World record holder, Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, will headline the 100m hurdles event at the Racers Grand Prix, which makes its return to Jamaica’s National Stadium on June 3, in what is expected to be an afternoon of world-class track and field, reports jamaicaobserver.com.
Amusan has raced at only two meets so far this outdoor season, but is ranked number seven in the world with a season’s best 12.59 seconds set at the Tom Jones Invitational in Florida in mid-April.
Seven athletes are so far confirmed for the event, including Jamaicans, Megan Tapper, the Olympic Games bronze medallist; World U-20 champion, Kerrica Hill; and Crystal Morrison, while American Tia Jones — who ran 12.44 seconds at the recent Drake Relays— is the second-ranked sprint hurdler now.
The schedule sees two heats for the 100m hurdles, with the final set for 8:20 pm; it is expected that more athletes will be added.
Amusan shocked herself and the world when she ran 12.12 seconds, a new world record in the semifinals, at last year’s World Athletics World Championships at New Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon.
In that race, she beat then world record holder, American Kendra Harrison and former World champion, Jamaican Danielle Williams, before running a wind-aided 12.06 seconds (2.5m/s) a few hours later to win the gold medal.
Eighteen year-old Hill, who signed a professional contract last year after she won the gold medal at the World Under-20 championships, will face her strongest competition, while Tapper ran 12.77 seconds at last week’s opening Diamond League meet in Doha, Qatar.
Morrison has been consistent since last year, has run 12.87 seconds, and is expected to run faster by the time the meet takes place.
Two-time Canadian national champion, Michelle Harrison and Cindy Semper of Great Britain, are also down to take part in the event that is set to run off at 6:50 pm.
