Oketch will race against some of the world's fastest sprinters led by world number two and three-time Diamond League Finals champion Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain.

National 400m record holder Mercy Oketch is bracing for a stern test in her maiden Diamond League appearance on Saturday in Shanghai, China.

Oketch has steadily emerged as a rising force on the local and international 400m circuit to rank 15th in the world on 1272 points.

Sara Mose inspired to chase more glory two silvers at Africa Junior and Senior Championships Football

Game management, set-piece key for Kabras ahead Enterprise Cup final against Uganda's Pirates Rugby

The 23-year-old heads into the high-profile clash fresh from the World Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, where she finished fourth in a team that had Mercy Chebet, George Mutinda and Kelvin Tonui .

USA (3:07.47), won the race ahead of Jamaica (3:08.24) and Britain (3:09.84).

Oketch is confident she has put in the hard work in training.

“I am still working hard in training. I hope this season will be one of the best seasons in my life,” she said.

Oketch has been in electric form since launching her 2026 season. She opened her indoor campaign in Germany at the 27th Internationales Leichtathletik meet on January 24, storming to victory in 52.98 seconds.

At the Madrid World Indoor Tour Gold meet on February 6, she powered to third in 52.25 behind Dutch star Lieke Klaver (51.26) and Spain’s Blanca Hervas (51.59).

Just two days later, she bounced back to winning ways at the Meeting Metz Moselle in France in 51.53.

At the World Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, Oketch finished fifth in a national record of 51.25.

Lurdes Gloria Manuel of the Czech Republic (50.76), Poland’s Natalia Bukowiecka (50.83) and Netherlands star Lieke Klaver (51.02) claimed the medals.

Oketch then shifted gears to the outdoor season, opening her campaign at the Lefika Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, on March 28 as part of Kenya’s 4x100m and mixed 4x400m relay squads.

In the mixed 4x400m relay, she combined with Allan Kipyego, Kevin Kipkorir and Mercy Chebet to guide Kenya to victory in 3:14.04 ahead of Nigeria (3:16.33) and Zambia (3:19.30).

In the 4x100m relay, she joined forces with Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala, Boniface Mweresa and Millicent Ndoro to secure second place in 41.70 behind Nigeria (41.44).

On April 24, Oketch extended her scintillating form at the Kip Keino Classic, storming to the 400m crown in 50.17 ahead of American Paris Peoples (51.06) and compatriot Mercy Chebet (51.14).

Four days later, she lit up the track at the Simbine Classic in Pretoria, South Africa, dominating the 300m race in 35.77 ahead of American Kenondra Davis (35.81) and South African Marlie Viljoen (36.30).

Meanwhile, Naser enters the contest as the Diamond League champion having claimed her third trophy in Zurich last year after clocking 48.70 ahead of Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic (49.23) and Norway’s Henriette Jaeger (49.49).

Adding depth to the field are Nickisha Pryce of Jamaica and Chile’s Martina Weil, the 2023 Pan American 400m champion.