Two-time 200m world champion Shericka Jackson is scheduled to make her return from injury at the Queen’s/Grace Jackson Development Meet when she competes in the women’s 60m event at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Jackson, 30, who is coached by Stephen Francis at the MVP Track Club, had an injury-plagued 2024 season, which resulted in her pulling out of both the 100m and 200m events at the Olympic Games in Paris in August. Jackson, who is the second-fastest woman ever in the 200m with a time of 21.41 seconds, is set to face Nigerian sprint hurdler Tobi Amusan in the event.

The 27-year-old Amusan, the reigning women’s 100m hurdles world record holder, made a coaching switch last September to join coach Glen Mills at the Racers Track Club. They will be joined in the event by Krystal Sloley, Jonielle Smith, Amoi Brown, Anthonique Strachan, Shockoria Wallace, and Ashanti Moore.

On the men’s side, Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes will headline the action, where he will be joined by Kadrian Goldson, Canadian Brendon Rodney, Zandrion Barnes, Odaine McPherson, Tyquendo Tracey, Adrian Kerr, Gary Card, and Rusheen McDonald.

The meet’s chief organiser Carlos Samuels says he is excited about Jackson and several of the country’s top senior athletes deciding to start their season there.

“It is always good to see our top national athletes use a platform such as the Queen’s meet, which is also a development meet, to compete in it,” he said. “For all the seniors that will be participating in our meet, we are very appreciative and grateful for their graciousness. They have trusted the quality of the meet that we have instilled over the years to build that confidence with their coach, that they are comfortable enough to come to our meet and open their season.”

Samuels says over 2,000 athletes from 70 schools will compete this year.

“The Grace Queen’s/Jackson Meet is always an exciting event and of course, as everyone knows, our patron, Grace Jackson, has done exceptionally well for Jamaica,” he said. “This year, we are trying to make sure that everybody gets a fair chance at competing and that the coaches are comfortable with the results and the way we handle the meet,” he said.