Fraser-Pryce, Carter to defend 60m titles

WORLD Indoor 60 metres champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, of the MVP Track Club, will kick off her track and field season today at the Queen's Grace Jackson meet at the National Stadium, where she will defend her 60 metres title.

Fraser-Pryce, who won the short sprint at the World Indoor Championships last year in Sopot, Poland, will have MVP teammate Carrie Russell as her main rival in today's event, which will get under way at 4:00 p.m. Fraser-Pryce will be hoping to better last year's winning time of 7.11 seconds while Russell and G.C. Foster College's Audra Segree will be hoping to surprise the defending champion.

Another MVP start, Nesta Carter, will also be in action today, and he will defend his 60m men's title. Carter, who was seventh in Poland, won in 6.52 at last year's meet and today, he will be challenged by the improving Julian Forte, who also works out at the MVP Track Club.

senior athletes

There will also be competition for senior athletes in the 200m, 400m and 800m.

In the men's 800m, the main attraction will be former National 400 metres champion, Jermaine Gonzales of Blazers Track Club. Gonzales is back in a action after a long break from the track because of injury.

The meet will begin at 8:30 a.m with action in the 400m for Class Three boys and girls. High-school teams will also compete in the 200m in all classes and sprint relays. There will also be action in sprint hurdles, triple jump, long jump, high jump, javelin and shot put.

Top high-school boys' teams including Calabar, Kingston College, Jamaica College and St Jago High, will also be in action. One of the events which should attract a lot of attention is Class One boys' 400 metres where St Jago High's Nathon Allen and Martin Manley, along with Jamaica College's Devaughn Baker and Kingston College's Twayne Crooks, will be hoping to make strong statements.