A galaxy of track and field stars, headed by American showman Noah Lyles, is set to converge on the National Stadium this evening for what is expected to be an exciting eighth staging of the Racers Grand Prix.

Approximately 101 athletes from 17 countries are down for the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet which will have 13 events — the men’s and women’s 100m, 200m, 400m and 400m hurdles; the women’s 100m hurdles; the men’s 110m hurdles; and the men’s long jump, triple jump and discus throw.

The event, scheduled to start at 7:00 pm, is expected to feature just over two and a half hours of scintillating and absorbing action as athletes fine-tune their preparations for the Paris Olympic Games this summer.

Most eyes and interest will be on the emerging Jamaican stars but American triple world champion Lyles is expected to send a strong message as he prepares to bid for four gold medals at the Olympics.

He will be in the 100m and is expected to bring the curtain down at 9:45 pm with another eye-catching display. But, Lyles with a personal best of 9.83 and a season’s best of 1 0.01 cannot afford to put a foot wrong as Racers Track Club training partners Britian’s Zharnel Hughes and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville are in good nick and could upset the applecart.

Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, with a season-best 9.98, and American Kendal Williams with 9.93 go into the race with the fastest times and must be respected.

The women’s 100m will not be as stacked with superstars, with St Lucia’s world indoor champion Julien Alfred the hot favourite. The Jamaican top guns will be absent but the likes of national junior record holder Alana Reid, who trains with world champion Sha’Carri Richardson; world junior champion Tina Clayton; and the improving Krystal Slowly will be looking to announce themselves at the senior level. Shashalee Forbes, Remona Burchell and Kemba Nelson will make this a very interesting race.

But before the blue-riband events fans should expect to witness something special in the triple jump pit as Jamaica’s rising star Jaydon Hibbert takes on some seasoned campaigners at 8:15 pm.

The 19-year-old Hibbert, who is the World Under-20 record holder, has a best jump of 17.87m and a season-best effort of 17.57m, and with a promise of jumping from a longer run-up something big could be on the cards. The world record is 18.29m, held by Jonathan Edwards since 1995.

Last season Jamaica’s Antonio Watson announced himself to the world with victory at this meet, breaking the 45-second barrier for the first time before becoming the 400m World champion in Hungary.

This time he is back as the main man, and fans will be watching keenly to see the form he is in heading into Jamaica’s championships.

Watson, with a personal best of 44.13 and a season’s best of 45.61, is expected to be severely tested by Nigerian Emmanuel Bambidele who is the fastest in the field this year with 44.88 and has a personal best of 44.24.

But both will be careful not to overlook one Roshawn Clarke who is improving with every race and has a victory over Watson this year already. American champion Allison, who is the only runner in the field to know what it is to run below 44 seconds, should also feature prominently. He has a personal best of 43.70.

Jamaica’s Carey McLeod, who was pipped for the bronze medal at last year’s World Championship by his countryman Tajay Gayle, will renew their rivalry. McLeod has been in good form, leaping to a season’s best of 7.93m. He has a best jump of 8.52m, but with a +5.2 mps wind.

Gayle, who was fifth behind McLeod in Doha, Qatar, on May 10 has not lit up the season but is a big game performer, having the longest jump in this field of 8.69m.

Both Jamaicans will have to contend with Americans William Williams, who has gone 7.92m this season, along with Isaiah Holmes (7.71m), and Laquan Nairne of The Bahamas with a personal best of 8.22m.