Six gold medals, including in the blue riband men’s and women’s 100m events, will be at stake for Jamaica on the opening day of the three-day North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Championships at the Freeport stadium in Grand Bahama, Bahamas.

In addition to the 100m on Friday, the sprint hurdles will also see both rounds being run. The men’s discus throw and the women’s long jump finals are also be contested.

In addition to the Continental titles at stake, a number of athletes will also be seeking to improve their performances and seek spots on their respective teams to the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, next month.

Ryiem Forde, a finalist in the men’s 100m at the World Athletics Championships in 2023 and a member of Jamaica’s bronze medal winning relay team, and Shakur Williams, will carry the hopes of the country.

Forde has a season’s best 9.98 seconds and is expected to challenge for the gold medal against Canada’s Jerome Blake, Rikkoi Brathwaite of the British Virgin Islands and Cejhae Greene of Antigua and Barbuda.

Jodean Williams, who was fourth at the Jamaica athletics championships in June, and Jonielle Smith are the Jamaicans in the women’s 100m.

American Twanisha Terry will start favourite, with Anthaya Charlton of the Bahamas and Canadian record holder Audrey Leduc, also expected to vie for medals.

Demario Prince, who is expected to be named on the Jamaica team to the World Championships, will be a medal favourite in the 110m hurdles. He is to line up alongside Jaheim Stern.

Americans Ja’kobe Tharpe and Dylan Beard will go into the event with the fastest times.

Amoi Brown, who is expected to be in Tokyo, and Yanique Thompson are to take part in the 100m hurdles. They are set to go up against St Lucia’s Aasia Laurencin and Canadians Tatiana Aholou and Mariam Abdul-Rashid.

Fedrick Dacres, the championships record holder, and Chad Wright are both chasing World Championships qualifying marks in the men’s discus throw. They are down to compete against Americans Sam Mattis and Reggie Jagers, who are both favourites.

Nia Robinson, a former Carifta Games medallist, will make her senior national team debut when she lines up in the women’s long jump with an eye on improving her position in the World Ranking quota.

The former University of South Florida and University of Arkansas athlete is to take on Charlton of the Bahamas who will be doing double duties. Also down to feature are Alyssa Jones of the United States, Tyra Gittens-Spotsville of Trinidad and Tobago, and Chantel Malone of the British Virgin Islands.

National champion Rusheen McDonald and Delano Kennedy is to contest the men’s 400m first round, both seeking World Championships qualifying marks.

Grenada’s former Olympic Games and World Championships gold medallist Kirani James are slated to face the starter in the men’s 400m.

The Jamaica team, through Nickiesha Pryce and Dejanae Oakley, has the chance to win two medals in the women’s 400m. They are to line up against the American threat of Lynna Irby-Jackson. Wadeline Venlogh, who recently changed national allegiance from the USA to her native Haiti, and 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas, are expected to have their say.

Assinie Wilson and Malik James-King are both using the men’s 400m hurdles as preparation for the World Championships. They are set to face American CJ Allen and Costa Rica’s Gerald Drummond.

Sanique Walker and Janieve Russell will be the Jamaicans in the women’s 400m hurdles in which they are expected to face Barbados’ Tia-Adana Belle, who won the event at the Racers Grand Prix in June, Jessica Wright of the USA, and Yanique Haye-Smith of the Turks and Caicos.

— Paul A Reid