Track and field takes centre stage

Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor - Sports

Guadalajara, Mexico:

Jamaica's delegation at the XVI Pan American Games will be looking to significantly increase its two-medal tally when track and field action starts at the Telmex Athletics Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, today.

At the last Games in 2007, Jamaica won nine medals, seven of which came in track and field, and the hope here is that the athletes, who go into action today at 1 p.m., will add to the one swimming silver and badminton bronze the team has won so far.

Manager George Peryer and head coach Raymond Graham are both optimistic that the athletes will do well over the five days of track and field.

Jamaica travelled to the Games without mega-stars such as world 100 and 200 metres record holder Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce but the manager and coach still expect the Jamaican flag to still fly high.

Manager Peryer said: "Everybody is determined, everybody is focused, especially the sprinters. We did some baton changes on Satur-day and yesterday morning."

Graham said yesterday the athletes have been responding well to training.

"I am very confident that we will do well," he said. "The coaching staff and the athletes have had a very great relationship and the training sessions have been going very well. Athletes have been coming out on time and we are operating like a family. We have had several sessions so far, and they have all been successful."

Most attention will be focused on the men's decathlon, which has attracted two Jamaicans, Maurice Smith and Claston Bernard.

Smith, the national record holder with 8644 points, will defend the title he won in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro. The captain of the men's track and field team said on Friday that he was in very good form and ready to successfully defend his title. He had a disappointing World Championships in Daegu, where he dropped out after six of the 10 events, but is ready to rebound.

"I opted out of a meet in France after the World Championships so I could get back into training and be prepared for the Pan American Games. I am looking forward to the competition here. My preparation has been going great so I am here to defend my gold medal and my record as well," he said.

MAIN RIVALS

His main rivals will be Cuba's Leonel Suarez, who won a bronze in Daegu, and Brazil's rising star Luiz Araujo, who had a 8115-point performance recently.

The men's and women's 100 metres are also on today. Jamaica is not represented in the women's 100m.

Head coach Graham said: "Simone Facey was entered originally in error. At the declaration, we withdrew her as she had said she will be concentrating on the 200 metres. On the male side, both Commonwealth champion Lerone Clarke and Oshane Bailey are looking sharp. It has been a long year for Clarke. He has been competing since last year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi, which was also held in October."

Jamaica's sprint duo will be strongly challenged by 2011 World Championships 100m bronze medallist Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis. Collins has rejuvenated his career this year and if he reproduces his Daegu form, will be hard to beat.

Jamaica will be represented in one final today, the women's hammer throw where three-time national champion and Delhi Common-wealth Games representative, Natalie Grant, will be in action. Also down to compete today are long jumper Herbert McGregor and 400 metres hurdlers Sheryl Morgan and Rushell Clayton.