Jamaica's reigning 800m champion Chrisann Gordon-Powell is pregnant.

Natoya Goule won the 800m but Shericka Jackson finished a shocking fifth while Kirani James suffered a mild upset in their respective events at the Galà dei Castelli meeting in Bellinzona, Switzerland on Monday.

Goule ran a solid 1:59.05 for an easy win in the 800m. Taking control of the race with just over 400m to go, the Jamaican sped away from the field leaving Anita Horvat in her wake.

The Slovenian clocked 2:00.76 for second place with Anna Wielgotz of Poland finishing third in 2:01.24.

In what must have been the surprise of the meet, Jackson, whose 10.71 makes her the second fastest woman in the world this year, was fifth in the 100m in 11.19.

Marie Josee Ta Lou, meanwhile, won impressively in 10.86 ahead of Great Britain’s Daryll Neita (11.00) and Egypt’s Hassant Hemida (11.07), who were second and third, respectively.

Murielle Ahoure-Demps was fourth in 11.18.

Ackeem Blake ran 10.09 for fourth place in a closely contested 100m dash that was won by American Brandon Carnes in 10.04.

Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya was second in 10.05, the same time given to the USA’s Kendal Williams who was third.

Andrennette Knight ran 52.23 to finish third in the 400m that was won by Lada Vondrova of the Czech Republic in 51.60. Laviai Nelson of the United Kingdom was second in 51.72.

Even though world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk was down for the 400m, James on the basis of his consistent performances this season must have been favoured to win the one-lap sprint.

But no one told the South African who edged the Grenadian to win in a meet record 44.33 to James 44.38. Zakhiti Nene of Africa ran 45.75 for third.

Earlier, Damion Thomas ran 13.38 for second place in the 110m hurdles race which American Jamal Britt claimed victory in 13.18.

Brazil’s Rafael Pereira was a close third in 13.41.

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn rebounded from the disappointment of finishing fourth at the Diamond League final in Zurich last week Thursday with a comfortable victory in the 100m hurdles.

The Puerto Rican clocked 12.72 beating American Nia Ali, who ran 12.80 for second place.

Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska finished third in 12.95.

Caribbean women dominate the field for the women’s 400m at Thursday’s Diamond League final in Zurich.

Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino, silver medallist at the World Championships behind Bahamian superstar Shaunae Miller-Uibo, will be present having won at the Doha, Rabat and Lausanne legs of the Diamond League circuit.

Her countrywoman Fiordaliza Cofil will also be in the field. The 21-year-old finished third at the Lausanne event before running a big personal best of 49.80 to win in Brussels.

Bajan World Championships silver and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sada Williams will also be looking to add to her stellar season that has seen her lower her country’s national record to 49.75. She finished second in Rabat, Lausanne and Brussels and third in Monaco.

Jamaican World Championship finalists Stephenie Ann McPherson and Candice McLeod are the other Caribbean women in the field while it is rounded out by Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek, Anna Kielbasinska and The Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver.

In other events, Trinidadian Commonwealth Champion Jereem Richards as well as the Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando will go in the men’s 200m while Jamaican World Championship finalist Natoya Goule will contest the women’s 800m.

Distance runner Adelle Tracey was delighted to celebrate her first medal for Jamaica, a bronze, in the women’s 800m, at the 2022 NACAC Championships in the Bahamas on Saturday.

The athlete, who switched allegiance from Great Britain to Jamaica in June, made her debut at the IAAF World Championships but was unable to take part in the Commonwealth Games earlier this month due to protocols surrounding the international transfer.

The athlete was, however, able to return to the track for the NACAC Games where she finished third in the women’s 800m behind the US pair of Ajee and Allie Wilson.  Ajee finished just ahead of her compatriot Allie in a  photo finish 1:58.47 to 1:58.48.

The Jamaican finished third in 1:59.54 only her second time under 2 minutes, behind her personal best, which came at the IAAF World Championship in Eugene, Oregon in July.  Tracey was delighted with the result and performance.

“Ajee set a really tough pace from the get-go, that was great for me because I actually ran my second fastest time.  It was very hot today, it’s super windy.  I just made it hard but there is a lot of travel in my legs,” Tracey said after the race.

  “I was kind of hoping it would have been a bit more tactical but that was a really honest race and there are some really fast girls in there so I’m really happy with it,” she added.

The distance runner was also delighted to have made the trip.

