Powell hunts 100m hat-trick

Raymond Graham, Star Writer

ELEVEN Jamaicans will be among the galaxy of track and field stars who will travel to Monaco tomorrow to compete in the Herculis Grand Prix, the final meet before the Beijing Olympics.

Former world record-holder Asafa Powell will be seeking a hat-trick of wins in the 100 metres following victories in Stockholm and London in the past week.

Three of his training partners, Nesta Carter who registered a sub-10 seconds last week along with Michael Frater who also clocked a career best 10.00 in London and Trinidad and Tobago's Darrel Brown will join him. Former World champion Kim Collins of St Kitts and Portugal's Francis Obikwelu will also line up in this event.

Danny McFarlane, the 2004 Athens Games 400m hurdles silver medallist, will be hoping to send a strong message going into the Beijing Games when he faces the starter. He will be challenged by Poland's Marek Plawgo and Athens fourth place finisher, James Carter of the United States.

Back-to-back wins

Ricardo Chambers and Dorian Scott are also down to compete. Chambers who is peaking at the right time will be aiming for his fourth consecutive under 45 seconds run in the 400m. London Grand Prix winner Martyn Rooney of Great Britain will be hoping for back-to-back wins while Bahamian Andretti Bain, this year's NCAA Division I 400m champion, will be hoping to improve on his moderate run in London last weekend. Scott will compete in the men's shot put.

Jamaica's top three finishers in the women's 100 metres at the National Championships - Kerron Stewart, Shelly Ann Frazer and Sherone Simpson will also be in action.

National champion, Stewart, will be hoping to make up for her disappointing run at the weekend when she failed to make the final of the 100m. Frazer is bang in form following her second sub-11 seconds time this season. She clocked 10.95 to finish second behind Veronica Campbell-Brown, 10.87, at the same meet while Simpson who showed improvement by winning the 200m will be competing in her second 100m since the National Championships. They will be challenged by Americans Marshevet Hooker, Torri Edwards and Carmelita Jeter.

Unbeaten run

National 400m hurdles champion Melaine Walker, fresh from an impressive win in London on Saturday, will be hoping to looking to maintain her unbeaten run this season and boost her confidence going into the Games. Ranked number two in the world so far with a 54.18 clocking in May, Walker will face Tiffany Williams of the United States and Poland's Anna Jesien, the World Championships bronze medallist. Walker defeated both quite easily at the weekend.

National 100m hurdles champion, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, gets her final chance to put things together following disappointments in her last two races where she finished eight and fourth respectively. Australian Sally McLellan and American Joanna Haynes who were both ahead of her last Friday, are also down to compete.