Five-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah and World Indoor finalist Briana Williams are expected to open their competitive outdoor seasons today when they contest the women’s invitational elite 100m at the 62nd Mt San Antonio College (SAC) Relays in California.

Thompson-Herah is coming off one of the greatest seasons ever for a female sprinter. Last year she retained her Olympic Games sprint double and added a third gold in the sprint relays. The sprint great, who last season ran the second-fastest 100m (10.54 seconds) in women’s athletics, has competed just once so far this year, in the 400m at the National Stadium in Kingston.

She is to line up against Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye and Americans Aleia Hobbs, Candace Hill and Gabrielle Thomas in one semi-final heat.

Williams, who has run two 200m races this season, including one in Bermuda last weekend, will face the likes of Americans Teahna Daniels, Twanisha Terry and Tamara Clarke.

Runners with the nine fastest times will advance to the finals.

National record holder Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Lloydricia Cameron will contest the women’s invitational elite shot put event .

The field is expected to include Trinidad and Tobago’s Portious Warren and Americans Raven Saunders and Jessica Woodward.

— Paul A Reid