At the 49^th staging of the Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Jamaica in April 2022, Jamaica won all four sprint relays in impressive fashion. Things were a little different at the 50^th staging at the Thomas Robinson Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas on Sunday.

The day concluded with Brenden Vanderpool of the Bahamas successfully defending his pole vault title in a new Carifta record of 5.06m while holding off the challenge of Tedre O'Neil (4.60m) of St Vincent and the Grenadines, who claimed the silver medal. Tyler Cash of the Bahamas won the bronze medal with his clearance of 4.45m.

Heading into Monday's final day, Jamaica leads the medal standings with 42 medals - 23 gold, 13 silver and six bronze medals. The hosts, Bahamas, have 26 medals - five gold, eight silver and 13 bronze medals. The number exceeds the 17 medals they won in Kingston in 2022. Third is Trinidad and Tobago with 12 medals - two gold, four silver and six bronze medals while Guyana have seven medals - two gold, two silver and three bronze medals. Barbados rounds out the top five with four medals - two gold and two silver.

Earlier,  Jamaica won three of the four 4x100m relays and should have won all four had it not been a poor second exchange on the Boys U17 4x100m that opened the door for the Bahamas, who obliged by winning in 41.46 ahead of the Jamaicans, who clocked 41.63.

Grenada finished third in 41.95.

Prior to that race, Jamaica’s U17 Girls comfortably ran away with the gold medal in 45.36s, finishing ahead of the team from Trinidad and Tobago that clocked 46.18 for the silver medal. Bahamas, the home team, picked up the bronze when they finished in 46.43.

Jamaica’s U20 girls got things back on track with a dominating performance to win in 44.01 more than a second clear of Trinidad and Tobago, who took silver in 45.35 while the Bahamas ran 45.55 for the bronze medal.

The Bahamas team that featured the silver and bronze medallists in the 100m dash on Saturday were serious contenders to dethrone the Jamaicans and everything seemed to be going according to form for the home team until the final exchange.

Bahamian anchorman Carlos Brown got the baton with a three-metre lead on Jamaica’s anchor Deandre Daley, who driven by his disqualification in the semi-finals of the 100m and the injury to teammate Bouwahgjie Nkrumie, unleashed his blistering speed down the home stretch to catch and storm by Brown to the finish line.

Jamaica’s winning time was 39.68. The Bahamas took silver in 39.78 while Trinidad and Tobago finished third in 40.83.

They might have dominated proceedings in the sprint relays but Jamaica didn’t have things their own way in the 400m hurdles.

Jamaica’s Jody-Ann Daley won the Girls U17 event in 1:01.05 ahead of Darvinique Dean of the Bahamas who ran 1:02.50 for the silver medal. Daley’s compatriot was third in 1:02.61 to claim the bronze medal. It was a different story in the U20 event that saw a dominating performance from Michelle Smith from the Virgin Islands.

Smith, who won the U17 event in Jamaica in 2022, ran strong race from start to finishing, winning in 57.69 well clear of the Jamaican pair of Tonyan Beckford and Alliah Baker who ran 58.94 and 59.55 for second and third, respectively.

St Kitts and Nevis’ Akanye Samuel Francis upset the Jamaican pair of Deandre Gayle and Demario Bennett to win gold in the U17 Boys 400m hurdles in 54.14. Gayle ran 55.10 for the silver medal with Bennett clocking 55.27 for the bronze medal.

Jamaica got back to winning ways in the Boys U20 in the form of Roshawn Clarke who produced a dominant performance to win in 49.92 ahead of teammate Antonio Forbes, who clocked 51.72. Shimar Bain of the Bahamas ran 52.48 for the bronze medal.

Bahamas comprehensively won the inaugural staging of the mixed 4x400m relay, running away from the field to clock 3:24.92. In their wake was Grenada 3:27.22 and Jamaica 3:29.35.

Kaydean Johnson took gold in the 3000m steeplechase in commanding fashion powering away from the field in the final 200m to win in 10:41.11 leaving silver medalist Attoya Harvey of Guyana (10:45.74) in her wake.

Akaya Lightbourne of the Bahamas won the bronze medal with her time of 10:47.01.

Demetrie Meyer of Belize, who won gold in the 1500m on Saturday, added the 3000m gold to his collection on Sunday with a winning time of 9:08.56. Ejay George of Grenada won the silver medal in 9:36.82 with Love Joseph of the Turks and Caicos Islands winning bronze in a time of 9:37.46.

