American Alexis Holmes and great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith emerged as the winners of the women’s and men’s 400m races at the inaugural Jamaica Athletics Invitational at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

Holmes, a member of the USA’s gold medal-winning mixed relay team at the World Championships in Budapest last year and the World Relays this year in Nassau, ran 50.31 to lead an American 1-2-3 with Brittany Brown running 51.21 in second and Naasha Robinson running 51.81 in third.

“I had a lot of fun. The energy was great,” Holmes said after the race.

“I was expecting a smooth race and just trying to get the win. I just try to stay relaxed and poised because I know I have a strong finish,” she added.

The men’s race saw World Championship silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith produce 44.69 to take the win ahead of American Matthew Boling (44.98) and Jamaica’s Zandrion Barnes (45.41).

“I’m a lot more healthier this year. I’ve got the best team in the world. My coach Gary Evans is a man with a plan and this year it’s all about being healthy when it matters,” he said after the race.

“It was a good executed race. We just wanted to come home strong and be composed. I’ve got Oslo, Europeans, Monaco and London so I’ve got a lot more races and training,” he added.

The Brit also gave props to World Champion Antonio Watson who ran 45.61 for fifth.

“Listen, he’s the reigning World Champion so I’ve got to give him respect. He came out here in front of his people and raced. He delivered when it mattered,” he said.

LSU sophomore Brianna Lyston and Arkansas senior Nickisha Pryce both produced excellent performances to claim gold medals on the final day of the SEC Outdoor Championships in Gainesville, Florida on Saturday.

The former Hydel High and St. Jago High athlete won ahead of Georgia’s Kaila Jackson, who wasn’t far behind in second with 10.95, and LSU’s Thelma Davies who ran 11.01 in third.

She then ran 22.37 for fourth in the 200m final. Ole Miss’s McKenzie Long ran 22.03 for gold ahead of South Carolina’s JaMeesia Ford (22.11) and LSU’s Thelma Davies (22.17).

Earlier, she helped LSU take bronze in the women’s 4x100m in 42.49 behind Ole Miss (42.47) and Tennessee (42.42).

The 19-year-old Lyston ran wind assisted times of 10.87 and 10.84 earlier this season. She also claimed the indoor 60m titles at both the SEC and NCAA Indoor Championships in February and March.

In the men’s 100m final, Bahamian Florida junior Wanya McCoy ran a personal best 10.02 for second behind LSU’s Godson Oghenebrume who successfully defended his title in 9.99. Tennessee’s T’Mars McCallum ran 10.03 in third.

McCoy also ran a personal best 19.93 for second in the 200m behind Alabama’s Tarsis Orogot who ran a meet record 19.75 to take gold. Auburn’s Makanakaishe Charamba ran 20.00 for third

The 400m saw reigning Jamaican national champion Nickisha Pryce move to second all-time for Jamaica in the event with a brilliant 49.32 to win gold. Kaylyn Brown (49.47) and Amber Anning (49.51) took second and third to complete an Arkansas 1-2-3.

This is just a day after Pryce ran her previous personal best 49.72 to advance to the final.

Pryce's time is just outside of Lorraine Fenton's Jamaican record 49.30 set back in 2002.

Barbadian Tennessee senior Rasheeme Griffith ran 49.24 for third in the men’s 400m hurdles final behind Alabama’s Chris Robinson (48.43) and Tennessee’s Clement Ducos (47.69).

The women’s event saw Jamaican Ole Miss sophomore Gabrielle Matthews run a personal best 55.12 to win ahead of Georgia’s Dominique Mustin (55.60) and LSU’s Shani’a Bellamy (56.40).

 

 

Brianna Lyston secured a chance at the sprint double at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Gainesville, Florida after booking her spot in the final of the women’s 100m.

The LSU sophomore, who ran 22.31 on Thursday to secure her spot in the 200m final, came back a day later to run 11.09 to be the joint-fastest qualifier for Saturday’s final alongside collegiate leader Jacious Sears of Tennessee.

