Thompson, Clayton to lead Jamaica’s charge at 50th Prefontaine Classic
Fresh off their national title wins, Olympic silver medalist Kishane Thompson and two-time World U20 champion Tina Clayton will lead a 14-member Jamaican contingent at the 50th Prefontaine Classic, the ninth stop on the Wanda Diamond League circuit, set for this Saturday at Hayward Field.
Thompson, who stormed to a personal best and stadium record of 9.75 seconds to claim the men’s 100m national crown, is expected to be one of the headline acts in a stacked sprint field. He will be joined by fellow Jamaican Akeem Blake, the national bronze medalist, in a race that also features Trayvon Bromell of the United States—currently ranked No. 3 in the world—and Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes.
On the women’s side, Clayton will face a formidable test in the 100m. The 19-year-old clocked a lifetime best of 10.81 seconds at the Jamaican Championships and now lines up against the Olympic podium trio from Paris: world leader Julien Alfred of St. Lucia, American sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson, and fellow American Melissa Jefferson-Woodham.

Three additional Jamaican sprinters will compete in the women’s 100m invitational: Alana Reid, who finished sixth at the national championships, along with seasoned campaigners Briana Williams and Natasha Morrison.
In the women’s 400m, Dejanea Oakley, the national runner-up, is set to renew her rivalry with Aaliyah Butler, her University of Florida teammate and NCAA champion. Olympic 400m hurdles gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is also entered, adding further star power to the event.
The women’s 100m hurdles features a strong Jamaican presence, with national record holder Ackera Nugent, reigning world champion Danielle Williams, and national champion Megan Tapper all listed to compete. They will face off against some of the best in the world this season, including Americans Masai Russell and Tia Jones, and Nigerian world record holder Tobi Amusan.
Other Jamaican athletes confirmed for the meet include:
- Ackelia Smith, national long jump champion
- Bryan Levell, national 200m champion
- Asinnie Wilson and Malik James-King, the national silver and bronze medalists in the men’s 400m hurdles
- Ralford Mullings, national men’s discus champion
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