should not be taken lightly. The vastly improved Warren Weir, who trains at Racers Club, has also been entered in the event, along with former world championships finalist Marvin Anderson.

World leader in the men's 400 metres hurdles, Bershawn Jackson, with his 48.20 seconds done in Kansas, is the favourite in the men's 400 metres hurdles. Challenging him will be local boys Leford Green, Isa Phillips and Danny McFarlane, along with defending champion Justin Gaymon out of the United States.

Jamaica's top female sprinter at last year's World Championships, Veronica Campbell-Brown, will not be present at the meet but there will be no shortage of quality athletes as the United States' Carmelita Jeter, the World Champion in the 100 metres and defending 200 metres champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce should lead the way.

Jeter, who loves to compete in Jamaica, has been in great form early in the season and looked strong at the Penn Relays, anchoring the USA red team to a record run in the 4x100 metres relay series. Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson will be hoping to win on local soil, with Trinidad and Tobago's, Kelly-Ann Baptiste, the World Championships 100 metres bronze medallist, hoping to spoil the party.

Fraser-Pryce will defend her title in the women's 200 metres where her biggest challenge will come from Shalonda Solomon of the United States.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt (right) and Yohan Blake dance after winning the gold in the men's 4x100m relay final.