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SILESIA SHOWDOWN! - Jamaica’s, world’s biggest stars to light up Polish Diamond League
August 15, 2025
Several of the world's best athletes, including 19 Jamaicans, will be involved in some mega clashes at the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, the 12th stage of the Wanda Diamond League in Chorzow, Poland today and tomorrow.
The event will see athletes seeking valuable points in their bid to qualify for the two-day grand Diamond League finale, slated for Zurich, Switzerland, from August 27-28.
With the World Athletics Championships just four weeks away, the stage is set for fireworks -- especially in the men's and women's 100 metres, which will feature world leaders Kishane Thompson of Jamaica and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the United States, both looking to continue stamping their authority on the event.
Thompson, the world leader in the men's event with his 9.75 seconds clocking to win his second title at the Jamaica National Senior Championships, will face the United States' (US) champion Kenneth Bednarek, the world number two, who won the event at the US National Championships in a personal-best 9.79.
Three other Americans will be in the line-up, including Olympic champion Noah Lyles. Lyles, who edged out Thompson for the gold medal in Paris last year in a photo finish -- both clocking 9.79 seconds -- will be facing the Jamaican for the first time since.
The American has only competed twice in the 100m this season; finishing second to Jamaica's Oblique Seville at the London Diamond League on July 19, and running only in the first round at the US Trials. He is yet to break the 10-second barrier this year, with a season's best of 10.00 seconds.
However, Lyles has shown strong form in the 200m, including a win over Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and Bednarek at the US Championships, clocking a world-leading 19.63 seconds. He cannot be counted out in the shorter sprint.
Thompson is coming off a win four days ago in Budapest, which was not his best execution, and will need to run much faster than his 9.95 seconds winning time if he hopes to continue his winning ways. Also in the line-up are the United States' Courtney Lindsey (9.82), Trayvon Bromell (9.86), and Christian Coleman (9.84), along with Jamaica's Ackeem Blake (9.88) and Diamond League leader Akani Simbine (9.90) of South Africa -- the only man to have beaten Thompson this season.
HOTTEST SPRINTER
In the women's 100m, the hottest female sprinter in the world this season, Jefferson-Wooden, will make her second Diamond League appearance of the year.
After dominating the Grand Slam meets and impressively defeating Olympic champion Julien Alfred at the Prefontaine Classic in 10.75 seconds, the unbeaten American returned to Eugene, Oregon, several days later to storm to a personal-best and world-leading 10.65 to win the US National Championships.
The Jamaican duo of twin sisters Tina and Tia Clayton will be aiming to lower the American's colours. Tia, returning to competition for the first time since her injury at the Jamaica National Senior Championships, is the fastest Jamaican in the event this season with 10.81 seconds.
She will be seeking her second Diamond League win after her 10.92 clocking in Doha, which was then a world-leading time.
Tina, who won her first national senior title with a personal-best 10.86 seconds, is coming off a second-place finish earlier this week in Budapest behind Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith of Cote d'Ivoire, and will be aiming to go faster than her 10.99 clocking.
Ta Lou-Smith, with a season's best of 10.90 seconds, will also be in the line-up, as well as World champion Sha'Carri Richardson (11.07) of the US, who is yet to hit top form and will be seeking improvement. Great Britain's Dina Asher-Smith, with a season's best of 10.93, will also feature.
WOMEN'S 100M HURDLES
In the women's 100m hurdles, Jamaica will be represented by Ackera Nugent, Megan Tapper, and Danielle Williams. Nugent, with a season's best of 12.30 seconds, will be looking to bounce back after a fourth-place finish in Budapest, her first time outside the top three this season.
Tapper, fresh from equalling her personal best of 12.34 seconds to win in Monaco, will be eyeing another victory, while Williams (12.51) will be aiming to improve her time.
The field includes world leader Masai Russell of the United States (12.17) and Nigeria's Tobi Amusan (12.24).
In the women's 400m hurdles, Andrenette Knight (53.67) will lead fellow Jamaican Shiann Salmon against a stacked field.
World leader Femke Bol of the Netherlands (51.95) will be looking to extend her unbeaten run. The line-up also includes Savannah Sutherland of Canada (52.46) and the American pair of Dalilah Muhammad (52.58) and Anna Cockrell (52.89), all of whom have dipped under 53 seconds this season.
World champion Shericka Jackson will compete in her third 200m of the season. After placing third in the 100m earlier this week in Budapest with a modest 11.00 seconds, she will be seeking a statement performance.
Jackson will aim to lower her season's best of 22.53 against a quality field that includes Great Britain's Amy Hunt (22.14), the USA's Brittany Brown (22.27), Nigeria's Favour Ofili (22.00), and Great Britain's Daryll Neita (22.30).
Other Jamaicans set to compete include Orlando Bennett and Hansle Parchment in the men's 110m hurdles, Roshawn Clarke in the men's 400m hurdles, Rajindra Campbell in the men's shot put, Romaine Beckford in the men's high jump, and Ackelia Smith in the women's long jump.
