World-class stars set for the 2026 Serbia Athletics Meeting in Smederevo
Smederevo will welcome a strong international field on Wednesday, September 2, when the fifth edition of the Serbia Athletics Meeting takes place at the stadium inside Smederevo Fortress. Olympic and world medallists, European champions and several of the season’s fastest sprinters are set to compete at the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting.
The men’s 100m promises to be one of the highlights, with several athletes who have broken the 10-second barrier this season.
American sprinter Ronnie Baker leads the field with a season’s best of 9.88, a performance that places him among the world’s fastest men in 2026. Jamaica’s Kadrian Goldson and rising South African star Bayanda Walaza have both clocked 9.89 this year.
Walaza has already established himself as one of the leading sprint talents of his generation. He completed the 100m and 200m double at the 2024 World U20 Championships, confirming his considerable potential on the international stage.
Canada’s Jerome Blake adds further quality to the field after recording 9.93 this season. Blake has also enjoyed major success as a member of Canada’s 4x100m relay team, winning Olympic and world titles.
The men’s shot put will feature another high-class international contest. Italy’s Zane Weir, who holds a personal best of 22.44m, has thrown 21.42m this season and recently earned the silver medal at the European Championships in Birmingham.
Weir will face American Payton Otterdahl, one of the world’s leading shot putters. Otterdahl finished fourth at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with a best throw of 22.03m.
South Africa’s Antonio Alkana will headline the men’s 110m hurdles. The two-time African champion and former African Games winner has a personal best of 13.11.
The women’s programme is equally strong, beginning with a high-quality 100m field.
Canadian record-holder Sade McCreath arrives after running 10.86 this season, placing her among the fastest women in the world. American Jenna Prandini, who owns a personal best of 10.97, will also line up in Smederevo.
Former world record-holder Kendra Harrison is one of the biggest names entered across the entire meeting. The American will compete in the women’s 100m hurdles, an event in which she holds a personal best of 12.20.
Harrison’s impressive résumé includes Olympic silver from Tokyo, world silver from Doha in 2019, world bronze from Budapest in 2023 and the 2018 world indoor title over 60m hurdles.
She will be joined by Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent, the 2021 world U20 champion and another athlete established among the international elite in the event.
A competitive women’s javelin field will include Brazil’s Jucilene Sales de Lima, who won the 2025 South American title with a throw of 62.32m.
Norway’s Marie-Therese Obst, the 2024 European bronze medallist, will also compete alongside Germany’s Julia Ulbricht, the European silver medallist from Birmingham and owner of a 61.58m personal best.
American Shamier Little will be the leading attraction in the women’s 400m hurdles. Little has a personal best of 52.39 and has recorded 54.15 this season. Her international honours include a World Championships silver medal and global relay titles.
With such a strong collection of established champions and rising stars, the fifth Serbia Athletics Meeting promises to be one of the leading international athletics competitions staged in the country this season.
The meeting will be streamed live online. Click here for live-stream details.
Artile Source: Serbian Athletics
