Darrel Brown vs Asafa Powell in Jamaica Invitational.
By: Kwame Laurence.
Darrel Brown will get a stern test at the Jamaica International Invitational meet, at the National Stadium in Kingston, today.
The Trinidad and Tobago sprinter is listed to compete in the men's 100 metres dash, against Jamaicans Asafa Powell and Dwight Thomas, Darvis Patton and Coby Miller of the United States and Great Britain's Mark Lewis-Francis.
Brown opened his 2005 campaign last Saturday, at the Penn Relays in Pennsylvania. He clocked 10.36 seconds to finish second, behind American sprinter Jason Smoots (10.16).
Injury prevented Brown from performing at his best during the 2004 season. In fact, he opted to skip the 100m event at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, and is keen to make up for that absence with a sound performance at the 2005 World Track and Field Championships in Helsinki, Finland.
At the 2003 Worlds, in Paris, France, Brown finished second in the 100m final, behind Kittitian Kim Collins. In the second round, in Paris, the Alabama-based sprinter clocked a personal best 10.01 seconds to become the world junior record holder in the event.
Both Powell and Miller are sub-ten sprinters. Powell dived under ten seconds nine times, in 2004. The powerful Jamaican clocked a personal best 9.87 seconds, in Belgium last September, to move into 11th spot on the all-time 100m list. Miller's PR (personal record) is 9.98. Patton's fastest clocking is 10.00. The best legal time produced by Lewis-Francis is 10.04. And Thomas has a PR of 10.12.
Powell holds the number one spot on the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) men's 100m rankings list, and is second on the overall men's list.
Coach: Brown in 10.0 form.
By: Kwame Laurence.
Darrel Brown's 10.12 seconds run in Saturday's Jamaica International Invitational men's 100 metres dash was a creditable performance.
A faster run, though, was on the cards, up until the 85-metre mark.
"Darrel was ready to run about 10.05," the Trinidad and Tobago sprint star's coach, Henry Rolle, told the Express. "He was second, but when he realised he could not catch Asafa (Powell), he eased up, and was passed by two guys."
Powell won the race in a very fast 9.84 seconds, beating his fellow-Jamaicans Dwight Thomas (10.05) and Michael Frater (10.09) into second and third, respectively. Alabama-based Brown was fourth.
"Darrel could have run faster, but being in lane one didn't work in our favour. He didn't see the guys in the middle.
"And during his drive phase," Rolle continued, "there was an over-stride from Darrel in his attempt to catch Asafa. That caused him to buckle a bit."
The Bahamian coach was high in praise for Powell, whose 9.84 run is a new CAC (Central American and Caribbean) record.
"Asafa ran a great race. He was unbeatable on Saturday night."
Brown's next competitive outing is likely to be on June 4, at the Prefontaine Classic, in Oregon, USA.
Another Alabama-based T&T sprinter, Marc Burns, is expected to face the starter at Saturday's Felix Sanchez Invitational, in the Dominican Republic.
"I'm hoping Marc competes the way he has been training. He just needs the races to get the experience at the top level."
Rolle also coaches T&T quarter-miler Ato Modibo. The former Clemson University standout is targetting the 45.55 seconds World Track and Field Championship men's 400m "A" qualifying standard.
"Hopefully, Ato will run the 'A' standard this weekend. He's ready to run 45.2."
Rolle, who is employed as a coach at Auburn University, said he also expects T&T/Auburn quarter-miler Damion Barry to attain the 45.55 World Championship "A" standard, this weekend.
Barry will compete at the SEC (Southeastern Conference) Championships, in Tennessee.
"Damion is ready to run fast."
Barry's teammate and compatriot Sherridan Kirk will bid for SEC honours in the men's 800m.
"Sherridan is in good form as well. If he doesn't run the 'A' standard this weekend, he should get very close."
The World Championship "A" standard is one minute, 45.40 seconds. Kirk's PR (personal record) is 1:46.44.
T&T/Auburn sprint queen Fana Ashby is recovering from an ankle strain she sustained at last month's Texas Relays, and is likely to skip the SEC Championships.
"In Texas, Fana turned her ankle in the 4x1. That's why she didn't run good in the 100," Rolle explained. "She missed some training, and will not run if she's not ready. We're taking things day by day."
T&T athletes Josanne Lucas and Treska Baptiste are also attending Auburn.