CATHERINE HALL, St James — Olympians Sherone Simpson and Jermaine Gonzales, who are trying to resurrect their careers, are expected to be among the host of stars in action at today’s 37th staging of the Milo Western Relays set to start at 12 noon at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

Simpson, who is a member of the Sprint Tech group led by Maurice Wilson, has returned home after a brief stint overseas in a season that was shortened by a drug suspension, while Gonzales is making a return after injuries saw him sit out the last two seasons.

A number of the island’s top senior and high school athletes are set to take part in the event that will also see a number of individual events, including a full series of hurdles from the sprint to the intermediate, long jump and high jump open events, as well as 100m, 400m and middle distance events.

Meet director Ray Harvey told the Jamaica Observer yesterday they were prepared for yet another outstanding Western Relays. “Last year we had over 20 new records being set at the meet and we have established a tradition where world-leading relay times are being set here and this year there should be no different.”

Harvey added: “After seeing the performances in the earlier meets and the entries we have received, we are confident the athletes and the fans will leave the meet satisfied they were part of another world-class event, this is our commitment to both those taking part and those who come to watch the performances.”

Harvey said he thought the later start time has also helped in that teams, especially those travelling from Kingston and other parts of the country, are more rested and able to perform better.

Meanwhile, Cornwall College’s Carifta Games and CAC Junior Under-20 triple jump champion Odaine Lewis and Rusea’s High’s Carifta Games Under-18 high jump champion Lamara Distin will be honoured for their outstanding 2014 seasons.

Wolmer’s Boys’ Jaheel Hyde, who won the IAAF World Junior Championships 400m hurdles and the Youth Olympics 110m hurdles will be recognised by the organisers, while UTech coach Paul Francis will be the meet patron.

Gonzales will be competing at the Western Relays for the first time in years and is still the record holder in the men’s 400m with 45.94 seconds that he set in 2006 when he ran with the IAAF High Performance team.

He is expected to run his first 400m here today since the 2012 Olympics in London.

Simpson, who was banned in 2013 after she returned a positive test for a banned substance at the JAAA National Senior Trials and while she competed at last year’s trials, failed to return to the level she had once exhibited.

Today she is expected to be on the 4x100m and 4x200m teams where she could clash with former teammate at MVP, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

The MVP women’s teams were upstaged to some extent by UTech last year, but are expected to return with a bang today.

Commonwealth Games gold medallists Kaliese Spencer and Stephenie Ann McPherson; relay gold medallist Christine Day, along with Anniesha McLaughlin and Shericka Williams are expected to be on the MVP squad.

In the men’s section, MVP is expected to be led by the reliable Nesta Carter, but Sprint Tech with the likes of Commonwealth Games 200m champion Rasheed Dwyer, Everton Clarke and Jermaine Hamilton could upstage them.

Cameron Blazers and UWI-Mona could also make their presence felt in what could be some sizzling men’s sprint races.

The high school section will also be exciting with old rivalries reignited.

Kingston College won six relay events last year, including setting records in all four high school boys 4x100m relays and will clash with Wolmer’s Boys, St Elizabeth Technical and Munro College, among others.

Edwin Allen High were outstanding last year but Holmwood Technical, Hydel, St Elizabeth Technical and Manchester High should provide good competition.

The individual events should also serve up some interesting races, especially in the hurdles where the high school athletes will be seeking valuable practice leading up to the ISSA GraceKennedy High School Championships.

All seven age-group sprint hurdles will be contested, as well as the open 400m hurdles.