South Florida’s Ansin Sports Complex in Hollywood is gearing up to host an exciting day of elite track and field action this Saturday, as the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver-level Miramar Invitational draws a huge contingent of top Jamaican sprint talent to compete in a program that mixes fan-favorite distance events with rarely staged competitions.
Leading the charge of Jamaican stars are two decorated World Athletics Championships medalists, Kishane Thompson and Tina Clayton, who have been confirmed to take on the unusual 150m distance, an event that is seldom featured on major professional meet schedules. Thompson, who claimed the men’s 60m silver medal at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships held earlier this year in Poland, will headline the men’s 150m field, where he will face off against fellow Jamaican competitors Gary Card, Adrian Kerr and Javari Thomas.
In the women’s 150m race, Tina Clayton will not be alone: she will line up alongside her twin sister Tia Clayton, plus fellow Jamaican sprinter Briana Williams, to contest the rarely run sprint distance.
The invitational will also feature deep Jamaican representation across the sport’s marquee 100m distance, with multiple top young talents set to compete. Ackeem Blake, who advanced to the men’s 60m semi-finals at this year’s World Indoor Championships, leads a seven-strong Jamaican contingent in the men’s 100m, which will follow a two-round format. After an opening preliminary heat, the eight fastest athletes overall will advance to the event’s final. Joining Blake in the field are Nishion Ebanks, Ryiem Forde, Rasheed Foster, Rohan Watson, Michael Campbell and Andre Edwards.
On the women’s side of the 100m, World Athletics Under-20 gold medalist Alana Reid tops the entry list, joined by a stacked field of compatriots including Jodean Williams, Natasha Morrison, Serena Cole, Lavanya Williams and Yanique Dale.
Longer sprint distances will also feature Jamaican star power. Olympic and World Championship gold medalist Shericka Jackson is scheduled to race the women’s 300m, where she will compete against fellow Jamaicans Joanne Reid and Shanna Kaye Anderson, while Zandrion Barnes will represent Jamaica in the men’s 300m race.
Hurdle events will also see top young Jamaican talent take to the track. Two-time World Under-20 gold medalist Kerrica Hill and Demisha Roswell will compete in the women’s 100m hurdles, while De’jour Russell and Lafrantz Campbell are set for the men’s 110m hurdles.
In total, close to 30 Jamaican athletes will travel to Florida for the meet, marking one of the largest overseas contingents for the Continental Tour Silver-level event, giving sprint fans a chance to see many of the world’s top emerging and established Jamaican talents months before the year’s major global track and field competitions.