The organisers of the second UTech Track & Field Classic are expecting a full house tomorrow at the National Stadium based on feedback to date.

Whereas last year's meet, in its inaugural staging, saw only the National Stadium grandstand opened, this time around the entire stadium will be opened to the public.

Jamaica's track and field fans are used to attending meets that last all day. however, UTech has mirrored its meet off some of those in the European system, which feature invited athletes, tight scheduling with selected events and high-energy action from beginning to end.

grace the track

The lane draws have been completed and all eight lanes of every event are full. as a matter of fact, because the invitees have snapped up UTech's invitations, the organisers are considering the running of some races before the advertised 5 p.m. start.

According to meet director Paul Francis, the meet will be well supported by the UTech-based track and field outfit Maximum, Velocity, Power (MVP).

"All MVP athletes who are fit will grace the track on Saturday, including many who are not yet household names," Francis said.

"This will probably be the only place where one will see so many MVP athletes in action at once," Francis added. The director further indicated that the field will include some outstanding international athletes from countries such as the USA, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, Cuba, Senegal and other countries that have already confirmed their attendance.

outstanding athletes

When pressed for names, he would only confirm Olympic women's 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser. "We want to focus on the many outstanding athletes who will compete rather than on a selected few, therefore we invite the public to come to a top-class track and field event where only quality is on display," Francis said.

The MVP athletes will have stiff competition from the formidable Racers Track Club, coached by the 2008 IAAF coach of the year, Glen Mills, G.C. Foster College, spearheaded by successful local coach Maurice Wilson, UWI, MICO, Athletico, Jamtech, Jamalco Sports Club out of Clarendon under the guidance of Olympian and record holder of the 800m at Champs since 1964 - Neville Mython, and other top local clubs.

Coming off a packed stadium at this year's Champs, a 'clean sweep' of Carifta and just before going off to the Penn Relays, Jamaica's top high schools in both boys and girls will battle it out one more time in the 4x100m and the 4x400m.