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More news articles Jeter to highlight Aviva International with 60m appearance
Britain’s world medallists Jessica Ennis, Lisa Dobriskey and Jenny Meadows will also make their first serious outings of the 2010 indoor season
CARMELITA JETER is the world’s fastest 100m runner since Florence Griffith-Joyner and the 30-year-old American, who firmly established herself as the world’s No.1 sprinter last season, will be among the star attractions at tomorrow’s Aviva International at Kelvin Hall between Great Britain, the USA, Germany, Sweden and the Commonwealth all-star team.
After winning bronze at the World Championships in Berlin, Jeter’s season quickly gathered pace as the US champion gained revenge in Zurich and Brussels, defeating world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser and world silver medallist Kerron Stewart in the process on both occasions.
Having gained noteworthy victories on the Golden League circuit after the World Championships, Jeter’s newfound dominance was confirmed as the two-time world 100m bronze medallist stormed to No.4 on the all-time lists with a 10.67 (-0.1) victory at the World Athletics Final in Thessaloniki, before elevating to second on the all-time lists with a breathtaking 10.64 victory at the Golden Grand Prix in Shanghai.
Jeter showed glimpses of what was to come with a victory at the Aviva Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham in February in a PB and world-leading mark of 7.11 and Jeter hopes a positive run in Glasgow will set her up well for the rest of the season:
"Last year I posted some really fast times and my indoor season went really well, so hopefully I can impress the Glasgow crowd and post another fast time as I gear up for the World Indoor Championships."
Jeter has not raced this year but she is likely to be a cut above the rest of the field, which includes the Bahamian veteran Chandra Sturrup and Birchfield Harrier Bernice Wilson.
Another of the marquee names on show will be world indoor champion Lolo Jones, who captains a very strong American squad. The 27-year-old, who took a commanding victory here last year, is excited about returning to defend her title in the 60m hurdles.
"I love competing in Glasgow as there's always a great atmosphere and it's a nice way to start the season. The competition will of course be tough and it looks like it will be a great meet. I won last year so I would like to defend my title and hopefully it will be just the start I need to also defend my world indoor title.”
World 800m champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi also makes his 2010 indoor debut at Kelvin Hall and the former Commonwealth Games champion is also relishing the prospect of the five-way international match. The South African said:
"I like the concept of competing as a team and I'm looking forward to supporting my fellow Commonwealth team-mates, especially in the Commonwealth year. It should be a great meet and I can't wait to welcome my team-mates in Glasgow."
Mulaudzi faces a fairly competitive field, including the young German Robin Schembera and Britain’s No.3 Joe Thomas.
World heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis has already been in marvellous form this season and the 23-year-old City of Sheffield athlete, who is targeting pentathlon gold at the World Indoor Championships, will contest the 60m hurdles and high jump.
As well as facing Jones in the 60m hurdles, the UK 100m hurdles champion also faces team-mate Sarah Claxton and Germany’s Carolin Nytra, who has an outdoor PB of 12.78.
In the high jump, Ennis goes head-to-head with former world silver medallist Chaunte Howard from the USA.
So far this season, Ennis has set a 60m hurdles PB of 8.12 and has cleared 1.89m in the high jump.
World 800m bronze medallist Jenny Meadows will be gunning for another victory on the boards at Kelvin Hall and the Wigan athlete starts as the commanding pre-race favourite. The world and European indoor finalist’s biggest rival will be Neisha Bernard-Thomas, who made the Commonwealth Games final in 2006.
Likewise, world 1500m silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey is also expected to breeze to victory in her first indoor race in two years. The Commonwealth Games champion faces the very experienced Diane Cummins from Canada, who made the world 800m final in 2001 and 2003.
In the 60m, Craig Pickering will be gunning for his fourth consecutive 60m victory. The Marshall Milton Keynes athlete, who set his PB of 6.55 here in 2007, will face stern opposition from Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and the USA’s Mark Jelks.
Before the race, the former European junior champion said: "The main thing is to have a good race and get my season off to the best possible start."
Elsewhere, former world silver medallist Novlene Williams-Mills from Jamaica takes on the fast-improving American Debbie Dunn in the 400m while former Olympic 200m champion Shawn Crawford starts as the pre-race favourite in the one-lap event.
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