Bahamian Florida junior Wanya McCoy and Jamaican Georgia freshman Jehlani Gordon advanced to the men’s 100m final as the second and ninth fastest qualifiers with 10.09 and 10.17, respectively.

The women’s 400m prelims saw Arkansas senior Nickisha Pryce become the eighth-fastest Jamaican ever in the event.

Pryce, who is Jamaica’s reigning national champion, ran a personal best and collegiate leading 49.72 to advance to the final as the fastest qualifier ahead of teammate Kaylyn Brown who ran 49.86.

LSU sophomore Jahiem Stern produced 13.45 to advance to the final of the 110m hurdles.

In the field, the Jamaican Arkansas pair of Romaine Beckford and Wayne Pinnock won gold in the high jump and long jump, respectively.

Beckford had a best clearance of 2.22m to win ahead of LSU’s Kuda Chadenga (2.19m) and Ole Miss’s Arvesta Troupe (2.14m).

Pinnock, a sliver medalist at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, jumped 8.09m to successfully defend his SEC title.

Georgia’s Micah Larry produced 7.80m for second while Florida’s Caleb Foster was third with the same distance.

 

 

St. Vincent’s Shafiqua Maloney and Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent and Phillip Lemonious all secured wins at Friday’s Arkansas Twilight in Fayetteville.

Maloney, unbeaten so far this season in the 800m both indoors and outdoors, showed her class on Friday in the one lap event, speeding to a new personal best and national record 50.75 to take top spot.

Her time was also an Arkansas Twilight record, bettering Britton Wilson’s 50.97 set in 2022.

American Kendall Baisden was way behind in second in 52.91 while Sudan’s Hiba Saeed was third in 53.45.

2023 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion and world championship finalist in the sprint hurdles, Ackera Nugent, tried her hand successfully at the 200m on Friday. She ran a season’s best 23.12 to win ahead of 400m podium finishers Hiba Saeed (23.49) and Kendall Baisden (23.58).

Phillip Lemonious, who also took sprint hurdles gold at the NCAA Championships last year, ran a season’s best 13.52 to win the event on Friday ahead of Arkansas’s Elijah Morris (13.70) and Brevin Sims (13.73).

Dom Rep’s Marileidy Paulino followed up her triumph at the season’s Diamond League opener in Xiamen last week with another victory at the Shanghai Diamond League on Saturday.

The reigning World champion produced 50.89 to win ahead of American Talitha Diggs who ran 51.77 and Bajan two-time World Championship bronze medallist Sada Williams who ran 52.00 in third.

Paulino’s winning streak in the 400m has now stretched to seven races.

It was déjà vu in the women’s 100m hurdles as reigning Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho Quinn just pipped World Indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record holder Devynne Charlton on the line, just as it played out in Xiamen last week.

Camacho-Quinn ran 12.63 compered to Charlton’s 12.64. Two-time World champion Danielle Williams was third in 12.74.

The men’s 110m hurdles saw American Daniel Roberts get his second win in a row to kick off the Diamond League season. His winning time was 13.12, comfortably ahead of Japan’s Shunsuke Izumiya (13.23) and Olympic champion Hansle Parchment’s season’s best 13.26.

 

Shafiqua Maloney of St Vincent and the Grenadines showcased her dominance on the track by clinching a sensational victory in the 400m at the prestigious John McDonnell Invitational held in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Friday.

Maloney, known primarily for her prowess in middle-distance events, delivered a remarkable performance in the 400m, setting a new meet record with a blistering time of 50.94 seconds. This stunning achievement surpassed the previous meet record of 51.47 seconds set by Jamaica's Nickisha Pryce at the 2023 edition of the event.

The 25-year-old athlete's triumph marked a significant milestone in her outdoor season, as she had not competed in the 400m distance since July 2022 when she clocked a time of 52.35 seconds. Maloney's outstanding performance in Fayetteville also shattered her personal best of 51.72 seconds, achieved back in March 2021.

