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• Jackson seeks to bounce back against Brown in 200m as Clayton faces Bol test in 400m hurdles in Stockholm

  After a sub-par showing on last, reigning World 200m champion Shericka Jackson will definitely be hoping to make the Stockholm Diamond League meet a memorable one on Sunday.

  The 29 year-old Jamaican sprinter has gone faster than anyone over 200m except 1988 Olympic champion Florence Griffith Joyner.

  However, a fifth place at the Oslo Diamond League on Thursday raised questions about Jackson’s fitness ahead of this Summer’s Paris Olympic Games. Still, Jackson is as determined as athletes come and she will no doubt look to assuage concerns with a speedy time in Stockholm.

  On the other hand, American Brittany Brown will look to rattle her confidence once more. Brown scored an upset victory with a time of 22.32 seconds in Oslo. The result has vaulted the American sprinter into the Olympic selection conversation ahead of their Olympic Team Trials in late June.

  Brown is slated to run both the 100m and 200m in Stockholm. Gambia’s Gina Bass, Cote d’Ivoire’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith and Jamaica’s Natasha Morrison will also line up in the 100m, while Jackson and fellow Americans Anavia Battle and Jenna Prandini will be Brown’s biggest rivals in the 200m.

  Jamaica’s Ryiem Forde Forde will have his hands full in the men’s 100m, as he faces Japanese Hakim Sani Brown, the runner-up in Oslo, Emmanuel Eseme of Cameroon, and American Kyree King.

  

  Rushell Clayton's rich vein of form to be tested by Femke Bol.

  Another highly anticipated women’s track event is the 400m hurdles, where in-form Jamaican Rushell Clayton will lock horns with Dutch world champion Femke Bol, who will make her season debut in the event at Stockholm’s Olympic stadium.

  Clayton has grown from strength to strength since copping bronze at last year’s World Championships. She secured victories in Oslo on Thursday, and prior to that, won in Rabat, as well as at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational Meet, where she clocked a season’s best 53.72s. She will again be joined by compatriots Andrenette Knight and Janieve Russell, who were a part of the Jamaican sweep of the podium at the in Oslo, with World champion Bol now joining the party.

  World Championships silver medallist Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands is expected to be one of the toughest rivals for Alison Dos Santos of Brazil in the men’s 400m hurdles.

  But McMaster will have much to do, as Dos Santos has been holding superb form and is undefeated in the event. Dos Santos has won both of his races on the Diamond League circuit this year in impressive times, the most recent being a season’s best 46.63s-clocking in Oslo.

  Meanwhile, the women’s triple jump seems headed to be a Caribbean affair with world indoor champion Thea Lafond of Dominica, two-time World Championships silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts of Jamaica, and world indoor silver medallist, Leyanis Perez Hernandez of Cuba again set to battle for the podium spots. Another Jamaican Kimberley Williams will be aiming to improve on her recent performances.

  Elsewhere in the field, Fedrick Dacres and Danniel Thomas-Dodd will also be hoping to improve their form in the men’s discus and women’s shot put respectively.

• Omanyala aims for fast time in 100m at Racers Grand Prix in Kingston

  Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest man, is eager to deliver a fast performance in the 100m at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston, Jamaica, later today. The 28-year-old will face World Champion Noah Lyles, Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, and Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes in a highly anticipated race expected to be the highlight of the meet.

  At a press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston on Friday, Omanyala discussed his goals and the significance of competing in Jamaica.

  “Since the start of the season, I haven’t had good weather to run in because I have been running in rain, cold weather, so I’m happy I’m in Jamaica and it’s very hot," Omanyala said. "Looking at my previous runs in hot weather, my best one was in Botswana where I ran 9.78, so I am looking forward to running and I am looking for a very fast time.”

  Omanyala expressed his excitement about finally making it to Jamaica after multiple invitations.

  “I am happy to be in Jamaica. I’ve been invited more than twice, so I’m glad I made it this time because it’s far from home. I am glad at this time it came up at a point where we are having our US tour, so it was close, and I am happy to be here. I’ve been told I have so many fans, so I want to see that on Saturday.”

  

  The Kenyan sprinter also explained why he has set his sights on Usain Bolt’s 100m world record of 9.58 seconds, set in August 2009 at the Berlin World Championships.

  “When I started running, the African record was far, and nobody thought that it could be broken, but we broke it twice. So, the same thing I say for all records—it is not that it is impossible, so we’ll get there,” said Omanyala, who holds the African record of 9.77 seconds set at the Kip Keino Classic in 2021.

  With favorable weather conditions and a strong field of competitors, Omanyala is poised to make a significant impact at the Racers Grand Prix. Fans are eagerly awaiting his performance, hoping to witness a thrilling race and potentially record-breaking time.

   

   

• With Bolt's times on his mind, Noah Lyles eyes Yohan Blake's 100m stadium record at Racer’s Grand Prix on Saturday

  Triple World Champion Noah Lyles has his sights set on Yohan Blake's stadium record of 9.75 seconds, set in 2012, as he prepares to compete in the 100m at the Racers Grand Prix at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday night. Lyles, who wakes up every day with Usain Bolt's world records of 9.58 for the 100m and 19.19 for the 200m on his mind, believes he is getting closer to breaking both records each year.

  Speaking at a Racers Grand Prix press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus on Friday, Lyles shared his thoughts on his progress and ambitions.

  "Every day, it's (Bolt's records) in the back of my mind. Every day I train as if I'm getting closer and closer because every year I get closer and closer," Lyles said. "Especially this year, we've made a lot of headway in our 100m training, and I'm very eager to show everybody how much headway we've made on Saturday because it's been consistent."

  Lyles highlighted the progress he has seen in his training, emphasizing that his improvements are not just occasional but have been consistently evident.

  "You know, it's one thing when you get it once or twice in practice, but we've been seeing it happen week after week, run after run, and I believe that the 150m proved that we've been making progress on both ends, on the 200 side and on the 100 side," he said in reference to the American record to the 14.41 he ran at the Adidas Atlanta City Games a week ago.

  "And, of course, the world record is always going to be in the back of my mind, but Olympic golds are Olympic golds, and nobody can take those away from you."

  While Lyles acknowledges that the 200m world record might be easier to achieve, he remains determined to excel in both events.

  "Definitely the 200m is going to be easier. I have a firm, firm chokehold on the 200m right now, and I'd say I'm kind of just letting everybody play their cards for now," he said. "I'm very excited. Tomorrow is gonna be a magical day."

  When asked about Blake's stadium record, Lyles responded with enthusiasm and determination. "75? Let's go after that!" he exclaimed.

  Lyles' confidence and determination set the stage for an exciting race on Saturday night, as he aims to make history at the National Stadium in Kingston.