Maurice Wignall( left) and Lacena Golding-Clarke - FILE PHOTOS
moscow, russia,(cmc)
JAMAICAN ATHLETES COMPETING at this weekend's International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) World Indoor championships in Moscow are among Caribbean runners expected to dominate in the sprints.
At the 2004 championships in Budapest, the English-speaking Caribbean registered eight medals, led by the Jamaican 4x400 metres relay team, gold from Bahamian Dominic Demeritte (200 metres) and Grenada's Alleyne Francique (400 metres).
In the men's 60 metres hurdles at this year's championship, 2004 World Indoor bronze medallist Maurice Wignall will tackle world leader American Terrence Trammel in his quest for the gold.
WIGNALL'S IN TOP FIVE
Wignall's season's best 7.54 seconds set in Stuttgart Germany last month ranks him joint fifth on the world's "Performance List" and he will have to get close to the 7.48 seconds he clocked in Budapest for the bronze.
In the women's action, noticeably missing from the 60-metre start list is the Caribbean's fastest woman, Jamaican Veronica Campell.
Campbell will miss the World Indoors to compete at the March 15-26 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne Australia, despite having the joint world leading time (7.04) for the 60 metres.
In her absence, co-world season leader Russia's Mariya Bolikova and American champion Me'Lisa Barber are the main gold medal candidates.
In the women's sprint hurdles, three-time World indoors finalist, Jamaican Lacena Golding-Clarke is the world's fastest this season, after a 7.83 seconds personal best in Leipzig.
Francique is once again in the medal reckoning after his world leading effort in Lievin, France last Friday.
The 29-year-old from the Spice Isle, who has won each of his six outings in the two-lap indoor event this season, has been a finalist in two of the last three global championships outdoors and the fourth place finisher at the 2004 Olympics.
Also a medal threat, is improving Bahamian quarter miler Christopher Brown who has a season's best of 46.03 seconds indoors and, based on his solid outdoor efforts in 2005, could earn a spot on the medal podium.
STIFFEST CHALLENGE
However Francique and Brown should expect their stiffest challenge to hail from the United States contingent which national champion Milton Campbell leads into the Russian capital undefeated in four races.
Twice under 46 seconds this season, Campbell's attention will be clearly focused not only on improving on his fifth place finish from Budapest, but on his two silver medal performances from 1999 and 2001.
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