Reflecting on her remarkable achievement, Maloney expressed joy and gratitude for her performance, highlighting the challenges and rewards of returning to the 400m distance after a hiatus.

"One thing I do not miss about the 400 is them ashy knees," Maloney jokingly remarked after her race. "Back after two years with a new outdoor PR! Finally, a part of the 50. Club. To God be the glory! Without him I am nothing, with him, I am all that you see."

In a race that featured fierce competition, Iowa State's Rachel Joseph secured second place with a personal best time of 51.63 seconds, while Omolara Ogunmakinju of Harding University finished closely behind in third place, also achieving a lifetime best of 51.90 seconds.

The John McDonnell Invitational also a witnessed solid performance from Jamaican sprint hurdler Phillip Lemonious, who claimed victory in the 110m hurdles with a time of 13.89 seconds. Brevin Simms of Arkansas and William Spencer, both representing the host Razorbacks, finished closely behind Lemonious with identical times of 13.99 seconds, securing the second and third positions, respectively.

Louisiana State University sophomore Brianna Lyston, Minnesota junior Devin Augustine and Olympic and World 400m champion Steven Gardiner were among the Caribbean winners at Saturday’s LSU Alumni Gold meet in Baton Rouge.

Lyston produced one of the day’s most impressive performances, winning the college 100m in 10.84, a time that would’ve been a new personal best if not for a 2.2 m/s tail wind.

Minnesota’s Odell Frye (11.19) and Victory Godah (11.28) were second and third.

This was Lyston’s second time already this season going sub-11 seconds. At the Battle of the Bayou on March 30, she turned heads with an also wind-aided 10.87 (2.6m/s).

The former St. Jago High and Hydel High standout also, earlier this season, became the SEC and NCAA Indoor 60m champion with times of 7.08 and 7.03, respectively.

Lyston then returned to win the 200m in 22.35 (2.8m/s) ahead of Southern Miss’s Jada McDougle (23.061) and LSU’s Aniyah Bigam (23.064).

Trinidadian Minnesota junior Devin Augustine was also impressive in winning the sprint double.

He first won the 100m in 10.02 (2.2 m/s) ahead of LSU’s Da’Marcus Fleming (10.03) and 2024 Carifta Games U-20 100m silver medallist Jaiden Reid (10.12).

Augustine then ran 20.98 into a -3.0 m/s wind to win the 200m ahead of teammate Charles Godfred (21.41) and Meridan Community College’s Keon Buck (21.46).

Elsewhere on Saturday, Bahamian 400m legend Steven Gardiner produced 44.45 to comfortably win his 400m season opener ahead of American Vernon Norwood (44.94) and British World Championship silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith (45.00).

The Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino kicked off her 2024 season with a comfortable win in the women’s 400m at the season’s opening Diamond League meet in Xiamen on Saturday.

Paulino, the reigning World champion, ran an easy 50.08 to take the win over Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek (50.29) and the USA’s Britton Wilson (51.26). Barbadian two-time World Championship bronze medallist Sada Williams was fourth in 51.97.

Paulino, who is developing an impressive level of dominance in the event, last lost a 400m race on July 16 last year when she was third at the Silesia Diamond League.

Since then, the 27-year-old has won six races in a row. She was victorious in all three of her individual races at last year’s World Championships in Budapest before winning at both the 2023 Xiamen Diamond League and Prefontaine Classic, which also served as the 2023 Diamond League Final.

The women’s 100m hurdles saw Bahamian newly crowned World Indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record holder Devynne Charlton be narrowly beaten by reigning Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.

Charlton, as is customary with someone strong in the 60m hurdles, got her usual bullet start but was unable to hold off the fast-finishing Camacho-Quinn in the end. The Puerto Rican’s winning time was a meet record 12.45 while Charlton’s time was 12.49 in second.

France’s Cyrena Samba-Mayela, who took silver behind Charlton at this year’s World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, ran a personal best and national record 12.55 in third.

Jamaican two-time World champion Danielle Williams was fourth in a season’s best 12.56.

