WORLD Championships long jump gold medallist Tajay Gayle, World Championships bronze medallist Rushell Clayton, Olympic finalist Britany Anderson, and relay gold medallist Roneisha McGregor are among over two dozen Jamaicans who will be competing at today’s Duval County Challenge, a part of the American Track League series in Jacksonville, Florida.

The meet has attracted a number of World and Olympic medallists, and a number of the line-ups today promise close and exciting competition.

Gayle, who has a wild card berth at the World Championship to be held in Eugene, Oregon in July, faces a tough field led by American World Indoor bronze medallist Marquis Dendy, Tristan James of Dominica, and Sri Lanka’s Dhanushka Piyarathne.

The Jamaican, who has a season’s best 7.84m, is coming off a meet at the National Stadium two weeks ago where he fouled all three jumps,and will thus be hoping to make amends today.

Anderson, who had an outstanding 2021 season and was a finalist in Tokyo, will face a deep field that will include American Nia Ali, Canadian Mariam Abdul-Rashid, and Americans Gabrielle Cunningham and Sharika Nelvis.

Clayton, the bronze medallist at the World Championships in Doha in 2019, is one of five Jamaicans set to take part in the 400m hurdles, along with Kimisha Chambers, Andrenette Knight, Shiann Rashana Salmon and Nikita Tracey.

American Anna Cockrell, who was disqualified in the Olympic final last year, Yanique Haye-Smith of the Turks and Caicos Island and Barbadian Tia-Adana Belle will add quality to the field.

Natalliah Whyte, who ran 10.97 seconds earlier this year, her first time finishing under the 11.00 seconds mark, will lead four Jamaicans in the women’s 100m during which she will be joined by Shockoria Wallace, Ashanti Moore and Kasheika Cameron.

Ivorian speedster Murielle Ahourie-Demps, Aleia Hobbs who ran 10.95 seconds, Britanny Brown and Dezerea Bryant should present the Jamaicans with serious challenges.

Whyte is also listed in the 200m along with Moore and quarter-miler McGregor, while American Tori Bowie will also line up.

McGregor and Junelle Bromfield are expected to contest the 400m, which has arguably the best field of any event on the schedule as a number of outstanding runners are set to face the starter.

Americans Natasha Hastings, Wadeline Jonathas, Shamier Little and Shakima Wimbley, Shafiqua Maloney of St Vincent, Jodie Williams of Great Britain and Aliyah Abrams of Guyana will be chasing a podium place.

Nathon Allen and Akeem Bloomfield will lead the Jamaican men in the 400m that includes Karayme Bartley, Ronald Sayles and Tyrice Taylor, taking on top American Michael Norman and Alonzo Russell of The Bahamas.

Four Jamaicans in Jelani Walker, Christopher Taylor, Andre Ewers and Raheem Chambers are down to run the 100m and face the fast American teenager Erriyon Knighton Akeem Sirleaf, Chris Royster and Japanese Abdul Hakim Sani Brown.

Taylor and Nigel Ellis are also set to run the 200m in which Americans Jayden Slade, Josephus Lyles and Kendal Williams are also set to run.

Romel Lewis, Shawn Rowe and Andre Clarke are set to run the men’s 400m hurdles and will go up against Americans Quincy Hall, Amere Lattin and TJ Holmes.

Damion Thomas is the only Jamaican down for the 110m hurdles during which he will go up against Americans Devon Allen and Grant Holloway, Shane Brathwaite of Barbados and Xavier Coakley of The Bahamas.

— Paul Reid