Racers east - No Bolt, but Blake ready for Camperdown Classics

Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

WORLD Championships 100 metres champion Yohan Blake will get his season rolling today as he will be one of many members from the powerful Racers Track Club who will compete at the Camperdown Classics inside the National Stadium.

It will be a big turnout for the Glen Mills-coached club, with World Championships 200 metres champion Usain Blake being the only absentee, as the double sprint record holder had to leave the island in midweek for an overseas business assignment.

Blake will compete in the men's 400 metres event, the same event he competed in last year when he opened up with 47.01 seconds.

Looking forward to the future

Mills stated that this is good for his athletes overall as they look forward to the remainder of the season.

"The athletes will not be under any pressure as this will be their first meet of the season and it is a good opportunity to see where they are at the moment, and they will not be under any pressure," said Mills.

At last year's meet which was held at the UWI/Usain Bolt Stadium, athletes from the club dominated the 400 metres, and it should be the same once again as the likes of Edino Steele, Allodin Fothergill, Jermaine Gayle and the vastly improved Warren Weir will be some of the males who will compete in the event.

Last year's top female 400 metres runner at the meet, Shereefa Lloyd, will lead the charge among the women.

Lloyd will be joined in the event by former national senior 400 metres champion Rosemarie Whyte, Davita Prendergast, Shillone Calvert and former Edwin Allen High standout Ristananna Tracey, who will make her senior debut for her new club.

There will be several events for high-school athletes with the Class One male and females taking the spotlight, as the 4x100 metres event here will be a championship one, where a cash prize of $100,000 will be shared among the top three teams to help with their cost to the Penn Relays.

Among the males, St George's College are the defending champions while Holmwood Technical are defending female champions.

There will also be 4x100 metres relays for all other classes while there will be a 4x400 metres open for both males and females.

The meet which will start with the female Open 400 metres hurdles will also see individual events in 100 metres, 8000 metres and 15000 metres on the track, while in the field there will be high, long and triple jump events being contested.

It is also expected that top teams like Vere Technical, Manchester High and St Jago High will be out in large numbers at the meet.