As the countdown to the Olympic Games in Paris, France, continues, Jamaican athletes are set to compete in the 10th leg of the Diamond League circuit, their final major tune-up before the global event. At just 23 years old, Pryce is making waves on the track. With an impressive eight-race unbeaten streak, she has secured her place as one of the top contenders, having clocked 48.89 seconds to win the NCAA Division One championships in June and defend her Jamaican championships title. Currently ranked second in the world, Pryce will be one of nine Jamaicans competing in this highly anticipated meet.
Pryce will face tough competition from her University of Arkansas teammate Amber Anning, Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek, and the Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver, all of whom have recorded sub-50-second times this season.
In the 400m hurdles, the race promises to be fiercely contested, featuring world number three-ranked Rushell Clayton, alongside Shiann Salmon and Andrenette Knight, representing Jamaica. Dutch Olympic medal hopeful Femke Bol is the favorite in this event, with strong competition expected from American hurdler Shamier Little.
In the men’s events, Roshawn Clarke, the World Championships finalist and national record holder, will make his first appearance since the national championships. He finished second to Malik James-King at that event and will now face a world-class field, including Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, Kyron McMaster from the British Virgin Islands, American CJ Allen, and France’s Wilfried Happio.
The men’s 100m promises excitement as Ackeem Blake and Yohan Blake prepare to go head-to-head with world champion Noah Lyles. Lyles, racing for the first time since his triumph at the US Championships in late June, is ranked fourth globally and will be looking to make a statement before the Olympics. The race also features Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, South Africa’s Akani Simbine, and British sprinters Louie Hinchcliffe and Zharnel Hughes, who is returning from injury.
In the women’s 800m, multiple-time national champion Natoya Goule-Toppin will compete against top British runners Keely Hodgkinson and Jemma Reekie. The field also includes Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi and American Allie Wilson, promising a thrilling contest.
Zandrion Barnes will represent Jamaica in the men’s 400m, lining up against a formidable field that includes Canada’s Christopher Morales-Williams, Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori, Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards, and American Vernon Norwood.
With such a strong lineup of Jamaican athletes, this Diamond League meet is set to be a crucial stepping stone on the road to Paris, offering a final opportunity for these competitors to fine-tune their performance and showcase their readiness for the Olympics.
