NEW YORK CITY – In addition to the more than a dozen top stars of Jamaican track and field, led by sprint queen Veronica Campbell, Jamaica’s top boys high school 4 x 400m relay teams will compete against at least two of the top 4 x 400m teams from the United States at the 2007 Reebok Grand Prix, organizers announced Thursday, May 24.
The event, which for Jamaicans is fast becoming a must-see event right along with the Penn Relays, begins at 5 p.m. on June 2nd.
Two years ago, 200-meter winner Usain Bolt, the World Junior Record-holder, said the flag-waving crowd made New York City feel a lot like “a second Jamaica. It feels like home.” Immediately after his victory, he jogged to the sidelines to sign autographs for a crowd of delighted admirers.
Bolt will return on June 2. With him will be Campbell, the 2004 Olympic triple medalist (200-meter and 4×100-meter gold, 100-meter bronze) and the most successful female track athlete in
Athens, and Chris Williams, the 2001 World Championship silver medalist at 200m and 2000 Olympic bronze medalist in the 4x400m.
Also expected are 2006 Commonwealth Games medalists Sheri-Ann Brooks (gold, 100 meters); Omar Brown, (gold, 200 meters); Novlene Williams (bronze, 400m); and Jermaine Gonzales (bronze, 400m hurdles).
Rounding out the roster of individual Jamaican athletes are Dwight Thomas (100m); Peta-Gaye Dowdie (200m); Shereefa Lloyd and Sonita
Sutherland (400m); Lacena Golding-Clarke and Delloreen Ennis-London (100m hurdles); Michael Blackwood (400m) and Maurice Wignall (110m
hurdles).
New this year are two relays: an international High School Boys 4x400m Relay and a High School Sprint Medley Relay. Featuring some of the best relays teams from the United States and Jamaica, the relays are sure to be among the most thrilling events of the evening and are guaranteed to quickly become a fan favorite.
Representing Jamaica will be three of the nation’s best teams: Calabar, Herbert Morrison and St. Jago, whose star Yohan Blake was named the Outstanding Relay Athlete at the recent Penn Relays. Blake, who recently set a Jamaican junior
record for 100 meters, will run the relays in New York.
The third-annual Reebok Grand Prix will begin at 5 p.m. June 2 at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island. Named one of the two top international track-and-field events in the United States, the Reebok Grand Prix has tickets, at $20, $30 and $40, available by calling 1-877-TIX-TRAC.
For more information and event updates, visit the
event website at www.ReebokGrandPrix.com.
