Dawn Harper News

Christine Ohuruogu made a pleasing start to the Diamond League season with a third placed finish in the 400 metres in Doha.

Jamaica's Stephanie McPherson produced another impressive early season run to lower her personal best , posting a new world-leading time of 50.43 seconds to capture the women's 400m at the 10th Jamaica International Invitational track and field meeting staged at the National Stadium last Saturday night.

To understand the stress, the pressure, the expectations roiling inside hometown track star Lolo Jones when she steps on the Drake Relays oval, a person simply needed to soak up a few telling seconds Saturday.

Much of the hype for the Drake Relays centered on hometown star Lolo Jones and her London Games rivals, Dawn Harper and Kellie Wells.

Jones's power burst has led her to adopt a new starting technique - one she hopes can rejuvenate her hurdling career.

The iconic Drake Relays tie together sports manship and Bulldog pride much like the laces of athletes' shoes knotted tight before competition begins on the track at Drake Stadium.

World and Olympic 400m hurdles champion Melaine Walker will compete in the 100m hurdles at the Jamaica International Invitational Meet set for the National Stadium on May 4. Donald Quarrie, athletes' liaison for the meet, told the Jamaica Observer last Friday that Walker has been confirmed for the sprint hurdles.

Melaine Walker, the 2008 Olympic 400-metre hurdles champion and 2009 IAAF World champion, will get the first test of her credentials as a sprint hurdler when she takes on 2012 Olympic silver medallist Dawn Harper at the Jamaica International Invitational on May 4. Donald Quarrie, meet director of the JII, said he got word from the hurdler's ... (more)