"It feels like a really special place and this is my first medal as a Jamaican athlete as well, so, I really love the Bahamas.”

The Jamaicans also picked up other medals on the night when Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper claimed silver in the women’s 100m hurdles and another bronze for Orlando Bennett in the men’s 110m hurdles.

Jamaica’s Alexis James and Kerrica Hill led all qualifiers to the semi-finals of the Women’s 100m hurdles as action continued at the World Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia on Thursday.

James, who finished second behind Hill at the Jamaican National Junior Championships in June in 13.13, sped to a new personal best 13.04 to win heat five and advance at the fastest qualifier.

Hill, who ran a spectacular 12.98 to win that Jamaican junior title, ran a comfortable 13.30 to win heat one and progress.

In the 200m, favourite Brianna Lyston of Jamaica cruised to 23.56 to win heat two and comfortably advance.

Lyston’s teammate Alana Reid is also safely through after running 23.47 to win heat three.

The Dominican Republic’s Lirangi Alonzo Tejada ran a personal best 23.76 for second in heat four to also progress.

Heat six saw Cuba’s Yarima Garcia run a personal best 23.46 to win and advance.

In the 800m, Jamaica’s J’Voughnn Blake successfully advanced to the semi-finals after a 1:48.97 effort to finish fourth in heat six.

In the field, Bahamian Keyshawn Strachan threw 78.87m to lead all qualifiers to the final of the Men’s javelin.

Jamaica’s Jaydon Hibbert jumped out to 16.37m to advance to the final of the Men’s triple jump.

Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah led all qualifiers to the semi-finals of the 100m as Athletics action got underway at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Tuesday.

The World Championship 100m bronze medallist from Eugene ran an easy 10.99 to win heat two and advance.

Antigua & Barbuda’s Joella Lloyd was next up, finishing third in heat three in 11.42 to advance. In heat four, Guyana’s Jasmine Abrams almost perfectly matched Lloyd, running 11.42 for third to advance.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Michelle Lee-Ahye and the Bahamas’ Tynia Gaither ran 11.14 and 11.19, respectively, to finish first and second in heat five and progress.

Jamaica’s Natalliah Whyte ran 11.31 to win heat six and advance while St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred (11.24) and Jamaica’s Remona Burchell (11.46) were the top two finishers in the seventh and final heat.

On the Men’s side, Nadale Buntin of St. Kitts & Nevis will be in the semis after finishing third in the first heat with a season’s best 10.37.

Rikkoi Brathwaite of the British Virgin Islands finished second in heat three in 10.42 to advance.

Next up was Jamaican 2014 Commonwealth Games 100m champion Kemar Bailey-Cole who ran 10.15 to finish second in heat four to progress.

Heat six saw Trinidad & Tobago’s Kion Benjamin produce 10.34 for second to move on while Jamaica’s Conroy Jones (10.28) and Trinidad & Tobago’s Eric Harrison Jr (10.37) both advanced from the eighth heat.

The tenth and final heat saw three Caribbean men advance. Trinidad & Tobago's Jerod Elcock won the heat in 10.26 while Guyana's Emmanuel Archibald (10.28) and St. Lucia's Stephan Charles (10.29) finished second and third, respectively.

Jamaican World Championship finalist Natoya Goule is now a Commonwealth Games finalist as well after running 1:58.39 to advance to the final as the fastest qualifier.

In the field, Jamaica’s Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Lloydricia Cameron both advanced to the final of the Women’s shot put after throws of 18.42m and 16.61m, respectively. Thomas-Dodd’s distance was the farthest in qualifying.

The Caribbean will be well represented in the final of the Men’s long jump as The Bahamas’ Laquan Nairn (7.90m), Jamaica’s Shawn-D Thompson (7.85m), Guyana’s Emmanuel Archibald (7.83m), Dominica’s Tristan James (7.65m) and Trinidad & Tobago’s Anduelle Wright (7.58m) will all be present.

Jamaica’s Traves Smikle (64.90m) and Roje Stona (58.35m) will both be in the final of the Men’s discus throw alongside Grenada’s Josh Boateng (56.51m).

Shericka Jackson produced the second fastest 200m time in history to win gold in the women’s 200m final at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene on Thursday night.

Jackson, who won silver in the 100m with a 10.73 personal best on Sunday, ran a spectacular championship record 21.45 for victory ahead of teammate Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (21.81) and Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (22.02). Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah finished seventh in 22.39.

