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• LSU's Brianna Lyston, Clemson's Oneka Wilson lead Caribbean charge into NCAA Nationals

  Jamaica’s Brianna Lyston spearheaded an impressive contingent of Caribbean athletes into the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships following stellar performances at the NCAA East Regionals on Saturday.

  Lyston, a sophomore at Louisiana State University, marked her 20th birthday on Friday with a standout performance, winning her 100m heat in a swift 10.99 seconds. She continued her impressive form by qualifying for the 200m with a time of 22.82 in her heat, securing her place at the national championships.

  Joining Lyston is fellow Jamaican Shenese Walker from Florida State University, who clocked a personal best of 11.09 to finish third in the same 100m heat.

  Antigua's Joella Lloyd also shone brightly, advancing to the national championships by finishing third in her 100m heat with a time of 11.06. Lloyd's qualification highlights the growing presence of Caribbean athletes in top-tier collegiate track and field competitions.

  Clemson University’s Oneka Wilson delivered a personal best of 12.79 to win her 100m hurdles heat, showcasing her exceptional hurdling skills and securing her spot in the national championships.

  Additionally, Onieka McAnuff of the University of Kentucky set a lifetime best of 51.70 in the 400m to qualify for nationals, demonstrating remarkable endurance and speed.

  In the field events, Roschell Clayton of Villanova cleared 1.84 meters in the high jump, earning her place at the nationals with a strong performance.

  These athletes will now compete at the NCAA Division I Outdoor National Track and Field Championships, set to be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, from June 5-8, 2024. Their outstanding performances at the NCAA East Regionals highlight the Caribbean's rich track and field legacy and promise thrilling competition at the national championships.

   

• Contrasting season openers for Thompson-Herah, Alfred as Richardson eases to 100m victory

  The much-anticipated season openers for St Lucia’s Julien Alfred and Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, turned in contrasting results as both were left in the wake of American Sha’Carri Richardson at the end of the women’s 100m at the Diamond League Prefontaine Classics in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday.

  Given the quality nature of the field, the event was expected to prove a close affair, but no real clash materialized as Richardson, the reigning World champion, opened her 100m account in impressive fashion with a brisk 10.83 seconds.

  Alfred, the World Indoor 60m champion, placed second in 10.93s as she utilised her quick start to good effect and led for most of the way, before being caught by Richardson, while Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (10.98s), who was also opening her account in the event, placed third.

  Meanwhile, Thompson-Herah, the double Olympic champion, is still yet to rekindle her outstanding form of old, as she got up well from lane four, but quickly faded to the back of the field in 11.30s.

  

  American Christian Coleman also won the men’s 100m in a season’s best 9.95s, with runner-up Ferdinand Omanyala (9.98s), also clocking a season’s best. Another American Brandon Hicklin (10.08s) was third. Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake (10.12s) and Sandrey Davison with a personal best 10.13s, were fourth and fifth, while British Virgin Islands’ Rikkoi Brathwaite (10.19s) was sixth.

  In the field, Cuba’s World Indoor silver medallist Leyanis Perez Hernandez, topped the women’s triple jump event, as her 14.73m first effort was not to be denied. Try as they did, Dominica’s World Indoor champion and current world number one Thea Lafond (14.62m), and Jamaican Shanieka Ricketts, with a season’s best 14.55m, had to settle for the runners-up positions.

  Another Jamaica Kimberly Williams (13.74m) was seventh.

  Elsewhere on the track, the men’s 200m was won by current world leader Kenny Bednarek, who continued his rich early season form to again lead an American sweep. Bednarek won in 19.89s, ahead of Courtney Lindsey (20.09s) and Kyree King (20.15s).

  

  Caribbean athletes Alexander Ogando (20.27s) of Dominican Republic and Ian Kerr (20.87s) of Bahamas, finished fifth and ninth respectively.

  Grant Holloway also continued his good knick with another world lead performance of 13.03s to win the men’s 110m hurdles, which was also swept by the Americans. Daniel Roberts (13.13s) and Freddie Crittenden (13.16s) were second and third, while Jamaica’s Olympic champion Hansle Parchment (13.28s) recovered from a horrible start to finish fourth.

  The women’s event was won by Frenchwoman Cyrena Samba-Mayela, who equalled her National Record of 12.52s. Her training partner Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (12.54s) of Puerto Rico and American Tonea Marshall (12.55s). Bahamian World Indoor champion Devynne Charlton (12.63s) and Jamaica’s World champion Danielle Williams (12.65s), were fourth and sixth respectively.

  

  In the men’s 400m hurdles, Jamaica’s World Championship finalist Roshawn Clarke battled bravely before fading into fourth in 49.07, with compatriots Malik James-King (49.51s) and Jaheel Hyde (49.83s), were fifth and seventh respectively. The event was won by fast-finishing Costa Rican Gerald Drummond (48.56s), ahead of Estonia’s Rasmus Magi (48.85s) with American CJ Allen (48.99s), in third.

  Meanwhile, Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson timed her run to perfection and clocked a new World leading 1:55.78 to win the women's 800m, ahead of Kenya's Mary Moraa, who clocked a season's best 1:56.71, while third-placed Jemma Reekie, also clocked a season's best 1:57.45. Jamaica's Natoya Goule-Toppin was ninth in 1:59.92.

• Thompson-Herah named Christian Dior brand ambassador ahead of Paris Games

  Jamaica’s double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah has been named Brand Ambassador for Dior, as the French fashion house has put together its own Dream Team ahead of this summer’s Paris Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

  Thompson-Herah, who is hunting an historic triple double at this year’s multi-sport showpiece, is among 15 top international female athletes that have been signed to bolster the brand.

  The 31-year-old Jamaican National 100m record holder and the fastest woman alive over the distance, is joined by United States soccer player Alex Morgan, the Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Cup winner who is expected back on the pitch after being sidelined by an ankle injury. 

  Hawaiian surfer Carissa Moore, the first winner of the Olympic gold medal in women’s short board surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Games, is also among the list of sporting heroes representing Dior, which belongs to luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, a premium partner of the Paris Games.

  In addition, the brand has tapped swimmer Emma McKeon, Australia’s most decorated Olympian with 11 medals in total, and Japanese fencer Misaki Emura.

  There are six Italian athletes: fencers Rossella Fiamingo, Alice Volpi and Arianna Errigo, and Paralympic fencers Beatrice “Bebe” Vio Grandis, Andreea Mogos and Loredana Trigilia. 

  From France, Team Dior will include boxer Estelle Mossely, skateboarder Louise-Aina Taboulet, fencer Sara Balzer and judoka Clarisse Agbégnénou, who hopes to reap a second Olympic gold medal after her win at the Tokyo Games.

  Dior and LVMH had previously revealed three joint ambassadors –gymnast Melanie de Jesus dos Santos, wheelchair tennis player Pauline Déroulède and Para-cyclist Marie Patouillet, who was among the group of athletes that carried the Olympic torch on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday. 

  A series of portraits of the participating athletes will go on show at Le Café Dior in La Galerie Dior at the brand’s historic flagship in Paris from July 24 to September 9.