Para Sprint Stars Also Headline June 6 Meet at Texas A&M
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Two of the fastest women in history are set to square off in the 100m hurdles at next month’s Lone Star Grand Prix Fueled by 44 Farms, as meet organizers at USA Track & Field announced another wave of star athletes for the inaugural meet on June 6 at Texas A&M University. Also announced today, some of the world’s best Paralympic sprinters and showdowns between recent NCAA champions in the 400m and 800m. Tickets are on sale now, and previous athlete announcements can be found here.
The women’s 100m hurdles will feature reigning World Championships bronze medalist Grace Stark (USA) taking on reigning Diamond League champion Ackera Nugent (JAM) in a showdown between two of the sport’s brightest stars. Stark earned bronze at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo and ran a personal best 12.21 in 2025, making her the fifth-fastest woman in history. Nugent, whose 12.24 personal best ranks seventh all-time, defeated Stark in Zurich to capture the Diamond League title last season.
The loaded field also includes 2016 Olympic silver medalist and 2019 World champion Nia Ali (USA), 2026 U.S. indoor champion Alia Armstrong, and fellow American Danae Dyer, runner-up at this year’s U.S. Indoor Championships. The meet will open with a pair of marquee Para 100m races featuring some of the world’s top sprint talent.
In the women’s Para 100m, Americans Sydney Barta and Kym Crosby return after both earning bronze medals in the 200m at the 2025 Para World Championships in New Delhi. Crosby also claimed a medal in the 100m. Joining them is fellow American Brittni Mason, a double silver medalist in the 100m and 200m at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
The men’s Para 100m will feature a showdown between Paralympic champion Ezra Frech and reigning world champion Jaydin Blackwell, both of the United States. They will have competition from another recent World Champion, Hunter Woodhall. Woodhall won the T64 100m title at the 2024 World Championships. He’s the 2024 Paralympic gold medalist in the 400m. Also entered is 2025 World Championships bronze medalist for Team USATF, Jarryd Wallace.
The 400m hurdles will be a matchup of the last two NCAA Champions in the event; Caleb Dean (USA) who won the title in 2024 while attending Texas Tech. And Ezekiel Nathaniel (NGR) who won in 2025 at Baylor. Both were finalists at last year’s World Athletics Championships with Nathaniel finishing fourth and Dean seventh. Nathaniel is the Nigerian national record holder in the event. World silver medalist Trevor Bassitt (USA) and NACAC Champion CJ Allen (USA) are also among the top contenders in the race.
The women’s 800m brings together another battle between past NCAA champions - one a Texas A&M alum. Michaela Rose (USA), the 2023 NCAA 800m champion at LSU, will face Wilma Nielsen (SWE) of Oregon, who captured the 2026 NCAA indoor title in the 1500m. The field also includes 2024 Olympic finalist Shafiqua Maloney (SVG), 2025 U.S. outdoor runner-up Maggi Congdon, and 2026 U.S. indoor runner-up Valery Tobias.
Fans in College Station will also welcome back Texas A&M legend Sammy Watson (USA), who won the 2018 NCAA 800m title for the Aggies. Organized by USA Track & Field, the Lone Star Grand Prix Fueled by 44 Farms will take place Saturday, June 6, beginning at 2 p.m. CT at Texas A&M University. The meet will air live on NBC from 3–5 p.m. CT. Tickets are on sale now, and media interested in covering the event can apply for credentials here.