Despite their indifferent form this season, any meeting between Jamaica’s double- Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and American World champion Carmelita Jeter, remains one of the biggest clashes in track and field.
Both Fraser-Pryce and Jeter will line up against World Indoor champion Barbara Pierre of the USA; Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad and Tobago; Remona Burchell, a young Jamaican on the rise after dominating the US Collegiate circuit; along with her compatriots Samantha Henry-Robinson, Jura Levy and Gayon Evans.
Racers Grand Prix Chairman Glen Mills said he was excited about this particular race and so, too, will the fans inside the National Stadium come 9:20 pm.
Fraser-Pryce, who has a personal best of 10.70 seconds and Jeter, with 10.64 clocking, are two of the fastest women in history.
Only world record-holder Florence Griffith-Joyner has gone faster than Jeter with times of 10.49, 10.61 and 10.62 seconds. These two women — along with the disgraced drug cheat Marion Jones with times of 10.65 —have gone faster than Fraser-Pryce.
But Fraser-Pryce, who won the 100m at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and the 2009, 2013 and 2015 World Championships, is a big stage performer. She has had the better of Jeter on a number of occasions, especially when it matters most.
Fraser-Pryce, who has been bothered by a toe injury, has a seasonal best of 11.18 seconds but should lower that time come today. While Jeter has not been in the best of form, at 36 years old, she is experienced enough and will be fine-tuning her preparations for one last assault at Olympic glory in August. She has a season best of 11.16 seconds.
Pierre, the World Indoor champion with victory over Dafne Schippers and Elaine Thompson, has a best time of 10.85 seconds and will make her presence felt. She could even upset the apple cart.
Samantha Henry-Robinson (11.00) and Remona Burchell (11.03) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste (10.84), the promising Jura Levy with 11.25 and Gayon Evans with 11.26, should be thereabout. (Howard Walker/ Jamaica Observer)