The men’s sprint hurdles saw reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment and Orlando Bennett run 13.33 and 13.58 for sixth and eighth, respectively.

American Daniel Roberts took the win in 13.11 ahead of countryman Cordell Tinch (13.16) and Japan’s Shunsuke Izumiya (13.17).

In the meet’s final race, Jamaican World Indoor bronze medallist Ackeem Blake ran a season’s best 10.20 for third in the men’s 100m. American 2019 World champion Christian Coleman took the win in 10.13 while countryman Fred Kerley, the 2022 World champion, ran 10.17 for second. Jamaica's reigning national champion Rohan Watson ran a season's best 10.27 in fourth.

Track & Field fans around the world will be treated to an exciting clash in the women’s 100m hurdles at the season’s opening Diamond League meet in Xiamen on Saturday.

Jamaica’s two-time World champion, Danielle Williams, will take on newly crowned World Indoor 60m champion and record holder, Devynne Charlton, as well as 2021 Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper.

World record holder Tobi Amusan and reigning Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn are also set to line up on Saturday along with Americans Alaysha Johnson and Masai Russell.

The field is completed by Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, 2022 World Indoor champion Cyrena Samba-Mayela and China’s Yanni Wu.

Reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment will compete alongside countryman Orlando Bennett in the 110mm hurdles.

Bajan two-time World Championship bronze medallist Sada Williams will line up in the 400m alongside Guyana’s Aliyah Abrams.

Bahamian Anthonique Strachan will take on some of the world’s best in the 200m.

Finally, Jamaica’s World Indoor 60m bronze medallist Ackeem Blake, 2011 World 100m champion Yohan Blake and reigning national 100m champion Rohan Watson will all line up in the 100m against a stacked field including the likes of American world champions Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley.

 

Kimar Farquharson, Navasky Anderson and Tarees Rhoden completed a Jamaican 1-2-3 in the men’s 800m on day two of the 2024 Tom Jones Memorial at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida on Saturday.

Farquharson, a junior at Texas A&M, ran 1:46.69 to take top spot. Anderson, Jamaica’s national record holder, ran 1:46.76 in second and Rhoden, a senior at Clemson University, ran 1:46.82 in third.

Vincentian star Shafiqua Maloney finished on top in the women’s equivalent in 1:59.97 ahead of Clemson’s Gladys Chepngetich (2:00.53) and Houston’s Kelly-Ann Beckford (2:00.70).

Jamaica’s Stacey Ann Williams was second in the women’s 400m invite in 50.71. The event was won by American Alexis Holmes in 50.65 with Britton Wilson running 50.74 for third.

Jamaican Clemson junior Marie Forbes threw a personal best 58.31m for second in the women’s discus invite behind Florida’s Alida Van Daalen (62.58m). Ohio State’s Faith Bender was third with 56.91m.

Vincentian Shafiqua Maloney continued her impressive start to the 2024 season with a national record to take top spot in the women’s 600m at the Miramar Invitational at the Ansin Sports Complex in Florida on Saturday.

Maloney, an 800m gold medallist at the NACAC U-23 Championships in 2021, ran 1:23.80 to win ahead of Americans Sadi Henderson (1:27.81) and Ajee Wilson (1:27.86).

The 25-year-old is coming off an excellent season indoors that included 800m wins at the Arkansas Invitational on January 12, Razorback Invitational on January 27 and the Tyson Invitational on February 10.

Also among the winners on Saturday were Bajan two-time World Championships 400m bronze medallist Sada Williams, Jamaican sprint hurdler Tyler Mason and Bahamian quarter miler Alonzo Russell.

Williams produced 22.82 to take the women’s 200m ahead of Denmark’s Ida Karstoft (23.010 and American Kynnedy Flannel (23.32).

Mason took the win in the men’s 110m hurdles with a time of 13.57. American Eric Edwards was second in 13.60 while Great Britain’s Andrew Pozzi was third in 13.63.

Russell ran a season’s best 45.35 to win the men’s 400m ahead of Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic (45.36) and Bahamian Wendell Miller (46.00).