Ronaldo Anderson won another gold medal for Jamaica in the U17 Boys Shot Put. He set a mark of 15.52m to just get the better of Denzel Phillips of St Lucia who threw 15.17m Rueben Bain of the Bahamas threw 13.78m to claim the bronze medal.

Jamaica also won the Boys U17 triple jump as Euan Young soared out to 14.32m to claim the gold medal. Aaron Massiah of Barbados won the silver with a 13.93m effort while Ezekiel Saul of Guyana claimed the bronze with his jump of 13.53m.

Gerilin Barnes won gold for Antigua in the U17 Girls long jump. She soared out to a mark of 5.60m, a mere three centimetres clear of Jamaica's Sashana Johnson's 5.57m. The bronze medal was won by Hilaire Oceane Saint of Guadeloupe (5.54m).

Dominica’s Addison Alickson James threw 60.16m to win gold in the U17 Boys javelin. Antigua’s Maliek Francis hurled the implement 50.45m for the silver medal with Guadeloupe’s Tristan Carias winning bronze with his throw of 49.48m.

Guyana’s Anisha Gibbon, Jamaica’s Britannia Johnson and Cayman's Andrew Stone each won gold medals on Sunday’s morning session on day two of the 50^th Carifta Games being held in Nassau, Bahamas.

Nineteen-year-old Gibbons, the defending champion, threw 47.96m on her very first attempt to win the Women’s U20 javelin. Korann Corlet, 19, of French Guiana won the silver with her best throw of 45.32 while 18-year-old Vanessa Sawyer of the Bahamas took home the bronze medal with a throw of 43.37m.

It was a 1-2 finish for the defending champions Jamaica in the Women U20 shot put as 19-year-old Johnson established a winning mark of 14.54m. Her compatriot Britannie Johnson, also 19, won the silver medal with a throw of 13.74m.

The bronze medal went to St Lucia’s Joy Edward, 19, who put 13.53m to secure the final spot on the podium.

Meanwhile, Andrew Stone of the Cayman Islands produced a mark of 7.54m to win the U20 long jump. The 17-year-old Stone was 10cm better than Jamaica's Demario Prince who took the silver with his best jump of 7.44m, the same as Mateo Smith of the Bahamas, who was third as the Jamaica had a better series. Prince's second-best jump was 7.43m while Smith's was 7.33m. Prince's third-best effort was 7.37m to Smith's 7.33m.

Jamaica’s Alana Reid and the Cayman Islands’ Davonte Howell won the respective Under-20 Girls and Boys 100m titles on day one of the 50^th edition of the CARIFTA Games at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in the Bahamas.

Reid, who ran a spectacular National Junior Record 10.92 to win gold in the Class 1 Girls 100m at the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships last week, easily took home gold in 11.17 ahead of teammate Alexis James who ran 11.53 for second and Trinidad & Tobago’s Sanaa Frederick who ran 11.65 in third.

The Boys final did not have the same excitement due to the absences of Jamaica’s Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, who suffered an injury in the prelims, and De Andre Daley, who was disqualified in his semi-final due to a false start.

Nevertheless, Howell produced an excellent 10.30 for gold ahead of the Bahamian pair Carlos Brown (10.38) and Adam Musgrove (10.44). Brown and Musgrove both ran personal bests.

The Under-17 Girls final was won by the Bahamas’ Jamiah Nabbie in 11.67 ahead of St. Lucia’s Naomi London (11.72) and Trinidad & Tobago’s Alexxe Henry (11.81).

Jamaica’s Tramaine Todd took home gold in the Boy’s equivalent in 10.52 ahead of the Bahamas’ Ishmael Rolle (10.62) and Grenada’s Ethan Sam (10.71).

Moving on to the 400m, Jamaica secured the top to spots on the podium in the Under-20 Boys through Jasauna Dennis (46.43) and Delano Kennedy (46.50) while St. Vincent & the Grenadines’ Amal Glasgow took bronze in 47.18.

Jamaica also took gold in the Girls Under-20 final through Rickiann Russell (51.84). Bahamas took silver and bronze through Javonya Valcourt (52.12) and Lacarthea Cooper (53.12).

Nickecoy Bramwell made it three 400m gold medals out of four for Jamaica by winning the Boys Under-17 final in 47.86 ahead of St. Kitts & Nevis’ Jaylen Bennett (48.59) and the Bahamas’ Andrew Brown (48.68).

