Shanoya Douglas, the World Under-20 leader in the women’s 100m and 200m, is set to contest the double at the fifth staging of the Puma East Coast International Showcase inside Hughes Memorial Stadium at Morgan State University in Maryland, United States, on Saturday.

The East Coast International Showcase, which is the brainchild of Jamaican Olympian Sanjay Ayre, is expected to feature more than 1,200 elite high school athletes from across the United States and the Caribbean competing in sprints, relays and field events, say organisers.

Holland High, Jamaica College, Excelsior High and St Andrew High School for Girls are the Jamaican schools set to participate.

The 18-year-old Douglas will return to individual competition for the first time since she won the Under-20 sprint double at the Carifta Games in Grenada almost a month ago. There she lowered her Jamaican Under-20 record in the 200m to 22.11 seconds.

Douglas was part of the Holland High team that competed in the High School Girls’ 4x100m relay at last weekend’s 130th staging of the Penn Relays Carnival at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

“My expectations are to come out and do my best and see if I can get a fast time,” Douglas was quoted to have said in a release from organisers. “We always try to give 110 percent anywhere we go. Our mindset heading into any competition is to come out on top, and even if we don’t, we want to produce fast times. The season has been great so far and I can’t complain, but I believe there is still a lot more for me to give, and I’m waiting patiently.”

Douglas competed in the 100m and 200m at the East Coast International Showcase in 2024, placing fourth in the 100m in 11.81, behind American McKenzie Travis (11.62) and Hydel High’s Alliah Baker (11.68).

She finished third in the 200m in 24.04 behind Americans Skyler Franklin (23.48) and Elise Cooper (23.96).

That year Douglas went on to win bronze in the women’s 200m at the World Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, and gold as part of Jamaica women’s 4x100m team.

Another Jamaican youth standout set to feature at the 2026 East Coast International Showcase is 100m sprinter Kai Kelly of Jamaica College.

Kelly, 15, is set to make his debut at the East Coast Showcase.

“My coach has been preparing me for this meet. I’m ready to show them Kai Kelly, and show them what I do best,” he said.

Kelly is to contest the boys’ 100m, just a week after producing a sensational anchor leg to carry Jamaica College to victory in the High School Boys’ 4x100m Championship of America at the Penn Relays.

His superb form this season saw him winning the Boys’ Class Two 100m title at the ISSA Boys’ Athletics Championships in 10.28 seconds before capturing Under-17 gold at the Carifta Games in 10.37.

— Paul A Reid

Mickeila Henlon (left) and Shanoya Douglas of Holland High train at Howard Community College on Thursday, ahead of the Puma East Coast International Showcase on Saturday.

Jamaica College sprinter Kai Kelly participates in a training session at Howard Community College on Thursday.