Jackson’s time also makes her the fastest woman alive over the distance and is a new national record.

In the men’s equivalent, the USA completed their second sprint sweep of the championships with Noah Lyles defending his title from Doha with a phenomenal world-leading and lifetime best of 19.31 to become the third fastest man in history over the distance.

Kenny Bednarek ran 19.77 for the silver medal while 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton took the bronze in 19.80. The Dominican Republic's Alexander Ogando and Trinidad & Tobago's Jereem Richards were fifth and sixth in 19.93 and 20.08, respectively.

In the Women’s 800m, Jamaica’s 1500m semi-finalist Adelle Tracey ran a personal best of 1:59.20 to finish third in heat one and advance to the semi-finals.

Joining Tracey in the semis will be her Jamaican teammate and 2019 World Championships finalist Natoya Goule, who won the sixth and final heat in 2:00.06.

In the field, the world leader and defending world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada needed only one throw to advance to the final of the men’s javelin, registering a mark of 89.91m. Trinidadian 2012 Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott failed to advance, finishing 16^th overall in qualifying with a throw of 78.87m.

Cuba’s Lazaro Martinez jumped 17.06m to advance to the final of the men’s triple jump.

Jevaughn Powell and Candice McLeod were crowned 400m champions on Sunday’s last day of the 2022 Jamaican National Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Running in rainy conditions, Powell, a finalist at the NCAA Championships earlier in June, produced a late burst in the final 50 metres of the race to produce 45.50 to win ahead of Nathon Allen (45.64) and Anthony Cox (45.65).

McLeod, a finalist at the Tokyo Olympics last year, produced a strong season’s best of 50.29 to win ahead of Stephenie Ann McPherson (50.49) and Charokee Young (50.76).

There was an upset in the Women’s 800m as eight-time national champion Natoya Goule ran 2:00.83 for second behind Chrisann Gordon-Powell (2:00.35). Adelle Tracey ran 2:01.18 for third.

National record holder and NCAA Championships silver medallist Navasky Anderson ran 1:48.53 to win his first national title ahead of Kimar Farquharson (1:49.36) and Tarees Rhoden (1:49.89).

Natoya Goule is hopes to run a fast time when she takes to the track for the 800m final at Jamaica’s national senior championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday. However, she expects to unleash her best time for the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon next month.

The 31-year-old Goule, a finalist at the Tokyo Olympics in Japan in 2021, holds her country’s national record of 1:56.15 but has run a best time this season of 1:59.31 in Oslo on June 16. But even though she doesn’t expect to be challenged as she goes for a ninth consecutive title on Sunday, she expects to perform well.

“Now is a good time to target a time in a race like this where you control the race,” she said, “because sometimes you are in other races and you are not able to control the race like you want to so if I want to run a time I need to just go and do it.”

The national record holder also revealed that she has been working on a new race strategy that will result in her finishing on the podium in Oregon in July. In some races this season, she has run from the front while in others she has tried to run on from behind. So far this season, that has been a work in progress, she said.

“Well, in some of the races it was but for one particular race, it was not planned. It just happened. I think it was Rome, it was not planned. There was a lot going on at that time but it showed me I can still run from the back even though I wasn’t able to go as fast as I wanted at that time, it still showed that I can run from anywhere and I was able to dip under two minutes so that showed something but I was really trying to work on different strategies throughout the season in some races,” she explained.

“I just have to be ready on that day, be super fit and be able to execute my race properly and make sure I don’t overdo it and then I will be able to run faster.”

That said, she was non-committal about whether Jamaica would see elements of that developing strategy come Sunday but believes her best time is yet to come this season.

“My coach and I haven’t really spoken about my race plan as yet but we definitely want to run a good time so I think I will probably have to take it out,” she said.

“I am in the shape for that but let’s see what will happen because it is not easy running that by yourself. I think it is going to come between now and worlds because when I ran my PR it was in July. I always run my fastest in July so for me, July is the time.”

The 2022 World Championships begin on July 15.

Newly minted Jamaica 800m record holder Navasky Anderson says he is feeling fresh and confident as he prepares to bow into battle against the best of his compatriots at the Jamaica National Senior Championships set to get underway at the National Stadium in Kingston Thursday afternoon.

Mississippi State’s Jamaican Junior Navasky Anderson finished second in the Men’s 800m at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene on Friday and made history in the process.