World Indoor 60m bronze medallist Ackeem Blake ran 10.28 to finish second in the men’s 100m, just behind American Courtney Lindsey who ran the same time as Blake. Another Jamaican, Andre Ewers, ran 10.43 to finish third.

In the field, 2019 World Championships silver medallist Danniel Thomas-Dodd threw 18.72m for third in the women’s shot put behind American Maggie Ewen (18.95m) and Chase Jackson (19.88m).

Jamaican Chanice Porter jumped 6.36m for second in the women’s long jump. The USA’s Taliyah Brooks narrowly won the event with 6.38m while Puerto Rico’s Alysbeth Felix-Boyer was third with a season’s best 6.28m.

 

On Thursday's Day 3 of the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston, the Class 1 Girls 400m race took centre stage as Abigail Campbell of Hydel High School secured her first title for her new school after previously winning two gold medals for Ferncourt High School.

Campbell displayed her class, crossing the finish line in 52.27 seconds to claim the gold medal. It was a remarkable achievement for Campbell, who ran a strategic race to emerge victorious in the highly competitive event. Tonyan Beckford of Edwin Allen secured the silver medal with a time of 53.22 seconds, while Natasha Fox, also from Edwin Allen, clinched the bronze in 54.48 seconds.

Meanwhile, in the Class 2 Girls 400m, Shanoya Douglas of Muschett High School produced a dominant performance to emerge victorious with a time of 53.03 seconds, securing the gold medal. Kellyann Carr of Edwin Allen claimed the silver with a time of 53.58 seconds, followed by Nastassia Fletcher of Hydel High School, who secured the bronze in 53.98 seconds.

In the Boys' division, Marcinho Rose of Kingston College dominated the Class 1 Boys 400m race, crossing the finish line in 45.93 seconds to secure the gold medal. Amal Glasgow, also representing Kingston College, took the silver with a time of 46.85 seconds, while Omary Robinson of Jamaica College secured the bronze in 46.92 seconds.

The Class 2 Boys 400m saw Demarco Bennett of Excelsior High School emerge victorious with a time of 46.91 seconds. Nickecoy Bramwell of Calabar High School claimed the silver with a time of 47.39 seconds, closely followed by Jabari Matheson of William Knibb, who secured the bronze in 47.40 seconds.

In the Class 3 Girls 400m, Sashana Johnson of Hydel High School clinched the gold medal with a time of 54.59 seconds. Tracey-Ann Evans of Holmwood Technical secured the silver with a time of 55.28 seconds, while Kevina Bourne of Port Antonio High School claimed the bronze in 56.78 seconds.

Finally, in the Class 3 Boys 400m, Rushaine Richards of St. Jago High School emerged victorious with a time of 49.54 seconds. Oneil Lawrence of Jamaica College took the silver with a time of 50.11 seconds, followed by Kyle Thompson, also from Jamaica College, who secured the bronze in 51.07 seconds.

Earlier, in the Class I Boys discus event, Shaiquan Dunn of Jamaica College emerged as the standout athlete, delivering a dominant performance to claim the gold medal. Dunn showcased his immense strength and skill with a massive throw of 65.48m, setting a new standard for excellence in the event. His remarkable feat earned him nine valuable points for Jamaica College.

Chad Hendricks of Munro College demonstrated his prowess in the discus, securing the silver medal with a throw of 56.90ms. Despite facing tough competition, Hendricks delivered a commendable performance, showcasing his talent and determination on the championship stage.

Delano Lawrence of Calabar High School rounded off the podium with a bronze medal-winning throw of 56.77m. Lawrence's impressive display of skill and technique added crucial points to Calabar High School's overall tally, underscoring his importance as a top competitor in the event.

 

Jamaican Arkansas Junior Wayne Pinnock produced an excellent performance to claim long jump gold on day two of the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships in Boston, Massachusetts on Friday.

The 23-year-old, who claimed World Championship silver in Budapest last year, won on Friday with a personal best and world leading 8.40m, equaling the Jamaican indoor record set by Carey McLeod last year.

