KINGSTON (Reuters) - Jamaica are banking on a mix of youth and experience to continue their dominance in the sprint events at the Aug 22-30 world championships in Beijing after some strong performances at their four-day trials.
The full team will not be named until the Aug 10 deadline but Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who scorched home in 10.79 seconds in the 100 metres, will lead the women's unit even though no decision has been made about defending her 200m crown.
Fraser-Pryce, who has wild-card entries to both events as defending champion, will be joined by Veronica Campbell-Brown, Sherone Simpson and newcomer Natasha Morrison in the 100m.
Jamaica have had a stranglehold on the men's and women's 100m at the last three world championships but that could be under threat with six-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt, who skipped the trials, yet to round into top form.
Former world record-holder Asafa Powell, who has twice run 9.84 seconds this year, most recently on Friday to win his sixth Jamaican title, will join Bolt, Commonwealth Games champion Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nickel Ashmeade.
Jamaica will also be banking on newcomers Omar McLeod who logged a world-leading 12.97 in the 110m hurdles, rising star Elaine Thompson who won the 200m, and Moscow half-lap silver medallist Warren Weir to do well in Beijing.