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 (JII) on May 4. Donald Quarrie, meet director of the JII, said he got word from the hurdler’s handlers weeks ago requesting a lane in the sprint hurdles. The 30-year-old Walker, who is the second-fastest woman of all time over the 400-metre hurdles, recently went through a very public break-up with her former coach Stephen Francis of the MVP Track Club over her ambitions to pursue the sprint hurdles. Now being coached by Fitz Coleman, who is guiding the development of 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Hansle Parchment, Walker will get an early taste of what it will be like going up against some of the world’s best as in addition to Harper, the 2008 Olympic champion, who has a personal best of 12.37 seconds, she also faces two-time NCAA champion Virginia Crawford (12.48) and Jamaica’s Olympic sprint hurdles semi-finalist Shermaine Williams (12.78). Walker’s best time in the event is 12.75 which was achieved back in 2006.   Main Invitational […]
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