Several world-class athletes were during Friday’s (Mar 8) launch announced for the April 13 Grenada Invitational.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, two-time Olympic 100m champion, Asafa Powell, former world 100m record holder, and Canadian Andre De Grasse, the Olympic 100m and 200m medallist, were among the big names announced on Friday.
World indoor 400m champion Courtney Okolo, Jamaican Akeem Bloomfield, one of the world’s brightest prospects, World 400m hurdles medallist Shamier Little, and Commonwealth Games decathlon champion Lindon Victor will also suit up for the event.
Jamaica’s Olympian Marvin Anderson, the meet director, said there couldn’t be a better day, today’s International Women’s Day, to announce that Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, one of the most decorated female sprinters, will be in action.
“We couldn’t find anyone better to lead the charge over the 100m,” he said of Jamaican sprint queen Fraser-Pryce.
Courtney Okolo, 2018 world indoor champion, Olympic 4x400m gold medalist, returns after missing the second edition in 2018.
“She is looking forward to coming back,” Anderson said.
Little, winner of the women’s 400m in 2018, according to Anderson will be “using the Granda Invitational to kick forward her season.”
“Grenada should look forward to having Asafa here,” he said while pointing out that the Jamaican is two sub-10 runs away from becoming the first man in history to do so 100 times.
De Grasse, he continued: “He is looking forward to coming here and do great things.”
Grenadians Bralon Taplin, winner of the men’s 400m in 2018, Kenisha Pascal, and Rondell Bartholomew are also confirmed for the third staging of the event set for the Kirani James Stadium.
“Those are the athletes we have at the moment. Negotiation are ongoing with other elite athletes,” said Anderson.
Anderson continued: “We will be using the platform of one of the most prominent track and field website in trackalerts.com to help promote and roll out the names of these athletes in the coming weeks.”
He promised the meet will have a strong contingent from the USA, Jamaica and the Caribbean Islands including Cuba.
Karlene Purcell, chairman of the local organising committee, said: “The aim of the Grenada Invitational is always to bring world-class athletes to our people.”
The events to be contested are – 100m, 200m, 400m, 400mH 110mH 100mH, 800m, long jump, javelin and female high jump
ESPN will again produce LIVE coverage of the event.