Guyana’s Tianna Springer took gold in the Girls Under-17 final in 54.32 ahead of Jamaica’s Jody-Ann Daley (54.81) and St. Kitts & Nevis’ De’Cheynelle Thomas (55.46).

In the field, Trinidad & Tobago’s Immani Matthew took gold in the Boys Under-17 long jump with 7.13m ahead of Barbados’ Aaron Massiah (6.49m) and Cayman’s Junior Anthony Chin (6.48m).

Jamaica took the top two spots in the Boys Under-20 discus through Kobe Lawrence (60.27m) and Shaiquan Dunn (57.28m). Antwon Walkin of the Turks & Caicos Islands was third with 52.25m.

Jamaican World Junior Champion Brandon Pottinger teammate Chavez Penn shared gold in the Boys Under-20 high jump with clearances of 2.00m while Trinidad & Tobago’s Jaidi James took bronze with 1.95m.

Two members of the new age of Jamaican sprinting, Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake, were the top two finishers in the Men’s 100m at the 2023 Miramar Invitational at the Ansin Sports Complex in Florida on Saturday.

Seville, who finished fourth in the 100m at the World Championships last year, produced a season’s best 9.95 in the preliminaries before returning to run 9.91 in the final, a time that would have been a world lead if not for the 2.2 m/s wind, just over the allowable 2.0 m/s.

Blake’s time for second was 9.93 while Canadian Aaron Brown ran 9.97 for third.

In the Women’s equivalent, American Sha’Carri Richardson used a massive 4.1 m/s wind to run 10.57 for victory ahead of teammates Twanisha Terry (10.83) and Cambrea Sturgis (10.98). Jamaican Natasha Morrison was fourth in 11.05.

Richardson turned heads in the preliminaries when she ran 10.75 with a 2.8 m/s trail-wind before producing the stunning time a mere few hours later.

Bahamian Alonzo Russell produced a personal best 44.93 to take top spot in the Men’s 400m ahead of Botswanan Leungo Scotch (45.03) and Japan’s Rikuya Ito (46.02).

In the Women’s one lap event, Jamaica’s Charokee Young and World 200m Champion Shericka Jackson were second and third in 51.58 and 51.64, respectively, behind American winner Shamier Little (50.73).

Jamaican Marvin Williams ran 52.74 for third in the Men’s 400m hurdles behind American Amere Lattin (50.22) and Italy’s Gabriele Montefalcone (50.26).

Tonea Marshall narrowly won the Women’s 100m hurdles in 12.62 (2.2m/s wind) over Jamaican Amoi Brown (12.69) and Anna Cockrell (12.73).

The Men’s 110m hurdles was won by the USA’s Eric Edwards in 13.21 (2.7 m/s wind) over Jamaica’s Orlando Bennett (13.37) and Brazil’s Rafael Pereira (13.40).

Puerto Rico’s Ryan Sanchez took the title in the Men’s 800m in 1:46.59 ahead of Jamaica’s Rajay Hamilton (1:47.47) and the USA’s Kameron Jones (1:47.47).

St. Vincent’s Shafiqua Maloney ran 2:04.98 for second in the women’s equivalent. Ajee’ Wilson ran 2:02.95 for the win while Kendra Chambers was third in 2:06.29.

In the field, 2019 World Championship silver medallist Danniel Thomas-Dodd threw 18.48m for victory in the Women’s shot put ahead of the USA’s Adelaide Aquilla (18.26m) and Great Britain’s Divine Oladipo (16.49m).

Chanice Porter jumped 6.59m for third in the women’s long jump behind American Taliyah Brooks (6.65m) and Nigeria’s Ruth Usoro (6.82m).

Two of the marquee athletes at the 2023 CARIFTA Games, Jamaica’s Bouwahjgie Nkrumie and BVI’s Adaejah Hodge, both suffered injury setbacks on day one of the 50^th edition of the games at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in the Bahamas on Saturday

Nkrumie, who ran a National Junior Record 9.99 to win the Class 1 Boys 100m title at the ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships in Kingston last week, was comfortably leading his heat in the Boys Under-20 100m before pulling up injured and falling to the track with about 30m to go.

Hodge, the Austin Sealy Award winner from last year’s CARIFTA Games in Kingston, was scheduled to go in the first heat of the Under-20 Girls 100m but was pulled from the race as a precaution after feeling some discomfort while warming up.

The 100m semi-finals and finals are scheduled for later on Saturday.

Dalton Myers is set to join Queen's University Athletics & Recreation on May 1, 2023 as Director, High Performance Sport.

