Photo: GC Foster College athlete Demish Gaye winning the 400m at the Intercollegiate Athletics Championships in April.
Jamaican track and field fans are set to witness a vintage season for men’s one-lap sprinting and with this event garnering much media interest, it will be one intense show piece at this weekend’s National Senior Championships.
The absence of defending champion Javon “Donkey man” Francis, who is out with a hamstring injury, will not detract from the epic battle that looms between a bunch of young aspiring stars. Francis has only achieved a less than impressive 45.94 seconds best this season but four members of the new cast have already registered sub-45 times
Chief amongst this season’s contenders are 2017 NCAA Runner-up, Auburn athlete Nathon Allen and national junior record holder Akeem Bloomfield also of Auburn University. They will come face to face with the local kingpin Demish Gaye of GC Foster College.
The 21 year old Allen has consistently run sub 45 seconds races this season and enters the championship as the top contender. His personal best time of 44.52 seconds ranks him third on the 2017 IAAF ranking.
Gaye appears to be hitting top form at the right time. The 24 year old smashed through the 45 second barrier twice this season, recording an impressive victory in 44.73 seconds at the JN Racers Grand Prix earlier this month and has medal potential.
Former Kingston College athlete, Bloomfield, who also competed in the recently concluded NCAA Championship is currently ranked seventh in the world at 44.74 seconds.
Steven Gayle 44.99 seconds has joined the sub-45 party this season and will be hoping to reap dividends come this weekend.
Former Louisiana State University and Olympic athlete Fitzroy Dunkley (45.95 sb) is expected to be among the main challengers in this weekend
Schoolboy Prodigy Christopher Taylor have decided against competing at these championships.
Martin Manley, Jonia McDonald, Javere Bell, and national record holder Rusheen McDonald will be looking to secure spots to the London Games.
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