FRESH from her season’s best 10.98 seconds at at JAAA/SDF Jubilee meeting at Jamaica College last weekend, Olympic relay gold medallist Briana Williams will take on a strong field of American sprinters at the New York Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium, a part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series.

Fourteen Jamaicans are down to compete in the main section of today’s meet which sees the return of big-time outdoor track and field to the New York area for the first time in years.

Williams was coming off a disappointing run at the Prefontaine Classic meet at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, the previous weekend but sparkled at the Kingston meet and will look to run another fast time again today.

Leading the American challenge will be world number eight-ranked Sha’Carrie Richardson who ran a season’s best 10.92 seconds at the Prefontaine meeting, while Aleia Hobbs, Mikiah Briscoe, Teahna Daniels and Dezerea Bryant will also line up in the event that will have a preliminary and final.

Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake, who had his first sub-10.00 seconds timing wiped off the records last week, will get a chance at redemption when he lines up against a good field led by World Champion Christian Coleman, Isiah Young and Marvin Bracey.

Blake, who ran ‘under protest’ after false starting, had registered a 9.92-second clocking.

Former 400m runner Chrisann Gordon-Powell will hope to get the 1:59.50 minutes qualifying standard in the 800m after running a personal best 1:59.52 last weekend, and will be attempting to get under the time when she races against the likes of Allie Wilson, Ajee Wilson and Sage Hurta in the two-lap race.

Shiann Salmon will contest the women’s 400m hurdles against Panama’s Gianna Woodruff and Cassandra Tate, while Danniel Thomas-Dodd will contest the women’s shot put.

Former World Under 20 champion Damion Thomas will continue his search for form in the 110m hurdles as the Jamaican Trials draws near, and will face Olympic silver medallist Grant Holloway, Shane Brathwaite of Barbados, Devon Allen and Jamal Britt.

Javon Francis will line up against Michael Cherry and Myles Pringle in the men’s 400m while Andre Clarke and Shawn Rowe will run in the 400m hurdles against Amere Lattin and Quincy Hall.

Rajay Hamilton contests the men’s 800m where he will face Americans Clayton Murphy, Isiah Jewett and Bryce Hoppel, Jordan Scott, and Nick Douglas will go in the triple jump against American Will Clay and Bermuda’s Jah-Nhai Perinchief.

— Paul Reid