André Lowe, Special Projects Editor - Sports

Triple gold medal winners Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce headline Jamaica's 53-strong track and field squad named by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) last night to represent the island at the August 22-30 IAAF World Championships in Beijing.

The 27 male and 26 female squad is the country's largest ever for a World Championships bettering the 51 selected for the 2011 Daegu championships.

Three male discus throwers (Jason Morgan, Fedrick Dacres and Chad Wright), two female 800m competitors (Natoya Goule and Simoya Campbell), a female (Danniel Thomas) and a male (O'Dayne Richards) shot put athletes, a male 5000m competitor (Kemoy Campbell) and a female steeplechase runner (Aisha Praught) give the country its widest range of competitors ever at a World Championships.

However, all eyes will be on Bolt. He regained some form ahead of his Beijing assignment, twice clocking 9.87 seconds in less than an hour at the Sainsbury's Anniversary Games in London on July 24.

World leader

Bolt will return to the site of his double world record exploits at the 2008 Olympic Games but will perhaps face his biggest test with world leader and 100m silver medallist in Moscow Justin Gatlin, setting the pace this season.

Fraser-Pryce also won gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m at the last World Championships in Moscow in 2013, but is only expected to mount a defence of her 100m world title in Beijing. Her young 'stablemate' Elaine Thompson, the national champion, has been handed the reigns in the 200m, where stalwart Veronica Campbell-Brown will also feature, in addition to the 100m.

Largest ever haul

The Jamaicans ended the 2013 World Championships with nine medals (6 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze), the same as their 2011 return with 2009's 13 medals being the country's largest ever haul at the World Championships.

The squad includes:

Males: Nickel Ashmeade, Leford Green, Kemar Bailey-Cole, Annsert Whyte, Asafa Powell, Damar Forbes, Usain Bolt, O'Dayne Richards, Julian Forte, Fedrick Dacres, Warren Weir, Jason Morgan, Peter Matthews, Chad Wright, Rusheen McDonald, Tyquendo Tracey, Javon Francis, Rasheed Dwyer, Edino Steel, Jonia McDonald, Kemoy Campbell, Dane Hyatt, Omar McLeod, Nesta Carter, Hansle Parchment, Andrew Riley, Roxroy Cato.

Females: Veronica Campbell-Brown, Danielle Williams, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shermaine Williams, Natasha Morrison, Janieve Russell, Sherone Simpson, Kaliese Spencer, Elaine Thompson, Shevon Stoddart, Christine Day, Ristananna Tracey, Shericka Jackson, Shanieka Thomas, Stephenie-Ann McPherson, Kimberly Williams, Novlene Williams-Mills, Danniel Thomas, Simoya Campbell, Salcia Slack, Natoya Goule, Kerron Stewart, Aisha Praught, Chrisann Gordon, Kimberly Laing, Anastasia Leroy.

OFFICIALS: Team Leader - Ludlow Watts; Assistants - Dave Myrie and Heleen Francis. Technical leader - Maurice Wilson; head coach Michael Clarke.