media_artricles :: 2013

Thompson opens 2013 season today

FORMER Olympic silver medallist, Richard Thompson, will open his season today in less than friendly conditions when he lines up in the Men’s 100m semi-finals at the Adidas Grand Prix in the New York, USA.

Thompson, a finalist at the 2012 London Games, expressed dissatisfaction with the weather yesterday in the “Big Apple”, but promised to do his best. He tweeted yesterday: “Terrible weather in NY, but the weather in the seven other lanes will be no different to mine. Ready for my season opener...Say a prayer (for) me.”

Also competing in the men’s 100m event is Thompson’s compatriot Keston Bledman. The duo will be coming up against a quality field which includes the likes of former ‘World’ champion Tyson Gay of the USA and current Olympic relay gold medallist Nesta Carter of Jamaica.

Ex-World Junior champion, Jehue Gordon, will also be in action today in the Progressive Men’s 400m event. Gordon, who finished fourth at the 2009 World Championships, struggled to reach peak form last year, but still managed to reach the final at the Olympics where he placed sixth.

He will be up against Olympic bronze medallist and favourite Javier Culson of Puerto Rico. Meanwhile, 2009 ‘World’ bronze medallist, Renny Quow, will be in action in the Men’s 400m event and will be hoping his 2013 season fares much better than 2012. An injury forced the ace quarter-miler to miss the Olympics last year and the 25-year-old from Tobago will have to wait three more years to get his chance at track and field’s biggest stage.

Quow opened his season with a victory in the 200m at the Texas Tech Open last month with a 20.75 clocking and is close to top shape. Former Olympic gold medallist, Jeremy Wariner of the USA, is among the field and will be keen to show he is still among the best after a hamstring injury ruled him out the London Games.

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