Myers, who for the last year, was Assistant Director, High Performance Sport at Carleton University, will oversee all aspects of the Gaels' High Performance Sport program and its associated personnel. He will also provide strategic direction for the High Performance Sport department at Queen's, and further the development of its programs and services to ensure effective support of its coaches, student-athletes and teams.

"I am honoured and excited to accept the role of Director, High Performance Sport and join the Queen's University community,” said Myers, who holds a Master of Sport Administration from Ohio University, as well as a Master of Philosophy (Cultural Studies) and a Bachelor of Science in International Relations from The University of the West Indies. 

“My passion for sports and commitment to student development have led me to this opportunity. I am thrilled to join this team of dedicated student-athletes, coaches, and administrative and support staff as well as the wider Queen's community.

"I thank Linda Melnick for the confidence placed in me. I am eager to start working with the Athletics & Recreation team to continue building on the many achievements and successes while fostering a positive student-athlete experience and an inclusive community."

For her part, Melnick said Myers will bring a wealth of experience to the job.

“I am delighted to welcome Dalton to Queen's Athletics & Recreation," said Melnick, Executive Director, Athletics & Recreation.

"He brings a wealth of experience in high performance sport from time at both the University and International level, and his commitment to fostering an environment that supports the wellness, inclusivity and safety of our participants will empower Gaels student-athletes and coaches to thrive in competition."

From 2018-2021, Myers served as a Corporate Planner for the Jamaica Olympic Association, developing and implementing strategies that enhanced support for national teams, in addition to coordinating IOC funding applications.

He previously served as the Director of Sport at The University of West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica for seven years, where he led the development of the University's high performance sport program, creating its strategies and programs to foster a pathway to success.

World champion athletes Steven Gardiner and Shericka Jackson are among Caribbean headliners set to compete at the Miramar Invitational at the Ansin Sports Complex on Saturday.

Gardiner, who is making a return after missing the 2022 World Championships in Oregon with an inflamed tendon, will run the 200m against a line-up that includes Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes and Botswana’s World U20 100m champion Letsile Tebogo.

The USA’s Kenny Bednarek will also compete in the half-lap sprint that is expected to be electric.

Meanwhile, Jackson, the reigning world 200m women’s champion, will take on a crack field in what will be her third 400m run for the season. She will line up against fellow Jamaicans, the Olympic finalist Stephenie-Ann McPherson, Janieve Russell and Charokee Young as well as American 400m hurdler Shamier Little and Aliya Adams.

World championships finalist Oblique Seville is among 22 sprinters listed for the 100m. The Jamaican prospect will take on compatriots Ackeem Blake, Andrew Hudson, Raheem Chambers, Oshane Bailey, and Michael Campbell for a lane in the finals.

Cejhae Green of Antigua and Barbuda, Ian Kerr of the Bahamas and Eric Harrison Jr of Trinidad and Tobago will also be aiming to make it into the finals. American veteran Mike Rodgers and current star Ronnie Baker will also be in contention.

Among the women, Briana Williams returns to her former training ground, hoping to make up for her poor performance over 200m at the recent Velocity Fest meet at the national stadium in Kingston. However, she will have her work cut out for her as she runs her first 100m this season.

A crack field has been assembled that includes the mercurial American Sha’Carri Richardson, compatriots Twanisha Terry, Teahna Daniels, Cambrea Sturgis, Melissa Jefferson and Javianne Oliver as well as Jamaicans Natasha Morrison, Jonielle Smith, Shockoria Wallace and Kashieka Cameron.

The 200m dash for women also promises to be intriguing with the likes of Caribbean stars World Championship 400m bronze medallist Sada Williams lining up against Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas and Jamaica’s Natalliah Whyte.

The race will also include the supremely talented Abby Steiner, Tamari Davis and Kyra Jefferson.

Machel Cedenio lines up in the 400m against Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald and Alonzo Russell of the Bahamas. They will represent Caribbean pride as they do battle with the USA’s Michael Cherry and Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith.

Shafiqua Maloney of St Vincent and the Grenadines will take up the USA’s Ajee Wilson over 800m while Rajay Hamilton goes in the men’s equivalent against Puerto Rico’s Ryan Sanchez.

BVI’s Kyron McMaster will take on Marvin Williams of Jamaica and Andre Colebrook of the Bahamas over the 400m hurdles while Orlando Bennett, Damion Thomas of Jamaica and Shane Brathwaite of Barbados will challenge the might of American Daniel Roberts in the 110m hurdles.

