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• Gardiner produces season’s best 44.39 to win at Ostrava Golden Spike; Forde, Hudson and Peters produce top three finishes

  Bahamian Olympic champion Steven Gardiner produced his best run of the season to hold off a fast finishing Alexander Doom and take top spot in the 400m at the 63^rd Ostrava Golden Spike in the Czech Republic on Tuesday.

  Gardiner’s time of 44.39 was just ahead of the Belgian’s personal best 44.44 in second. Reigning Jamaican national champion Sean Bailey was third in a season’s best 44.93.

  Jamaican 2023 World Championship finalists Ryiem Forde and Andrew Hudson finished second in the 100m and 200m, respectively.

  Forde’s time in second was 10.17 while Hudson ran 20.56. Both races were won by Canadian Olympic champion Andre De Grasse. He ran 10.10 in the 100m before returning to the track to run a season’s best 20.09 in the 200m.

  Olympic champion Lamont Jacobs ran 10.19 for third in the 100m while Great Britain's Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake ran 20.63 for third in the 200m.

  In the field, two-time World champion Anderson Peters was third in the javelin.

  The Grenadian battled windy conditions to produce a best throw of 78.60m, far behind Germany’s Julian Weber and the Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch who produced 87.26m and 86.06m for first and second, respectively.

• Broadbell ready for season opener at Racers Grand Prix

  One of Jamaica's premier hurdlers, Rasheed Broadbell, is set to electrify the track once again as he competes on home soil at the highly anticipated Racers Grand Prix scheduled for Saturday.

  Broadbell, whose exceptional performances have made waves on the international stage, is returning with renewed vigour and determination following his spectacular victory at the Commonwealth Games. That triumph at the Commonwealth Games marked a significant milestone in his career, as the gold medal in the 110m hurdles not only demonstrated his exceptional talent, but also cemented his status as one of the leading hurdlers in the world.

  That victory fuelled his ambitions and set the stage for a promising season ahead. Broadbell revealed that he has been undergoing an intensive training regimen in preparation for his season opener at the Racers Grand Prix.

  “Every year my season opener surprises me. I may not know what to expect. It's the first race of the season and the first race since I fell at the world championships so for me I’m just trying to get in race rhythm and execute what I have been practising at training. Preparations have been going great and I pray it remains that way," he said.

  The 23-year-old, who is no doubt targeting a spot on Jamaica's team to this summer's Paris Olympic Games, will be up against compatriot and reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment, as well as American standout Trey Cunningham and rising star Tyler Mason in what is expected to be one of a several explosive events at the National Stadium.

  “It has been a roller coaster journey thus far; grateful for every part of it, most of all I just give God the thanks for bringing me through every bit of it," Broadbell shared.

  “My preparation for the Grand Prix is just a part of the bigger preparation which is the Olympics and to get myself into race shape for the upcoming Olympic trials also my mindset towards this competition is to just get out there, execute, finish healthy and give some excitement to the home crowd," he added.

  As Broadbell gears up for the Racers Grand Prix, the nation is eager to witness one of their own in action. Broadbell's presence at the Racers Grand Prix promises to be among the highlights of the night, as he is poised to deliver unforgettable moments and inspire the next generation of Jamaican hurdlers.

  The event is set to begin at 6:00pm.

  Tickets are available for purchase online at  racersgrandprix.com and mysticonlinetix.com, while physical tickets are available at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

• Economic challenges lead to cancellation of Grenada Invitational

  Scores of fans anticipating this year’s staging of the Grenada Invitational were surely left disappointed after the organizing committee announced the cancellation of the meet.

  The decision to cancel the 2024 Grenada Invitational and retire the brand was made at a Board of Directors meeting on Monday, May 27.

  The driving force behind the decision, as put by the organizers in a statement, were significant socio-economic challenges.

  The Grenada Invitational, known for showcasing world-class athletes such as Justin Gatlin, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Kirani James, has been a highlight for track and field enthusiasts since its inception in 2017.

  The event successfully ran for three consecutive years from 2017-19, bringing global attention to Grenada’s athletic prowess.

  This year’s event, which was officially launched on May 16 at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort in St. George’s, was set to feature prominent athletes including 2011 World champion Kirani James, two-time double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, 2022 Commonwealth 110m hurdles gold medallist Rasheed Broadbell, and 100m hurdles Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper.

  They were among over 100 athletes set to participate in the international segment that promised high-quality competition.

  Grenadian stars Anderson Peters and Lindon Victor, both qualified for Paris 2024, were also booked for the event, making the cancellation even more disappointing for local fans.

  However, efforts to revive the event post-COVID-19 have faced numerous hurdles. The local and regional economic environment has made securing the necessary sponsorship and support exceedingly difficult.

  “Despite the best efforts of the Board of Directors and the Local Organising Team of the Grenada Invitational, the synergy, the enthusiasm, the energy, and the commitment to produce a once-in-a-generation event did not materialize,” the organizers stated.

  The statement continued, “With time running out, the Board of Directors of the Grenada Invitational took the painful decision at a meeting late Monday May 27 to cancel the 2024 Grenada Invitational, as well as round up, for good, the franchise and brand that is Grenada Invitational.”

  “We are extremely pleased that we were able to bring to Grenada quality, world class athletic competition. We would like to commend and extend a hearty thank you to all who contributed, in one way or the other, to the 2017, 2018 and 2019 editions of the Grenada Invitational.”

  Organizers then encouraged Grenadians to look back at the previous editions with pride while singling out Grenadian athletes such as Kirani James, Anderson Peters and Lindon Victor as inspirations behind the meet.