THE MEN'S and women's sprint races are expected to steal the spotlight at next weekend's National Senior Championships, Jamaica's 'Olympic Trials', at the National Stadium.

Action over the three days is expected to reach fever pitch in the men's and women's 100 metres and 200m. Usain Bolt leads the world in both the men's 100m and 200m while Veronica Campbell-Brown is the world's fastest woman for 2008.

On May 31 in New York, Bolt, better known as a 200m runner, lit up the track to set a world record of 9.72 over 100m. Then last week, the 200m silver medal winner at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, flashed to a world-leading 19.83 in the half-lap event. He is the only man to go under 20 seconds this year. Former world-record holder Asafa Powell will run in Trinidad and Tobago today and that race should give some hint of his current form. Powell has a 2008 best of 10.04.

On the women's side, most eyes will be on Campbell-Brown. The 200m winner in Athens four years ago leads the world in the 100m with 10.88, set only last weekend in Clermont, Florida. Simone Facey is next on 10.95, set at altitude in Boulder, Colorado, Kerron Stewart is next on 10.96 followed by Sherone Simpson on 10.99.

Campbell-Brown is number two in the 200m with a best of 22.38, just three-hundredths of a second behind Stewart. Simpson, 22.43, is not far behind.

The men's and women's 400m will also be competitive. In the women's one-lap event, the local-based MVP Track Club's pair, Kaliese Spencer and Shericka Williams, will be seeking to dethrone defending champion and World Championships bronze medallist Novlene Williams-Mills.

Among the men, the defending 400m champion, Sanjay Ayre, also faces strong competition from Ricardo Chambers, DeWayne Barrett and Leford Green.

The men's and women's 400m hurdles should also be close. Danny McFarlane, who won silver in Athens, is already the fastest Jamaican this year, and he will look to beat back challenges from rising stars Adrian Findlay, Markino Buckley and Isa Phillips.

In the women's 400m hurdles, Jamaica's number one, Melaine Walker, will also have her hands full against Nickeisha Wilson, who was outstanding at both the Pan American Games and World Championships last year.

Last, but not least, is the women's 100m hurdles where four veterans - Delloreen Ennis-London, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Vonette Dixon and Lacena Golding Clarke, will be fighting for three individual spots. Wilson is also entered for this event.