Amoi Brown of Jamaica faces a tough field of Tonea Marshall, Anna Cockrell and Gabby Cunningham in the 100m hurdles that also features Haitian talent Mulern Jean.

In the field events, the long jump for both men and women should provide solid entertainment as 2019 World Champion Tajay Gayle, who has been gradually making a return from a long-term knee injury has been included in a field that also has LaQuan Nairn of the Bahamas and Andwuelle Wright of Trinidad and Tobago.

They will have their hands full facing Japan’s Shoutarou Shiroyama.

The women’s event promises to be an evenly matched affair as Jamaica’s Chanice Porter and Barbados’ Akela Jones will match skills against the USA’s Tiffany Flynn and Taliyah Brooks.

Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Lloydricia Cameron will be aiming for podium spots in the shot put as they take on the likes of Adelaide Aquilla and Khayla Dawson of the USA.

For many years, Jamaica has been known in the track and field world mostly producing historically great sprinters.

Recently, however, the country has seen its success at the global level spread to many other disciplines in the sport such as the jumps and the throws.

President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), Garth Gayle, is encouraged by this trend and hopes to see it continue.

“This all came about under the leadership of the late Howard Aris,” Gayle told SportsMax.TV at the launch of the Racers Grand Prix at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday.

“I was the honorary secretary at the time and I remember several of our executive meetings where he made it clear to all of us, in such simple terms, that there will come the day when other countries will challenge us successfully in the sprints,” Gayle said.

“He went on to say that sprinting is a base for many other disciplines in track and field and that we need to start to venture and provide training grounds for coaches and competitions for the athletes in the different disciplines. That is why we have seen the improvement in the throws and in the jumps. I believe it has done us well,” Gayle added.

Over a short period of time, Jamaica has seen the emergence of the likes of Tajay Gayle, Shanieka Ricketts and, more recently, Jaydon Hibbert among others in the jumps as well as names like Fedrick Dacres and Danniel Thomas-Dodd in the throws.

Gayle became Jamaica’s first ever long jump World Champion when he jumped a National Record 8.69m, the 20^th longest jump in history, to win gold at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.

Ricketts is a two-time World Championship silver medallist in the triple jump from Doha in 2019 and Eugene in 2022.

Jaydon Hibbert, who is only 18, won triple jump gold at the World Under-20 Championships in Cali in 2022 and, earlier this season, set a World Junior Record 17.54m to win at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque.

We also saw the likes of Carey McLeod and Ackelia Smith win long jump medals at those same NCAA Indoor Championships.

Lamara Distin is undefeated this season in the high jump and broke her own National record earlier this season while, at last year’s World Under-20 Championships, another Jamaican, Brandon Pottinger, took home high jump gold.

In the throws, Dacres and Thomas-Dodd won silver medals in the discus and shot put, respectively, at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.

Gayle also outlined that clubs around the country have systems in place to ensure this trend continues.

“Our club systems are growing stronger and they too are of that similar mindset and we are seeing the benefits. GC Foster College must never be left out of the equation because they, in a similar way, are speaking that language.”

“We must continue to raise the bar. Jamaica has, without doubt, an abundance of sporting talent. We just need to continue to harness it and develop it,” he added.

As he gets ready to run his second 100m this season at the Miramar South Florida Invitational in Florida this weekend, 2022 World Championship finalist Oblique Seville reveals he does not feel pressured by public expectations with his only focus being running faster than his personal best of 9.86 this season.

Jamaican fans spoiled by Usain Bolt, who won three consecutive 100 and 200m titles at the Olympics between 2008 and 2016 and a similar number of gold medals at the World Championships in 2009, 2013 and 2015 in both sprints, have been frustrated by the island’s seemingly inability to find someone to fill his massive shoes.

Seville, who made it to the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics and the finals of last year’s World Championships, has teased the Jamaican fan based about his prospects for the future. The former Calabar High School sprinter, who while at the Jamaica Pegasus on Tuesday was named among the athletes confirmed for the 2023 Racers Grand Prix in Kingston on June 3, told Sportsmax.TV, public expectations come with the territory.

“When you put yourself at a certain level, you have to expect the expectations from the people. You have to expect the expectations because you are the one who put yourself in that position so it’s just for you to fulfill the best you can be and the best version of yourself,” he said.

