A group of top overseas athletes from California will ratchet up the competition in this weekend's National Championships when they take on some of Bermuda's best middle distance runners.

Four athletes from the Paso Robles High Track and Field team have been lined up to compete at the annual two-day event held at the National Sports Centre (NSC).

Maddy Cline, Nikita Kinsell and Kasay Urma will go up against Bermuda's Taylor Ashley-Bean and Ashley Berry in the women's 1500 and 800 metres races, while Zander Souza will take part in the men's 1500 and 800m.

The injection of foreign talent should add another level of excitement to the championships, with Bermuda Track and Field Association (BTFA) president Donna Watson confident it will be the most competitive in recent memory.

She said a clutch of the Island's overseas-based athletes including sprinter Tre Houston, heptathlete Shianne Smith and long jumper Jasmine Brunson would be returning for the meet.

"This should be one of our best National Championships in a long time.

"With all of the great performances we have had this year, I'm hoping it's going to spill over to the National Championships," said Watson.

"We will have several races that will be exciting with our locally-based athletes competing against our overseas-based athletes and the non-Bermudian athletes who are coming in for the Championships.

"With the times they have run this year they should add to our middle distance events and will be very competitive with our athletes."

Front Street Mile female champion Kenia Sinclair had also agreed to compete in Bermuda this weekend but the Jamaican has been forced to withdraw due to injury.

Watson said: "Unfortunately her coach informed me that she is injured so will not be able to compete.

"Both Ashley and Taylor have qualified for the CAC Junior Championships and will be using this as a good tune up."

Watson hopes that next year more of Bermuda's top college athletes will be available to compete after in-form Aaron Evans was ruled out because of school commitments.

"I'm hoping to bring in even more overseas athletes next year," she said. "Unfortunately not all of our athletes are able to come home for this event due to varying reasons. Hopefully next year we can schedule it where all of them will be able to return.

"As I stated many years' ago I'm hoping the National Championships becomes one of our biggest events."

The meet will be held on Saturday and Sunday at the NSC.