Pinnock’s record-equaling jump came in the fourth round of the competition and was his last jump as he subsequently passed on his fifth and sixth round efforts.

His other distances in the first three rounds were 8.23m, 8.36m and 8.29m. His second-round jump was also a world-leading effort.

Florida State Senior Jeremiah Davis produced a season’s best 8.20m for second while Florida Junior Malcolm Clemons was third with 8.11m.

The former Kingston College standout also won NCAA Indoor gold in 2022.

On the track, Bahamian Texas Tech Junior Terrence Jones led all qualifiers to the final of the men’s 60m with a time of 6.56. Jamaican USC Junior Travis Williams (6.60) and Bahamian Florida Sophomore Wanya McCoy (6.60) also made it through to tomorrow’s final.

McCoy also led all qualifiers in the 200m with a facility record 20.34. Jones also made it through with the same time.

Florida Senior Jevaughn Powell and Texas Tech Sophomore Shaemar Uter both made it through to the final of the 400m with times of 46.05 and 46.09, respectively.

The qualifiers for the 800m final were led by Jamaican Iowa Junior Rivaldo Marshall with 1:47.21.

Vincentian Penn State Sophomore Handal Roban (1:47.55) and Jamaican Clemson Senior Tarees Rhoden (1:47.66) also made it through.

 

Ackeem Blake took home the region’s first medal at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow with a brilliant bronze in the final of the men’s 60m on Friday.

Blake, Jamaica’s national record holder in the event with 6.42 done in 2023, produced 6.46, narrowly outside of his season’s best 6.45 done on February 4 in Boston, to take his first individual major championship medal.

In a keenly anticipated contest between Americans Christian Coleman and Noah Lyles, Coleman ended up taking the win in a world leading 6.41 while Lyles ran 6.44 in second.

Lyles famously got his first ever win against Coleman over 60m at the US Championships last month.

Elsewhere, Jamaica’s national record holder in the 400m outdoors, Rusheen McDonald, successfully advanced to the final of the men’s 400m by running a personal best 46.02 to finish second in his semi-final behind Norwegian world 400m hurdles record holder Karsten Warholm (45.86).

Texas Tech Jr Terrence Jones established a new Bahamian national record on the way to 200m gold at the Big 12 Indoor Championships at the TTU Sports Performance Center in Lubbock on Saturday.

Jones, 21, won in 20.21 ahead of Houston Senior Shaun Maswanganyi (20.41) and Jamaican Baylor Senior Demar Francis (20.60).

Jones also holds Bahamian records in the 60m (6.45) and 100m (9.91), alongside 2007 World Championship silver medallist Derrick Atkins.

The women’s 400m saw Jamaican Texas Sophomore Dejanea Oakley produce a personal best 51.75 to take gold ahead of Iowa State Sophomore Rachel Joseph (51.98) and Texas Senior Ziyah Holman (52.22).

Oakley completed an excellent individual meet with another personal best, 22.86, to take the runner-up spot in the 200m. TCU Junior Iyana Gray took gold in 22.71 while Texas Tech Senior Rosemary Chukwuma took bronze in 22.90.

The men’s 400m saw St. Lucian Kansas Junior Michael Joseph set a personal best and break his own national record to win gold in 45.46. Jamaican Texas Tech Sophomore Shaemar Uter ran 45.68 for silver while Baylor Junior Nathaniel Ezekiel took third in 45.73.

In the field, Jamaican Texas Junior Ackelia Smith was dominant in the women’s long jump, producing 6.74m to win comfortably ahead of Baylor Senior Alexis Brown (6.45m) and Texas freshman Aaliyah Foster (6.34m).

Texas Tech won the men’s team title by 60 points, finishing with 152 points. Oklahoma State (92), Texas (89), Kansas (81) and Iowa State (67.5) rounded out the top five.

On the women’s side, Texas won the title with 135 points while Texas Tech (104), Oklahoma State (103.5), BYU (71) and Baylor (44) rounded out the top five.

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