The former St Jago man broke Seymour Newman’s 45-year-old national record of 1:45.21 with a 1:45.02 effort to finish second behind Texas Tech’s Moad Zahavi who ran 1:44.49 for victory. Texas A&M’s Brandon Miller finished just behind Anderson in third with 1:45.09.

Anderson also achieved the World Championship qualifying standard of 1:45.20 with his performance.

In an interview with Sportsmax.TV after achieving a then-personal best 1:45.89 last month, Anderson spoke about putting Jamaican 800m running on the map and, one day, breaking Newman’s national record which was set in 1977 in Helsinki.

“My job here is just now getting started,” he said.

“My goal is not only to be the best 800m runner from Jamaica but also to bring the awareness and the spotlight to the younger generation letting them know that we can be dominant in the 800m as well,” Anderson added.

The former Essex Community College man can now say he's achieved one of those goals.

Tennessee freshman Wayne Pinnock added to his trophy cabinet by securing the Men’s long jump title as the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships got underway on Wednesday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

The former Kingston College standout jumped out to 8.00m to secure victory ahead of Florida State’s Jeremiah Davis, who also achieved 8.00m, a new personal best, while his Florida State teammate Isaac Grimes was third in 7.97.

Pinnock has now completed the NCAA double having won the indoor title in Alabama, in March, with a 7.92m effort.

The Caribbean will be well represented in the final of the Men’s 400m through Barbadian Olympian and Texas athlete Jonathan Jones and Jamaican UTEP and former Edwin Allen and Kingston College quarter miler Jevaughn Powell.

Jones ran a comfortable 44.97 to win his semi-final while Powell advanced after finishing third in his semi-final with 45.47.

Jamaican Mississippi State junior Navasky Anderson will contest the Men’s 800m final after running 1:45.94 to win his semi-final.

Barbadian New Mexico senior Rivaldo Leacock advanced in the Men’s 400m hurdles with a 49.86 clocking.

Jamaicans Jaheem Hayles of Syracuse and Lafranz Campbell of Clemson both advanced in the Men’s sprint hurdles with times of 13.44 and 13.48, respectively.

Trinidadian Olympian Eric Harrison of Ohio State ran 20.18 to win his 200m semi-final.

The Men’s finals will take place on Friday, June 10^th while the Women’s section gets underway on Thursday, with the finals coming on Saturday.

Hydel’s Brianna Lyston destroyed Simone Facey’s 18-year-old the Class I Girls 200m record (22.71) with a phenomenal 22.53 into a -2.2 m/s headwind to win gold on Day five of the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

Vere Technical’s Kaylia Kelly was second in 23.59 and St. Jago’s Shenese Walker was third in 23.89.

Bryan Levell completed the sprint double by running 20.77 to win the Class I Boys event ahead of JC’s Deandre Watkin (20.84) and St. Jago’s 400m champion Gregory Prince (20.92).

100m silver medalist Alana Reid won gold in the Class II race in 23.59 ahead of Immaculate Conception’s Mickalia Haisely (23.87) and Mount Alvernia’s Carletta Bernard (24.02).

JC’s Mark Anthony Miller added to his 100m gold medal with 21.82 to win the Class II Boys event ahead of Omarion Barrett of Steer Town (21.97) Enrique Webster of STETHS (22.15).

Theianna-Lee Terrelonge completed her own sprint double in Class III with a personal best 23.91 to win ahead of Lacovia’s 400m champion Sabrina Dockery (24.30) and Holmwood Technical’s Abrina Wright (24.44).

Nickecoy Bramwell of Calabar finally got his gold medal in the Class III Boys event in 22.81 ahead of KC’s Shavaughn Brown (23.14) and Herbert Morrison’s 100m champion Tavaine Stewart (23.15).

Wolmer’s Girls’ Natrece East secured the Class IV sprint double with a time of 24.62 ahead of Janelia Williams of Excelsior (25.34) and Sashana Johnson of Hydel (25.43).

Jamaica College secured 16 points in the Boys Class I 800m as their captain J’Voughnn Blake ran 1:58.67 to equal former Edwin Allen standout Chevonne Hall’s 2021 Class I record ahead of teammate Handal Roban (1:48.72) and KC’s Giovouni Henry (1:50.79).

There was an upset in the Boys Class II final as favorite from Foga Road Franklyn Tayloe, after leading for about 770m, had to settle for bronze in 1:57.14 behind winner Ainsley Brown of Port Antonio (1:55.08) and silver medalist Rashid Green of STETHS (1:56.23).

