Caymanian Olympian Davonte Howell says he is ready to put on a show for fans and family when he lines up in the 100m at the inaugural Barbados Grand Prix on July 5.

Selected as one of 112 handpicked athletes for the exclusive, invitation-only meet, Howell said he is especially excited about competing in front of extended family members who will be watching him race in person for the first time.

"I feel great, and I’m excited to run in front of extended family who haven’t seen me in a while,” Howell told Cayman Compass.

"I just hope to run as fast as I can on that day and execute the best race I possibly can," he added.

Currently a sophomore at the University of Tennessee and a member of their track-and-field team, Howell, 19, has been enjoying a fairly good season so far, as he already has season-best times of 10.13s and 20.76s for the 100m and 200m, which helped him earn an invitation to the new-format meet.

Set to take place at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex in Barbados, the Grand Prix is the brainchild of Aren Spencer, a national junior record holder in triple jump and a five-time Carifta Games medalist. The event promises a high-energy, team-style format with a unique twist.

Athletes who accept invitations are entered into a draft pool, where four managers and four coaches will use a snake draft method to select competitors for four Grand Prix teams. Each event will be contested by eight athletes, with athletes competing in just one event on meet day.

The final draft date is yet to be announced, but organisers have confirmed it will happen within the first two weeks of June. The Barbados Grand Prix also offers prize money across various categories.

Several top-tier names have already been confirmed alongside Howell, including Olympians Michelle-Lee Ahye, Jonathan Jones, Mario Burke, and Akela Jones.

The competition will feature events such as the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, long jump, 100m hurdles (women), 110m hurdles (men), shot put (men), 4x400m mixed relay, and mixed shuttle relay.