Clement aiming to show Greene he's a big rival.

Byline: GARETH GRIFFITHS 

AMERICAN 400m hurdling star Kerron Clement will finalise his Olympics preparations in Cardiff tonight by laying down a marker to Welsh world champion Dai Greene in his own backyard.

Clement is one of the star names expected to compete at the Wales Athletics International event in Leckwith that could also include former world 100m champion Kim Collins and world 800m record holder David Rudisha.

The double world champion of 2007 and 2009 is one of Greene's main rivals for Olympic gold having also won silver in Beijing four years ago in an American clean sweep behind Angelo Taylor.

While Puerto Rica's undefeated world number one Javier Culson is favourite for London gold having defeated second-ranked Greene on three occasions this season, Clement will also be determined to gain revenge over the Welsh rival who took his world crown in South Korea last year.

But the 26-year-old has been in the news this week having Tweeted he was on a bus that got lost and spent four hours trying to get from Heathrow Airport to the Olympics Village.

Wales athletics bosses ensured there was no such repeat for Clement with a 300-mile round trip.

They laid on a car for the American from the Olympics Village and plan to transport him to his training base in Birmingham after the event.

And Clement was in much more jovial mood yesterday tweeting; "In Wales. I'm so loving this city and I just arrived." When his mistake in appearing to refer to Wales as a city was pointed out by some of his followers, Clement replied: "I said Wales (period). Thank u. And I'm loving the city, which I didn't say what city!" Neither Greene nor fellow Olympic bound hurdler Rhys Williams will compete in Cardiff having finished their respective race programmes, but Trinidad and Tobago's champion Jehue Gordon will line up this evening. The former world junior champion has been honing his preparations in Wales at the Vale of Glamorgan base and is hoping to be the surprise package in London.

"My first aim is to make the final and after that I'm hoping to go all the way and win gold for my country," said Gordon.

"I'm aware of Dai Greene because he is the world champion.

"The whole of Great Britain is behind him and is going to be expecting him to win gold.

"I also have respect for Rhys Williams, who I have raced already on a couple of occasions this year."

Collins, the 2003 world champion and one of the most popular sprinters around, has been entered for the 100m, 200m and the St Kitts and Nevis 4x100m relay squad tonight.

The 36-year-old veteran is preparing to compete in a fifth Olympics and has already dipped below 10 seconds this season at a meeting in France.

Rudisha, who is the firmest favourite for gold in London, is part of the Kenyan 4x400m Olympic relay team who are also entered in the event in Cardiff this evening.

Botswana's world junior 800m champion Nijel Amos was due to race tonight but is resting the hamstring he damaged while winning his title in Barcelona this week.

More than 30 nations will be represented in Cardiff alongside Welsh London 2012 duo discus ace Brett Morse and 800m runner Gareth Warburton. "The event in Cardiff is great because I don't get to compete here much any more," said Morse, from Penarth.

"So for this to be my last meeting before I go to the Olympics is amazing."

Fellow British Team GB members Lynsey Sharpe (800m) and javelin thrower Mervyn Luckwell are also competing.

Luckwell is aiming to prove his fitness ahead of London and will go head-to-head with Cardiff's Lee Doran, who won the UK title for a second successive season last month. The main races start at 7pm tonight at the Cardiff International Sports Stadium with an under-20 international also being staged.

* Tickets are pounds 5 and are available online at www.welshathletics.org or on the gate on the night for an event which has pounds 17,000 prize money on offer Cowley's Cardiff tune-up * ONE of Jessica Ennis' rivals for heptathlon gold at the Olympics will complete her preparations in Cardiff this evening.

New Zealand athlete Sarah Cowley is part of a nine strong athletics team from New Zealand who are getting acclimatised to British conditions in Cardiff and will have her final run-out at the Welsh Athletics International meeting in the Welsh capital tonight.

Colwey can't wait to lock horns against with Ennis.

The two first met at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, when Ennis struck bronze, and now Cowley will have her in her sights once again when the London Games get under way.

"Jess is under unbelievable pressure going into the Games, but she is doing a great job in handling it all - she is a great girl and a great competitor," said Cowley.

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* Kerron Clement will finalise his Olympic preparations in the 400m hurdles at the Wales Athletics International event in Cardiff tonight