Raymond Graham, Star Writer

Shelly-Ann Fraser

The track and field spotlight will be on the VTB Bank World Athletics Final this weekend in Stuttgart, Germany following the very successful Beijing Olympics.

After months of exciting and competitive battles in Golden League, Grand Prix and Area Permit meets the top athletes in the world will once again showcase their talent as they seek more than US$3 million in prize money.

The top seven athletes with most points in their individual events have automatically qualified to compete while the organisers will use their discretion to pick the next spot. Winners of each event will get a top prize of US$30,000, second US $20,000, third US$12,000, fourth US$7,000, fifth US$5,000, sixth US$4,000, seventh US$3,000 and the eighth place finisher getting US$2,000.

Part of the spoils

Several Jamaicans will be in line for a major slice of the kitty. They include Asafa Powell, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Melaine Walker and Dello-reen Ennis-London.

Ten Jamaicans will be in action tomorrow as the men's 100 metres, 400 metres, 400 metre hurdles and women's 100 metres hurdles and 200 metres are down for the first day of competition.

After winning the 100m for two straight years in Stuttgart, Powell will start favourite to make it three-in-a-row. Powell will be joined here by teammates Nesta Carter and Michael Frater who both dipped under 10 seconds this season.

Fourth place finisher in Beijing, veteran Danny McFarlane, will lead a trio of Jamaicans in the men's 400 metres hurdles.

McFarlane will be joined by Isa Phillips and Markino Buckley. Jamaican Adrian Findlay just missed automatic qualification here as he is at number eight.

Following a disappointing Olympic Games where he failed to advance to the final of the men's 400 metres, Ricardo Chambers will be hoping for better things here as he is in the line up where the field is led by Americans LaShawn Merrit and Jeremy Wariner, the gold and silver medallists in Beijing.

Kerron Stewart is listed for the 200 metres and after a third place finish in Beijing she could go all the way. The organisers could, however, give Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown the wild card entry here.

Champion clash

One of the highlights on day two could be the clash between Olympic 100 metres champion Fraser and Campbell-Brown. Fraser who surprised all by winning in Beijing has been in good form since. After one close loss to American Lauryn Williams she has scored back-to-back victories over teammate Stewart who is also in the line-up on Sunday.