Seville, who turned 22 in March, said he is now healthy having overcome an injury that had impacted his preparations and is looking forward to the season ahead. He opened his season with a 60m dash running 6.42 at the Gibson/McCook Relays in February and is now working on being better than ever.

“Racers Grand Prix is preparation for the National trials. The little niggle that I had before I ran at the Gibson/McCook Relays, was a little back issue. I have recovered from it and going forward this season, I want to go under 9.86 (his personal best), that’s my aim for now and I’ll take it from there,” he said.

After finishing just outside the medals in the 100m finals at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon, Seville said he came away with very important lessons that will make him a better sprinter when going up against the world’s best.

“The World Championship finals taught me a lot of things about what I should work on this season,” he said. “My biggest downfall was my start and I am now working on it. I will take my time and coach (Glen Mills) has been patient with me so I will see what I can do this season.”

Several Jamaicans have been listed for the preliminary rounds of the 100m on Saturday, including Ackeem Blake, Michael Campbell, Andrew Hudson and Oshane Bailey. The meet has also attracted Cejhae Green of Antigua and Barbuda, Eric Harrison Jr of Trinidad and Tobago and Ian Kerr of the Bahamas.

Alana Reid believes her performance at the 2023 ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships that concluded on Saturday, April 1, was the best possible way to end her high glittering school career.

Reid, who turned 18 in January, completed the sprint treble at Champs, winning the 100m in a record 10.92 and the 200m in 23.08 before leading Hydel High School to victory in the 4x100m relay. She became the first female high school athlete to break 11 seconds in the blue-riband sprint at the 113-year-old Jamaican high school championships while shattering the record of 11.13 that was held by sprint icon Veronica Campbell-Brown since 2001.

Speaking with Sportsmax.TV on Monday while the school celebrated it’s first-ever title at the championships, Reid said it was good to cap her high-school career the same way it began.

“In Class IV I won both the 100 and the 200m so coming back this year and repeating that is something that I have to be proud of,” she said.

“My coach has been there for me and my parents every step of the way, not to mention my teammates, so I just had to leave my mark and that’s what I did and I am pleased with my performance.”

Reid was not even born when Veronica Campbell-Brown set the previous record that had stood for more than two decades. She said a lot of hard work went into the performance last week Wednesday night that stunned the crowd at the National Stadium in Kingston.

“It has been sleepless nights, waking at 5:30 every morning for training. I had days when I felt like giving up but I had to look at the brighter things and know that God gives his battles to his strongest soldiers. So it was just for me to position myself to do what I know I am capable of doing and I did just that and I am honestly pleased with everything that came off,” she said.

In 2022, pundits and fans of Champs had anticipated that the clash between Reid’s former teammate Brianna Lyston, who is now at Louisiana State University (LSU) and World U20 Champion Tina Clayton, would have produced the first sub-11 time for girls at Champs.

However, the environmental conditions which were ideal before that race, suddenly changed and had the two high school stars running into a stiff headwind that negatively impacted their times. Notwithstanding, Reid said she felt she could do what Lyston and Clayton failed to do.

“When I was round the back (Stadium East), I held up 10 fingers (to Coach Corey Bennett) and he was like ‘I know you can do it’, so when I was running and I looked at the clock and saw 10.90, I’m like I know I could do it,” she said.

“It really gave me the drive to look on the brighter side of things and it’s just for me to continue working hard to improve that time.”

With several universities in the United States offering track scholarships, Reid will be studying Business Management at the University of Oregon this coming fall. The choice, she said, was simple.

“It feels like home. “It’s like a family. I know not many Jamaicans are there but it’s a place that feels like I am accepted and where I can grow and improve myself both in education and track and field,” she said.

“So, It’s just for me to go there and position myself to be the best there and know that anything I believe I can achieve.”

Jamaican Olympian and former 100m world-record holder will be a specially invited guest at the United Nation’s “Making a Difference Beyond the Game’ event to be held at in New York on April 6. The event is being held in celebration of International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) that recognizes the positive role sport and physical activity play in the lives of individuals and communities across the globe.

The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is an annual celebration of the power of sport to drive social change, community development, and promote peace around the world. The United Nations designated April 6th as IDSDP in 2013, recognizing the role that sports and physical activity play in promoting sustainable development and peace.

The 40-year-old Powell is considered one of the greatest sprinters of all time. He has competed in three Olympic Games as well as several World Championships during a career in which he held 100m world record from 2005 to 2008 and has a personal best of 9.72 that makes him the fourth-fastest man in history.

