Source: www.newsday.co.tt
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO sprinters Keston Bledman and Richard Thompson will be in action today in the London stop of the exciting Samsung Diamond League.
Bledman and Thompson will be competing in the Men’s 100m final alongside the likes of former world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica. The field also includes Antiguan Daniel Bailey (9.97 SB), Jamaican Yohan Blake (9.95 SB), Nesta Carter (9.90 SB) and Kim Collins (10.05) of St Kitts.
Bledman has been the more in-form sprinter for TT with an impressive season best time of 9.93 and a gold medal performance at the CAC Games in Puerto Rico last month.
Thompson has not dipped below ten seconds for the season so far, with his fastest time being 10.01.
The favourite will be Powell of course, clocking a blistering 9.86 in Hungary on Saturday to sound a warning to all his rivals that he will be his best in London.
Meanwhile, national sprint queen Kelly-Ann Baptiste is scheduled to compete in the Women’s 100m event. Baptiste has been in good form this year, registering a fast 10.91at the Paris stop of the Diamond League.
Baptiste was expected to take part in the previous Diamond League in Sweden but pulled out. She will again come up against American sensation Carmelita Jeter who has run 10.70 this season.
Also in the field are Olympic relay gold medallist Bahamian Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (11.09 SB).
World junior champion Jehue Gordon, fresh from his 48.92 golden performance at the Hampton Games, will run in the Men’s 400m hurdles final. Gordon will come up against former Olympic gold medal winner Felix Sanchez of Dominican Republic. Sanchez was beaten by Gordon at the Hampton Games.
2011 CAC winner Cleopatra Borel-Brown will be throwing for a medal in the Women’s Shot Putt final. Borel-Brown placed fourth at the previous Diamond League meet and will be hoping to crack the top three and mount the rostrum.