Nickisha Pryce Set for Professional Debut at London Diamond League

This meet serves as the final major tune-up before the Olympic Games commence in Paris, France.

At just 23 years old, Pryce, who clocked 48.89 seconds to clinch the NCAA Division One championships in June and defended her Jamaican championships title, is ranked second in the world. She heads into the race on an impressive eight-race unbeaten streak.

A former standout at Vere Technical, Iowa Western, and the University of Arkansas, Pryce is one of nine Jamaicans competing in this 10th leg of the Diamond League circuit.

She will face stiff competition from her Arkansas teammate Amber Anning, Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek, and Lieke Klaver from the Netherlands—all of whom have clocked times under 50 seconds this season.

In the 400m hurdles, the races are expected to be fiercely contested. World number three-ranked Rushell Clayton, along with Shiann Salmon and Andrenette Knight, will represent Jamaica.

Dutch Olympic medal hopeful Femke Bol is the favorite, with American Shamier Little also anticipated to be a strong contender.

Roshawn Clarke, the World Championships finalist and national record holder, will make his first competitive appearance since the national championships, where he finished behind Malik James-King. Clarke will compete against a high-caliber field including Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, Kyron McMaster from the British Virgin Islands, American CJ Allen, and France’s Wilfried Happio.

In the men’s 100m, Ackeem Blake and Yohan Blake will face off against world champion Noah Lyles, who is racing for the first time since his victory at the US Championships in late June. Lyles, ranked fourth globally, will aim to make a significant impact ahead of the Olympics.

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, South Africa’s Akani Simbine, and British sprinters Louie Hinchcliffe and Zharnel Hughes, returning from injury, will add to the race’s intensity.

Natoya Goule-Toppin, a multiple-time national champion, will compete in the women’s 800m against top British runners Keely Hodgkinson and Jemma Reekie. The field also includes Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi and American Allie Wilson.

Zandrion Barnes will race in the men’s 400m, facing off against Canada’s Christopher Morales-Williams, Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori, Trinidad’s Jereem Richards, and American Vernon Norwood.