South Africa's track and field stars will take on some of Africa's top athletes at the first leg of the ASA Grand Prix series, a World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger meeting, at Pilditch Stadium in Tshwane on Wednesday.
A thrilling battle is expected in the men's 100m race, which features African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya, as well as his experienced compatriot Mark Odhiambo.
While Omanyala will line up as the pre-race favourite, he will have to dig deep to hold off challenges from the likes of former SA 200m champion Luxolo Adams and 32-year-old Emile Erasmus, who will be eager to take another step forward in his comeback season.
Among the women, all eyes will be on the middle-distance events. In the 1 500m race, Prudence Sekgodiso will compete for the first time on SA soil this year, after lowering her own national short track 800m record to 1:59.88 on the European indoor circuit last month.
A tight contest is expected in the 800m race, with Charne Swart looking to build on her impressive form after setting a personal best of 1:59.86 at an Athletics Gauteng North league meeting on the same Pilditch track earlier this month. Swart's strongest challenge is likely to come from Oratile Nowe, who represented Botswana at the Olympic Games in Paris last year.
NENE AND DAMBILE CLASH IN 400M RACE
Other athletes expected to light up the track include Zakithi Nene and Sinesipho Dambile, who square off over the 400m distance, while Ketlhobogile Haingura and Tumo Nkape of Botswana will compete in the men's 800m event. In the women's 100m hurdles race, South African record holder Marione Fourie will turn out as the firm favourite for victory.
In field events, former world champion Luvo Manyonga continues his comeback to competitive athletics when he lines up in the men's long jump. He will need to hit his straps, however, against a field which also features Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jovan van Vuuren.
Former Olympic finalist Kyle Blignaut will also be eager to go big in the early stages of the season in the men's shot put event.
Athletes who win platinum events on the ASA Grand Prix programme will receive R5 500 in prize money, while those who finish second will get R3 000, and individuals who take third place will receive R1 500. In promotional events, winners will get R1 500, runners-up will earn R1 000 and third-place finishers will receive R500.