Posted: February 7,2005

Athletics: Collins Joins Loaded Birmingham 60M Field

By Bob Ramsak, Track Profile

(c) 2004 Track Profile all rights reserved TrackProfile.com

Kim Collins, the reigning world and Commonwealth 100 meter champion, is the latest addition to the 60 meter field for the Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham, GBR on February 18, organizers announced today.

Collins, from St. Kitts and Nevis, will take on Briton Jason Gardener, the World Indoor Champion; Olympic relay gold medallist Mark Lewis-Francis; Olympic 100 meter silver medallist Francis Obikwelu, and 2000 Olympic champion Maurice Greene in what is shaping up as the strongest short dash field of the season.

"I'm looking forward to competing at the Norwich Union Grand Prix against such a strong field," said Collins, who dashed to a silver medal at the 2003 World Indoor Championships at the Birmingham venue, ahead of Gardener. "I got a great reception form the crowd at the NIA when I won my 60m world indoor silver medal in 2003 and it will be really exciting to return."

Collins said he's in good shape but he isn't underestimating the home competition.

"Jason Gardener and Mark Lewis-Francis are Olympic gold medallists now and I'm sure they'll be aiming to win in front of their home supporters."

After a sixth place finish in Athens last summer, Collins said he's aiming for a significantly better showing this summer when he defends his world title in Helsinki.

"2005 will be a big year for me and I plan to defend my 100 meter world title in Helsinki in August. Before then I want to perform well over 60 meters indoors and kick start my year in winning form." Collins has a personal best of 6.53 in the short dash, dating back to 2000.

Gardener lowered his season's best to 6.56 with his win on Sunday at the LE Athletics meet in Leipzig while Lewis-Francis suffered a hamstring cramp during his 2005 debut at a low-key meeet in Birmingham nine days ago. But the 22-year-old Lewis-Francis, who finished second to Gardener at the 2002 European Indoor Championships, said he's eager to compete before his hometown crowd in Birmingham.

"I'm currently back jogging and with more treatment I will be able to resume full training in the next couple of days," Lewis-Francis said last week. "I'm really looking forward to competing against Jason Gardener and Maurice Greene in front of my home crowd. My winter training has gone very well and I want to improve my 60 meter personal best in the next few weeks." His 6.51 PB from 2001 is the fastest ever performance by a junior.

Greene, who raced to a bronze medal in Athens, is the world record holder in the event. He clocked 6.39 twice: in Madrid in 1998 and again in Atlanta in 2001.

On Sunday in Gent, Belgium, 22-year-old Ronald Pognon of France clocked the fastest performance of the year, a national record 6.51.

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