Sprinters to clash in rich Gibson McCook 60m

FANS at Saturday’s Gibson McCook Relays inside the National Stadium will be in for an extra treat as some of the country’s top senior athletes will line up for the men’s and women’s 60 metres. Prize money totalling US$50,000 (approx. J$7.7m) will be shared among the finalists in both events with the winners set to pocket US$10,000 each (approx. J$1.5m). All eight finalists in both 60m events will collect cash prizes.

The meet is celebrating its 50th anniversary and the organisers are giving fans a chance to witness some great sprinting at the highest level with star-studded fields for both sexes.

At 4:20 p.m. on Saturday the preliminary round of the women’s event will be run. The field is expected to include Kemba Nelson and Briana Williams, two members of the country’s 4x100 metres silver medal winning team at last year’s World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Also expected to face the starter are twins Tia and Tina Clayton, Joneille Smith, Jura Levy, Amoi Brown, Anthonique Strachan and Kerrica Hill. Tina Clayton is the World Under-20 100m champion and Hill, the World Under-20 100m hurdles gold medallist.

A 4.25 p.m. the men will be in action and all eyes will be on Titan Track Club teammates Yohan Blake and Ackeem Blake following their battle a week ago over the distance at the Camperdown Classic. In that race Ackeem clipped Yohan on the line and the latter will no doubt be seeking revenge on Saturday.

However, both will have to contend with the likes of World Championships 100m fourth-place finisher Oblique Seville out of Racers Track Club and his teammate at Racers, British runner Zharnell Hughes. Others down to compete include Nigel Ellis, Emmanuel Archibald, Jevaun Newby, Michael Campbell and Brendon Rodney.

Below is the full breakdown of cash prizes for the eight finalists in each race:

• First: US$10,000 (approx. J$1.5m)

• Second: US$6,000 (approx. J$925,500)

• Third: US$3,500 (approx. J$540,00)

• Fourth: US$2,000 (approx. J$308,500)

• Fifth:US$1,250 (approx. J$193,000)

• Sixth: US$1,000 (approx. J$154,250)

• Seventh: US$750 (approx. J$116,000

• Eighth: US$500 (approx. J$77,000)