His athletic career, an example of hard work and dedication, has inspired many young athletes to pursue their dreams.

Making a Difference Beyond the Game will showcase the important role of sports in promoting social inclusion, gender equality, and youth empowerment. It will feature a panel discussion and presentations by experts and athletes as well as interactive activities to engage attendees and highlight the importance of sports in creating a better world.

The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is an annual celebration of the power of sport to drive social change, community development, and promote peace around the world. The United Nations designated April 6th as IDSDP in 2013, recognizing the role that sports and physical activity play in promoting sustainable development and peace.

The ability to overcome adversity, hard work and a commitment to excellence led Hydel High School to their first-ever title at the 2023 ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships that concluded at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday, April 1.

After five days of intense competition, the Ferry-based academic institution scored 279 points to dethrone eight-time defending champion Edwin Allen by just two points.

As the team celebrated on Monday, Hydel High’s head girl and track team captain Oneika McAnnuff, delivered an emotional and inspiring speech to her fellow students that encapsulated the essence of the spirit that galvanized the 34-member team and propelled them to the historic achievement.

“The road to this victory was really bitter-sweet. In 2019, we lost champs by a mere seven points. It was a gut-wrenching feeling knowing all the hard work we had put in,” said McAnnuff, who will depart Hydel for the University of Kentucky this summer.

“With the feeling coming so close to the victory that year sparked something among the team and for 2020 we worked tirelessly.”

That work was in vain as the onset of the pandemic caused Champs to be cancelled in 2020, which was a significant blow to the school and its athletes.

“The Covid-19 virus led to all sporting events being canceled for that year. 2021 was by far the hardest year for us both as a team and a school,” she said, adding that despite the setback they managed to rise above it all.

“After finally recovering from the damage Covid-19 had done to us something tragic happened. Our school’s head office caught fire and we lost everything inside. And as you can see we’re still trying to recover from those damages.

“2022 was a spectacular year for our track team we broke a total of five records at Champs that year.  We won five of six hurdles races (and) won the 4x4 for the fifth consecutive year.

“We had six persons on the national CARIFTA team and six persons on the World U20 team that went to Cali, Colombia. And our very own Mr. Corey Bennett was the head coach of both teams.

“Our 4x400m quartet of Alliah Baker, Oneika McAnnuff, Kerrica Hill and Brianna Lyston also went on to break the Penn Relays record that was held by Garriel White, Shiann Salmon, Ronesha and Charokee Young also of Hydel. So regardless of the fact that we placed second at Boys and Girls champs we accomplished a lot as a team.”

The hard work and sacrifice finally paid off in 2023 said McAnnuff, who won the 400m hurdles and won silver in the 400m during the championships.

“Now, many persons might ask what we did differently this year? Well the answer is found in Isaiah 40:31 that says, ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. We have been faithful and putting in all the work,” she said.

“Our coach has never put the pressure on us that we must win Champs but he believes that we must produce quality performances and we did just that. I must say the entire team did an excellent job and every single person that gave a point it made a difference.”

McAnnuff singled out one particular teammate, whose performance characterized the team’s resilience in the race to the title against the Edwin Allen juggernaut.

“I must talk to the performance of the championship from Kaydean Johnson. While competing in the 2000m steeplechase Kaydean fell over the last barrier and was passed by her competitor but instead of staying down she rises back up and sprinted to the line to claim victory for the team…that is the type of passion and guts that it took for us to take this championship,” she said.

“Many persons doubted our abilities even we ourselves sometimes felt a bit unsure but the unwavering support of all our coaches and support staff kept us grounded. It has been a long time coming and this victory just goes to show that delayed does not mean denied.”

President of the Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA), Garth Gayle, says we may have seen the last edition of the Jamaica International Invitational.

The Invitational was launched in 2004 and has seen several global stars put on a show at Jamaica’s National Stadium over the years. Some of the standout performances at the meet over the years include Usain Bolt’s 9.76 in the 100m in May 2008 and his 19.56 in the 200m two years later.

On the Women’s side, Sanya Richards-Ross ran 49.89 to win the 400m in 2006 while Elaine Thompson-Herah won the 200m in 22.09 nine years later.

Unfortunately, the meet was last held in 2018 with the 2019 to 2022 editions all being cancelled due to a myriad of reasons ranging from lack of sponsorship to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Well, I know that event may have seen better days but we at the JAAA are looking at the possibility of how it is that we can bring in another event,” Gayle told SportsMax.TV at the launch of the Racers Grand Prix at the Jamaica Pegasus on Tuesday.

