KINGSTON, Jamaica – A resurgent Christopher Taylor, rising sprint sensation Kishane Thompson, and Olympic champion Masai Russell will be among the headline acts when the Racers Grand Prix returns to the National Stadium in Kingston on June 7.
For Taylor, the meet marks a long-awaited return to the sport’s spotlight. The 25-year-old Jamaican quarter-miler, who helped Jamaica to a silver medal in the men’s 4x400m relay at the 2022 World Championships, will contest the men’s 200m — his first competitive race in nearly two years following a 2½-year suspension for a whereabouts violation.
“Christopher told me he is coming back in the 200 metres,” said Glen Mills, chairman of the Racers Grand Prix organizing committee. “He is doing very well in training and is excited about his return.”
Taylor’s comeback adds another layer to an already stacked Jamaican roster, led by Kishane Thompson, the Olympic silver medallist in the 100m, who has shown electric early-season form. The 23-year-old opened his 2025 campaign with a 6.48 performance in the 60m at GC Foster College in January, one of the fastest ever by a Jamaican, and followed that up with a 6.56 win at the Astana Indoor Meet in Kazakhstan.
On the women’s side, all eyes will be on Masai Russell, the reigning Olympic 100m hurdles champion from the United States, who is set to face Nigeria’s world record holder Tobi Amusan in one of the meet’s most anticipated matchups. Russell’s clash with Amusan will also feature a strong Jamaican contingent, including Amoi Brown, Asharria Ulett, Yanique Thompson, and Crystal Morrison.
Jamaica’s next generation will also take center stage. Seventeen-year-old Gary Card, a World U20 sprint relay gold medallist, will make his professional debut after clocking a stunning 10.06 in the semifinals at the Boys’ and Girls’ Championships before winning the Class One 100m final in 10.28, despite struggling with injury.
“He has recovered and is back in training,” said Mills. “I believe his coach has the world junior record in mind.”
The Jamaican team also features several senior stalwarts, including world 400m champion Antonio Watson, Olympic 100m finalist Oblique Seville, and long jump silver medallist Wayne Pinnock. Tina and Tia Clayton, Alana Reid, Bryan Levell, Krystal Sloley, Shashalee Forbes, Cherokee Young, Zandrion Barnes, Orlando Bennett, and Amoi Brown round out a deep home lineup.
In addition to Russell and Amusan, the international roster includes Tia Jones, Aleia Hobbs, Jarion Lawson, Jeremiah Davis, Cordell Tinch, and Trey Cunningham, the defending men’s 110m hurdles champion.
The 11-event programme, condensed into a high-energy 2½-hour window, will include the 100m, 200m, and 400m for men and women, 100m and 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, women’s triple jump, and men’s long jump.
Competition begins at 7:00 p.m. local time.
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