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• Gardiner opens outdoor season with 31.99s-clocking in 300m win

  Reigning Olympic 400m champion Steven Gardiner continues to demonstrate strength, resilience and dazzling form in his push towards the 2024 Paris Games, as he opened his outdoor season with a tidy 31.99s-clocking to win the men’s 300m at the Hurricane Invitational in Miami on Friday.

  The Bahamian won ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Asa Guevara, who finished in 32.78s and Barbadian Jonathan Jones (33.02s).

  Though some ways off his 31.52s personal best in the event, Gardiner, has signalled that he is much stronger and better on return from last year’s injury, and is no doubt looking forward to repeating his 400m at this summer’s Olympic Games.

  Last month, the 28-year-old clocked a world-leading 31.78s to win the men’s 300m at the Carolina Invitational indoor meet at the University of South Carolina. That time was the second fastest ever indoors, trialing his own 31.56s done at the same venue in 2022.

  Gardiner, who is also the 2019 World Championships 400m gold medallist, was on his way to another undefeated season last year, but pulled up with an injury in the semifinals at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

  While heartbroken by the injury at the time, Gardiner promised not to give up and his recent performances reaffirms his determination to defend his 400m title in Paris with a clean bill of health.

• Sprint hurdlers Britany Anderson, Omar McLeod set to stage comebacks over 60m at Berlin ISTAF Indoors Feb. 23

  In highly anticipated comebacks, Olympic champion Omar McLeod and World Championship silver medalist Britany Anderson are set to make their season debuts at the ISTAF Indoor Meeting in Berlin on February 23, 2024. Both sprint hurdlers will both compete in 60m dash as they step back into the competitive arena after some time away.

  For McLeod, the journey to Berlin marks a return to competition after facing setbacks in recent years. The 2016 Olympic champion has struggled with poor form, leading to his failure to qualify for the Jamaican team in both the Tokyo Olympics and the World Athletics Championships in 2022. However, reports from his training camp in Italy hinted at a remarkable turnaround, with McLeod displaying renewed focus and determination to regain his winning form on the track.

  Eager for redemption, McLeod is approaching the ISTAF Indoor Meeting as a pivotal moment in his career as the 2017 World 110m hurdles world champion aims to showcase the fruits of his hard work and dedication in front of the global athletics community.

  On the other hand, Anderson's story adds another layer of inspiration to the event.

  The silver medalist from the 2022 World Championships in Oregon had faced a significant hurdle in the form of a knee injury that required surgery in early 2023. This setback forced her to miss the entire season.

  The ISTAF Indoor Meeting in Berlin is now the stage for Anderson's much-anticipated return from surgery.

  The meet otherwise boasts stellar lineup, featuring world record holder Grant Holloway, European indoor champion Samuele Ceccarelli from Italy, Zaynab Dosso, the third fastest 60m sprinter globally, and British European Champion Daryll Neita.

  Among the local contenders were the fastest sprinters of the German Leichtathletik-Verbands (DLV), including Alexandra Burghardt, Rebekka Haase (both in the 60m), and Franziska Schuster (60m hurdles). The anticipation built as the world prepared to witness the thrilling competitions unfold on the renowned blue track in Berlin, with McLeod and Anderson's comebacks adding an extra layer of excitement to an already star-studded event.

   

   

• Bolt issues message of resilience one year after losing billions in SSL fraud

  Usain Bolt took to social media on Thursday to mark a year since $12.7 million disappeared from his bank account under mysterious circumstances.

  The Olympic legend had a horrible start to 2023 after discovering that his account, which he has never withdrawn or transferred money since 2012, was left with just $12,000. The account had $12.7 million as of October 31, 2022.

  According to the sprinter’s lawyers, the money in the account with the Jamaican private investment firm Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL) was intended to serve as pension for the athlete and his family.

  CBS at the time reported that Bolt was one of 30 people whose accounts had been wiped clean in an incident that had the FBI involved.

  The eight-time Olympic gold medallist was made aware of the fraud when an ex-employee linked to the scheme alerted him on January 11, 2023.

  According to multiple reports, the SSL fraud scheme totaled over $30 million, and at least 200 accounts were affected in January last year, including Bolt’s.

  Taking to his social media on Thursday, a year since the incident, Bolt shared a message of resilience to his 13.8 million followers.

  "Yow peeps, so it's been one year,” he stated.

  "Just want unnu know seh mi still deh ya, still a fight the fight, still a hold on, always a go stay strong. Yuh know how the country yutes do it (Just want you to know I’m still here, fighting the fight and holding on. I’m trying to stay strong. To all the people that support me, continue your support. One love,” he added.

  Bolt did not directly reference the SSL fraud, but based on the timing of his post, it was clear he was talking about the losses he made a year ago.