Sparks will fly as Shericka Jackson faces Julien Alfred in a 200m alongside other top sprinters tonight.

Two-time world 200m champion Shericka Jackson will be facing stiff competition tonight as she fine-tunes her preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the prestigious Gyulai István Memorial in Szekesfehervar, Hungary.

The Jamaican sprint sensation will compete against some of the finest athletes in the world.

Among them is St Lucia’s star athlete Julien Alfred who has emerged as a formidable opponent in the 200m race.

Alongside Alfred, Jackson will also face Britain’s European silver medallist Daryll Neita and fellow Jamaican Lanae-Tava Thomas, adding to the excitement and anticipation of the event.

Jackson has a storied history at the Gyulai István Memorial, having dominated the 200m at this meeting for the past three years.

In 2021, she set a meeting record of 21.96 seconds and is coming off a recent season’s best of 22.29 seconds, which earned her the Jamaican title.

Julien Alfred, the world indoor 60m champion, has her own fond memories of Szekesfehervar.

Last year, she made her professional debut at this very meet and achieved her first victory with a time of 10.89 seconds in the 100m.

Alfred enters tonight’s race with the fastest time this year, having clocked 22.16 seconds indoors back in February.

This highly anticipated clash between the two Caribbean sprint stars over the longer sprint distance promises to be a highlight of the meet.

Jackson’s recent achievements add to the anticipation as she claimed titles in both the 100m and 200m at the Jamaican Olympic trials.

The two-time world 100m silver medallist clocked a season best time of 22.29 seconds in the 200m, underscoring her readiness for tonight’s competition.

The entry list for the 200m Women’s race is packed with talent.

Liliána Guba from Hungary, with a personal best and season best of 23.64 seconds, and Alexa Sulyan from Hungary, with a personal best of 23.12 seconds and a season best of 23.21 seconds, will represent the host nation.

Jamaica’s Natasha Morrison, with a personal best of 22.74 seconds and a season best of 23.13 seconds, will also be in contention, alongside Hungary’s Boglárka Takács, who has a personal best and season best of 22.71 seconds.

Great Britain’s Daryll Neita, with a personal best of 22.16 seconds and a season best of 22.46 seconds, brings her European silver medal credentials to the track, adding another layer of competition.

Fellow Jamaican Lanae-Tava Thomas with a personal best and season best of 22.34 seconds rounds out the star-studded field.