Some of the world’s best athletes will compete at the Sainsbury Glasgow International Match in Scotland this Saturday. The meet is the first event of the 2014 British Athletics Series.
Headlining the Commonwealth Select team is Bahamas’s London 2012 Olympic 4×400 meters gold medal winning quartet of Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder, Michael Mathieu and Ramon Miller. The team is hoping to repeat its stunning victory on British soil when it takes on Great Britain & Northern Island, Scotland and the USA.
The veteran Brown noted how great an opportunity it is to return to the UK to race after winning Olympic gold in 2012, and that it will be good to get an early season test by other teams, which he believed will push his team close.
“One of the medals missing from my collection is a World Indoor relay gold, so this meet will give the team a gauge of what we need to do between now and then to make sure we get on top of the podium,” said Brown, an eight-time global medalist.
The Bahamians will be joined as participants by 2010 World Indoor gold medalist Dwain Chambers, who will line up in the 60m dash against European Indoor 60m silver medalist James Dasaolu and USA’s Mike Rodgers.
Then there’s St. Kitts and Nevis’ 2003 World Champion Kim Collins, who returns to Glasgow for the fourth straight year as he attempts his first victory at the meet: he has four second-place finishes. The 37-year-old Collins, who will compete in the 150m, is looking forward to another warm reception.
“I have a special connection with the UK, which is the main reason why I come back and compete every year,” he said. “The crowd always treats me as one of their own and I’m really looking forward to being a part of the Sainsbury’s Glasgow International Match. I have proven over and over again that despite being in my late 30s, I can compete with the very best, and I will be looking to show that once again in January.” In 2013, Collins succeeded Britain’s Linford Christie as the fastest ever 37-year-old.
But it’s not only the sprints that are expected to bring excitement; a fierce battle looms in the 3000m as current World Indoor silver medalist Augustine Choge, running for the Commonwealth Select Team, goes head-to-head with European Cross Country bronze medalist Andy Vernon and reigning World Indoor 3000m champion Bernard Lagat.
The high jump competition will pit David Smith against Scottish compatriot Allan Smith, Olympic bronze medalist Robbie Grabarz, and Olympic silver medalist Erik Kynard.
Nigeria’s Regina George, who shot to eighth place on the world all-time list over 600m last weekend by running 1min. 25.76secs, will run the 400m in which she will face world 4x400m bronze medalists Eilidh Child and Margaret Adeoye, as well as USA’s world and Olympic 4x400m gold medalist Francena McCorory.
British outdoor long jump record holder Chris Tomlinson will compete for the Commonwealth team, as the 32-year-old faces the only other British man to equal his 8.35m mark – Olympic champion Greg Rutherford.
In the women’s 800m, it will be a duel between the Scots when Commonwealth Select’s Claire Gibson take on rising star and European Under-23 bronze medalist Laura Muir.
The Commonwealth Select Team
MEN – Dwain Chambers (GBR), 60m; Kim Collins (SKN); Chris Brown (BAH), 400m; 600m: Jeremiah Mutai (KEN), 600m; : James Magut (KEN), 1500m; Augustine Choge (KEN), 3000m; Gianni Frankis (GBR), 60m hurdles; David Smith (GBR), high jump; Chris Tomlinson (GBR), Long jump; Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder, Michael Mathieu, Ramon Miller (BAH), 4x400m relay.
WOMEN – Aleen Bailey (JAM), 60m; 150m to be announced,Regina George, 400m (NGR); Claire Gibson (GBR), 800m; Hellen Obiri (KEN), 1500m; Andrea Bliss (JAM), 60m hurdles; Jazmin Sawyers (GBR)’ long jump; Lucy Bryan (GBR), Pole Vault; Regina George, Emily Diamond,(Dan Cossins), and a fourth person to be announced will run the 4x400m relay.