ONE of the most highly anticipated track and field championships outside of the IAAF World Championships this season will be held at the National Stadium this weekend with the staging of the JAAA/Supreme Ventures Limited National Senior Championships.

Starting this morning and continuing through to Sunday evening, most of the eyes of the track and field world will be focussed on Kingston, specifically the 100m and 200m races.

Despite the absence of Usain Bolt from the men’s races — as he has already secured his place in the Daegu event in August — the men’s race with six runners already going under 10.00 seconds in the 100m will be worth going miles to see.

In addition to Bolt, World Champions Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, Melaine Walker and Brigette Foster Hylton all have byes but are expected to be in attendance this weekend.

So far, seven Jamaican men have run under 10.00 seconds but with only three to join Bolt in the individual 100m and two more to complete the relay pool, those left out could be as big a news as those making the team.

The easy picks will be Steve Mullings who has run 9.80 seconds — second best in the world so far this year — along with Nesta Carter and Asafa Powell based on their experience.

History, however, has taught us never to write off Trelawny’s Michael Frater, who has a knack for popping up on the day, as well as the young turks Yohan Blake and Nikel Ashmeade.

Another man who has developed a knack for performing when it matters most is Montego Bay-based Dexter Lee, but it is yet to be seen if the ‘baby’ of the lot at just over 20-years-old has what it takes to rub shoulders and match strides with the ‘big men’.

Like the men’s races the female sprints will be interesting and it would take a brave man to bet against 11-time global medallist Veronica Campbell Brown to win the double based on form.

One can surmise that the reigning World and Olympic champion Fraser Pryce is aiming to peak later in the year, when it matters most.

Campbell Brown lowered her personal best for the second-straight year, showing off a brilliant start in Shanghai in May. Add that to her 10.76 seconds and we might be in for a treat tomorrow evening in the final.

Again, it would be easy to list Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson as the others to fill out the line-up, but the new kids on the block, Schillione Calvert, Jura Levy and Carrie Russell, could all have a thing or two to say.

The 200m to be run between Saturday and Sunday will also be exciting and for my money I am taking Mullings, Marvin Anderson and Ashmeade in that order for the men and VCB, Stewart and Fraser, if the latter decides to contest the longer race, for women.

While they will get the lion’s share of the excitement, the sprints will not monopolise all the cheers; the men’s discus throw with a couple of young rising stars will seek to challenge national record holder Jason Morgan, while the women’s 400m hurdles will be another one of the must-see races featuring Walker, the up-and-coming Kaleise Spencer and teen sensation Ristananna Tracey.

By the way, kudos to the JAAA for extending the championships to four days to give the athletes more rest between events and lessen the risk of injuries and burnout, especially for those doubling.