“The Racers Grand Prix is excellent, without a doubt, and it must and will be supported by the association but we believe our athletes need at least one more high-level meet here in Jamaica,” Gayle added.

Gayle then announced that discussions are ongoing regarding the future of the meet and the possible announcement of a replacement.

“There would have been the need to revisit and that is what is happening as we speak and, in short order, you will hear more about a similar meet, but not that meet,” Gayle said.

200m World Champions Noah Lyles and Shericka Jackson headline several stars expected to participate in the return of the Racers Grand Prix on June 3 at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Lyles broke Michael Johnson's long-standing American Record when he sped to 19.31 to win gold in Oregon last year while Jackson ran 21.45 to her first World title, becoming the fastest woman alive in the process.

The World Athletics Tour-Gold meet is happening for the first time since 2019, with the three-year hiatus being attributed to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is with great enthusiasm that I can announce the return of the Racers Grand Prix,” said Racers Track Club President and Head Coach Glen Mills at the official launch of the meet at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday.

“It is a meet you don’t want to miss. Three-and-a-half hours of pulsating action in 12 events,” added Mills who also serves as director for the meet.

The meet will host over 150 athletes from all over the world including the likes of reigning 100m hurdles World Champion and World Record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, Olympic Champion and 400m World Record holder Wayde Van Niekerk of South Africa and British European 200m Champion Zharnel Hughes to name a few.

The future of Jamaican sprinting will also be on display at the National Stadium including the likes of World Championship finalist Oblique Seville, World Junior Champions Tina Clayton and Kerrica Hill as well as National Under-20 100m Record holder Bouwahjgie Nkrumie.

The field events also promise to be exciting for the fans with the likes of 2019 World Championship gold medallist Tajay Gayle and silver medallists Shanieka Ricketts and Fedrick Dacres set to showcase their skills.

“Over the four years of staging the Grand Prix, the standard and quality has been unquestionable and the meet has had some of the greatest athletes in track and field taking part here in Jamaica,” Mills said.

The 12 events set to be contested are the 100m (Men and Women), 200m (Men), 400m (Men and Women), 400m hurdles (Women), 100m hurdles (Women), 110m hurdles (Men), Triple Jump (Women), High Jump (Women), Long Jump (Men) and Discus (Men).

The meet is scheduled to get underway at 6:30pm Jamaica time (7:30pm ECT).

Tickets go on sale in the first week of May. Prices will be announced at a later date.

Express Canteen, for the second year running, will be donating JMD$250,000 to help send Hydel to the 2023 Penn Relays set to run off from April 27-29. Hydel is sending an eight-member team to the relays this year.

Chairman of Express Canteen Ryan Foster made the announcement on Monday as Hydel High School celebrated their first title at ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships that concluded on Saturday, April 1.

In 2022, Hydel’s head coach Corey Bennett, revealed that the school faced financial challenges and was forced to cut members of the team they had planned to send to the Relays in Philadelphia. Express Canteen responded to the call for help and donated JMD$250,000 towards the venture.

At the celebrations at the school grounds in Ferry, St Catherine on Monday, company’s chairman Ryan Foster said they will be doing the same in 2023.

"Last year, Corey came to me for assistance to get the girls to the Penn Relays as there was an immediate shortfall being experienced. Most naturally, Express Canteen intervened and assisted them to attend the games,” said Foster, who is also Chairman of the Board of the Hydel Group of Schools.

“This year the need still exists and we are on board again to make this dream possible. My motto is "it is not how big you are as a company but is how big of a sacrifice you can make to make another person’s life better.

“The joy does not come in financial rewards but it is the many blessings that I have received over the course of my business. The Penn Relays is a staple and I believe Express Canteen will continue to support Hydel Girls, one of our key partners, to continue to excel. The support this year is $250,000."

For his part, Bennett, who is also Vice President of the Hydel Group of Schools, expressed his gratitude for the continued support.

“It is really special to get sponsorship from Express Canteen and it has come at such a good time when we try to expose our young athletes to international competition,” he said.

“It is a very timely gift to us because without these contributions we have no way to attending the Penn Relays and we are just thankful to Express Canteen that continues to invest in Jamaica’s youth through their sponsorship.”

Last year, Hydel High School broke their own Penn Relays record in the high school girls 4x400m relays when they set a time of 3:32.77. In doing so, they broke the record of 3:33.99 set in 2017.