Usain Bolt to open season at C’Down Classic after 6-month break
JAMAICA’S sprint king Usain Bolt of Racers Track Club will open his season in the 400m at the 11th staging of the Camperdown Classic at the National Stadium today.
Action should get under way at 8:30 am.
Bolt, who will be running for the first time since cutting his season short last August, should take to the track at approximately 5:00 pm, along with club mates Warren Weir and Kemar Bailey-Cole.
Bolt, 28, who is the world record holder for both the 100m (9.58) and 200m (19.19) and a 400m best of 45.28 seconds done in 2007, clocked 46.74 seconds the last time he competed at the Camperdown Classic in 2013.
Weir, the 200m Olympic bronze medallist, was quickest in 2013 over the 400m in 46.23 seconds and last year he did 47.53 seconds and will be hoping to improve on that time.
Bailey-Cole, the 2014 Commonwealth Games 100m champion, did 47.33 seconds in 2013, but went slower with 47.36 seconds last year at the same meet, and it will be interesting to see if he is any stronger following his break-out season in the 100m in 2014.
Meanwhile, the long-awaited return of 400m phenom, Javon Francis, is over as the promising runner will also take part in the 400m event.
Francis was injured after breaking Usain Bolt’s 400m Class One record at Champs in 45.00 seconds. He has not competed since.
“It is the first race of the season, so I am just focused on getting in a solid performance and staying healthy. Training has been going great so far and I am on the right track, which is why my coach has given me the green light for competition,” said Francis in a statement yesterday evening.
“It is a big year for track and field and of course it is always in the back of my mind to get back to the World Championships to represent my country,” he added.
Meanwhile, 2008 Olympic 400m hurdles champion Melaine Walker of Racers, will open her season in the flat 400m, scheduled for 4:45 pm.
Walker, 32, formerly of MVP Track Club, has a personal best of 52.42 seconds over the 400m hurdles and 51.61 seconds for the flat 400m done in 2009, but has not raced in many moons.
Kerron Stewart, the 2008 100m Olympic silver medallist, will also compete in the 400m where she clocked 54.00 seconds, which was the fastest last year. Sprinter Schillone Calvert, who did 54.13 seconds, is back for another crack at the 400m as well.
Meanwhile, the Camperdown Classic will be the second in the six-series Digicel Grand Prix where high schools will be vying for crucial points in pursuit of the million-dollar gym equipment jackpot.
Calabar High’s Michael O’Hara did 10.33 seconds in the Class One 100m at the Youngster Goldsmith Meet and led a clean sweep by his school, as Julanie Walker was second fastest in 10.56 and Edward Clarke third in 10.50 seconds.
Kingston College’s Jhevauhn Matherson eased to 10.59 seconds in Class Two ahead of the Calabar duo of Tryeke Wilson (10.62) and Michael Stephens (10.78) and will want to continue his dominance in what should be one of the highlights of the meet.
The event will be streamed live by StreamVu with a $500 admission fee to the Grandstand area.