South African sprint sensation Bayanda Walaza says running in Jamaica is a dream come true and is embracing the tough challenge ahead of him at the Racers Grand Prix today. The 19-year-old, one of several international stars set to compete at the National Stadium this evening, will line up in the marquee event: the men’s 100m.

Walaza announced himself to the world last year, when he completed the 100m and 200m double at the World Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru. He was also part of South Africa’s 4x100m team at the Paris Olympics where they won silver in an African record of 37.57 seconds.

He’s maintained his steady progress this season, running the 100m in under 10 seconds twice, including a personal best 9.94 seconds last month, just shy of Letsile Tebogo’s 9.91 world junior record.

Walaza is hopeful he can secure his third sub-10 performance today as he immerses himself in Jamaica’s rich sprinting history.

“For me being here, I take it as a quest of learning how Jamaicans did it back then and how they do it right now because they say this place is the place of sprints and I believe; me being here motivates me to be the best sprinter that I want to be,” he said.

“If I’m in Jamaica, it means I’m fast. Everyone in Jamaica is fast and I’m there with them, so I’m also fast. It’s the people who I look up to, as I grew up, there’s no place that has sprinters like Jamaica. It’s an inspiration to be here so since I’ve been here, I’ve found everything interesting in this land. I love it here.”

Walaza is expected to have his toughest challenge to date as he lines up alongside Olympic silver medallist Kishane Thompson and Olympic and World Championship finalist Oblique Seville.

While admitting he’s nervous, the South African says this will be a big test for his development.

“This is a sport where you need to face your fears. I have fears of racing against big names, I need to get over that. I believe for you to be strong, you need face it,” Walaza said. “I won’t lie, I’m scared racing against big names — Kishane Thompson, and all these people — but I believe it’s something I have to get through. Being on that line actually makes me become stronger and gives me that view that you don’t need to be scared, you just need to look at yourself and you can be the best and be better than what they are, so it’s a matter of trusting me.”

In the women’s equivalent, American Jacious Sears, whose mother is Jamaican, will have her work cut out for her as she’s set to battle the impressive Clayton twins, Tia and Tina, and reigning World Under-20 champion Alana Reid.

Sears, 23, is one of the fastest women in the history of the event, with 10.77 seconds done in April last year.

Though she hasn’t been able to hit the same heights since, she’s expecting a strong race this evening.

“My expectations are to run fast like any other race,” she said. “I definitely want to run a personal record but just executing the best race I can and whatever happens, happens — trusting God all the way through.”

America’s World Indoor Champion Christopher Bailey will line up in the men’s 400m where he’s expected to face competition from Jamaican Olympians Deandre Watkin and Zandrion Barnes as well as national record holder Rusheen McDonald.

This will be Bailey’s first race in a month, after registering a season’s best 44.17 seconds in the Diamond League.

The Olympic and World Championship relay gold medallist says he’s looking forward to assessing his current form.

“My intention is always to go out there and just put forth my best effort. I’m not really chasing any times, I’m just looking to having a clean and healthy race,” said Bailey.

“After my two weeks in China where I [ran a personal best] back to back, I’ve spoken with my coach and decided to take the month of May off to get some consistent training on the track and the weight room. So opening my season back up technically again here is where we’ll see where I am and how we should go about training for these next few months.”

The other highlights of the meet are set to come in the women’s 200m with double World Champion Shericka Jackson; in the men’s 110m hurdles with Olympic bronze medallist Rasheed Broadbell and 2022 World Championship silver medallist Trey Cunningham; as well as the men’s 200m clash between national champion Bryan Levell and the returning Christopher Taylor.