Tre Houston and Jeneko Place are set for a head-to-head sprint showdown in the National Championships this weekend to determine who is the quickest man in Bermuda.

England-based Houston starts as the favourite for both the 100 and 200 metres having spent the last six months being schooled at Tony Lester's world-renowned training camp.

But Place has enjoyed a terrific season, having claimed silver medals in the 100 and 200 metres at the Carifta Games in the Cayman Islands earlier this year and has qualified for this summer's Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

Houston will be using the races as a tune-up for the CAC and Commonwealth Games and is relishing his duel with Place.

"I'm looking forward to be racing Jeneko, I really am. He's been doing some excellent things this year so it will he good to go up against him," said Houston, who posted times of 10.7 seconds in the 100 metres and 21.42 in the 200 metres in his second meet of the season in Switzerland.

Place, 16, has plenty of international pedigree himself. At the Carifta Games he ran the 100m in 10.71 and the 200m in 21.27 and won the silver medal in the 200m at the Island Games in 2008.

Bermuda Track and Field Association (BTFA) president, Donna Watson, said Houston and Place's track tussle would be the most anticipated event at the National Championships.

"Tre Houston will be coming home for the championships so that should be a good race in the 100m and 200m with Jeneko Place who is having a fantastic year as he prepares for the CAC Juniors, World Juniors and Youth Olympics," she said.

"All of our Carifta athletes will be competing this weekend. With this being the last opportunity for the athletes to reach the CAC Junior Championships we should see these athletes really giving 100 percent.

"Our athletes are still trying to qualify for the World Junior Championships and Commonwealth Games."

The absence of Aaron Evans, through school commitments, has paved the way for two-way battle in the 800m between Shaquille Dill and Henry Stevens-Carty.

Both Carifta Games medallists have already booked their tickets for the CAC Junior Championships and are pushing to qualify for the World Junior Championships.

In the heptathlon, Shianne Smith will face stiff competition from Andrea Jackson, Jasmine Brunson wi ll be confident of victory in the long jump, while Carifta medallists Allison Outerbridge and Akeila Richardson be the favourites in the women's triple jump.

The National Championships will take place at the NSC on Saturday and Sunday.