Jamaica’s Usain Bolt to run 200 m at Invitational

The world’s premier sprint star, Usain Bolt, is down to contest the men’s 200 metres at the seventh staging of the Jamaica Invitational Track and Field Meet on Saturday, May 1 at the National Stadium.



Athletes liaison Donald Quarrie confimed Bolt’s participation during a press conference at Terra Nova All Suite Hotel earlier this afternoon.



Bolt, the world-record holder for the 100 and 200, was absent last year after he suffered minor injuries in a car accident in St Catherine.



He will face off with American Wallace Spearmon. The race will also include Jamaica’s Marvin Anderson.



The meet could also feature a clash between Jamaican Olympic and World Championship 100-metre medallist Kerron Stewart and American champion Carmelia Jeter.



Jetter became the second fastest women ever in the 100-metre by winning her final race of the 2009 season in 10.64.



Among the other American athletes confirmed for the meet are Olympic and world championship 400-metre hurdles gold medallist Kerron Clement, Darvis Patton, Bianca Knight, Dawn Harper, Dee Dee Trotter, Sanya Richards, Muna Lee and Marshavette Hooker.



Meanwhile, Asafa Powell, the former 100-metre world record holder and other top members of his world class MVP Track Club, will not compete at the meet for the third straight year.



The other top MVP athletes who will miss the meet are Shelly-Ann Fraser, Melaine Walker, Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Shericka Williams.



A disappointing Quarrie says the top MVP athletes will instead compete on May 14 at the opening Diamond League meet in Doha.



However, two members of the MVP team, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter have been confirmed for the meet. They are down to contest the men’s 100 metres along with countryman Yohan Blake and American Darvis Paton.



Two-time Olympic 200-metre champion Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown is down to face Debbie Ferguson of Bahamas and the Americans Bianca Knight and Sanya Richards in the women’s 200 metres.