JC’s Samuel Creary added to his silver medal from the 400m to win gold in the Class III Boys 800m in 2:01.34 ahead of KC’s Nahashon Ruto (2:01.45) and Manchester’s 400m champion Troydian Flemmings (2:01.46).

Edwin Allen’s Rushana Dwyer rebounded from her disappointment in the 1500m to win gold in the Class I 800m in 2:08.36 ahead of her teammate Jessica McLean (2:09.23) and Holmwood Technical’s Jodyann Mitchell (2:10.33).

Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms won gold in Class II in 2:08.52 ahead of St. Catherine’s Kitania Headley (2:08.98) and Holmwood Technical’s Cindy Rose (2:10.80).

Holmwood Technical’s Andrene Peart won the Class III Girls 800m in 2:12.97 ahead of Edwin Allen’s 1500m gold medalist Kora Barnett (2:13.67) and St. Jago’s Kededra Coombs (2:15.27).

Mexico and Cuba both enjoyed additional success as athletics action came to a close at the Junior Pan Am Junior in Cali, Colombia on Saturday.

Mexico won medals in the first two events on the day when Guillermo Ornelas took bronze in the Men’s 110m Hurdles in 14.05 and Cesar Ponce claimed a silver medal in the 3000m Steeplechase in 8:56.65.

Their compatriot, Israel Alvarez, finished fourth in the 800m in 1:50.43 ahead of Dominica's Dennick Luke, who was fifth in 1:50.79.

The Cubans then got in on the act in the discus where Mario Torres finished second with a throw of 60.77m and Anyel Sampre taking the bronze medal with 57.03m.

Another Caribbean competitor, Jorge Nazario of Puerto Rico, was sixth in 50.72.

Mexico’s Luis Peralta was sixth in the Men’s Pole Vault with 4.80 metres.

Cuba then got their first gold medal of the day with Andy Salazar jumping 16.77 metres to win the triple jump.

Taeco O’Garro of Antigua finished sixth with 15.60 metres.

There were only two individual female events on the day.

Arian Hernandez of Mexico finished fourth in the 3000m Steeplechase in 10:57.62.

Yaritza Valera then won Cuba’s second gold medal on the day with a 67.47 metres effort to win the Women’s Hammer Throw.

Her teammate Liz Llorente was fourth with 64.34 metres.

In the final athletics event of the Games, the Dominican Republic secured a bronze medal in the Mixed 4x400m Relay in 3:28.28 while Mexico finished fourth in 3:29.52.

Cuba's Maikel Gonzalez won gold and Trinidad and Tobago's Kelsey Daniel, silver in the long jump at the Junior Pan Am Games in Cali, Colombia on Wednesday.

Gonzalez soared out to 7.97 metres to take top spot over the Trinidadian who leapt 7.90 metres for the runner-up spot.

Cuba won a second gold when Daily Gaspar ran 2:08.62 to win the Women’s 800m. In the field, Cuba's Juan Gomez took bronze in the shot put with 17.85 metres.

On Tuesday, Amya Clarke of St. Kitts and Nevis won silver in the Women’s 100m in 11.58 seconds.

Cuba secured a 1-2 finish in the Women’s discus with Silinda Zenea winning gold with a throw of 59.13 metres and Melany Morejan winning silver in 54.31m.

Meanwhile, Paola Sola of Puerto Rico struck gold in the women’s long jump with a distance of 6.33 metres.

Chantoba Bright of Guyana was fifth with 6.20 metres while Cuba’s Yanisley Cremadelly was eighth with 6.01 metres.

Tyriq Hosford of Trinidad & Tobago won a bronze medal in the Men’s javelin with a distance of 71.33 metres.

Carlos Brown Jr of The Bahamas was fifth in the Men’s 100m in 10.47 seconds.

Anson Moses of Trinidad & Tobago finished seventh in the Men’s Decathlon with 454 points.

In swimming action on Tuesday, Patrick Groters of Aruba won gold in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley in a time of 2:02.09, his second gold medal of the Games.

Graham Chatoor of Trinidad & Tobago was sixth in the Men’s 1500m Freestyle in 16:20.48 while his teammate Nikolai Blackman was 13^th in 17:02.08.

The Bahamas finished fifth in the Men’s 4x100m relay medley in 2:49.92 while Trinidad and Tobago finished eighth in 4:02.66.