Source: www.newsday.co.tt

OLYMPIC SILVER medallist Richard Thompson (pictured ) will be in action today when he defends his 100m sprint title today in the 2011 Samsung Diamond League, the sixth stop of the Adidas Grand Prix in New York.

Thompson, who celebrated his 26th birthday four days ago, will be looking to give himself a belated birthday present by retaining his crown but will face a stiff challenge from an impressive field which includes his compatriot Keston Bledman.

The 23-year-old former Pan Am Junior champion announced his arrival on the world stage last week with his first sub-10 clocking at the Star Athletics Sprint Series 100m title in Clearmont, Florida.

Bledman clocked a fast 9.93 seconds to win the gold medal in that event, beating Americans Travis Padgett who was second in 10.05 and Jamaicans Oshane Bailey (10.15) and Nickel Ashmeade who were third and fourth respectively.

Other top names on the starting blocks today are former world record holder and triple world champion Tyson Gay of the United States.

Gay clocked a sublime 9.79 seconds in the prelims at the Star Athletics Sprint Series last week but did not run the final. His training partner Steve Mulling has also been in sensational form this season, running just 0.01 of a second slower to take the gold at the Eugene’s Prefontaine Classic.

Both are expected to compete for the top honours and perhaps put the meet record (9.72) owned by Olympic champion Usain Bolt under threat.

‘World’ bronze medallist Renny Quow is among the entrants for the Men’s 400m event which includes former Olympic gold medallist Jeremy Wariner of the USA. Quow was fourth at the Beijing Olympics and the London 2012 fast approaching will be keen on showing he will be again one of the main contenders.

Wariner is the favourite for the race, however, and is eager to put in an excellent performance today.

“I feel good, better than last week,” said Wariner. “My legs are fresh and I hope I can go under 44 (seconds). I still think that I can get back down in the low 43s and execute better than I have in the last few years,” he said.