The first batch of foreign athletes for the Racers Grand Prix will arrive at the Norman Manley airport tomorrow morning (Saturday 4th June) at 5:00 o’clock, before the sun rises. They are the South African contingent comprising athletes Wayde van Niekerk, Akani Simbine and Justine Palframan accompanied by their manager and coach.
Van Niekerk is the reigning world champion in the men’s 400 metres. Simbine is the World University Games winner and South African record holder in the men’s 100 metres; he has a personal best time of 9.96 seconds over that distance. Palframan is the World University Games winner in the women’s 400 metres, the African Junior champion and the South African national champion in the same event. She has a personal best time of 51.27 seconds.
The South African athletes will be staying at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, the official hotel for the Racers Grand Prix.
In the week leading up to the games, they will be training with the Racers Track Club athletes at the Usain Bolt track at the UWI Mona Bowl.
Over eighty foreign or overseas-based athletes are expected to participate in the first staging of the Racers Grand Prix at Jamaica’s National Stadium on Saturday evening June 11.
