Jamaican athlete Leford Green will be inducted into the Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) Athletics Hall of Fame this September, celebrating a remarkable collegiate career and outstanding contributions to the university's track and field program. Green, a former student-athlete who excelled both on the track and in the classroom, expressed his overwhelming gratitude for the honor.

"I am overwhelmed. We have been working hard over the years. We have done a lot with regards to Johnson C. Smith and the track and field programme. As a matter of fact, I was Coach (Lennox) Graham's first recruit, so it is just overwhelming that I am being acknowledged for all the efforts and the achievements," Green shared.

These days a Unit Manager at Piedmont Airlines, Green's journey at JCSU began in 2008, where he quickly made a name for himself. In his sophomore year, he was named the 2008-09 CIAA Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, setting the stage for an illustrious collegiate career. He became the NCAA defending indoor 400m national champion in 2008 and led the JCSU men's track team with standout performances across multiple events. Notably, he set a new Clemson University facility record of 1:03.52 in the 500m during the 2009 indoor season.

Born in the parish of St Mary but raised in St. Catherine, Jamaica, Green earned his second All-American honours for his indoor performance and set a personal best in the 200m with a time of 20.41 seconds, the fastest collegiate time in the nation that year. His prowess extended to the outdoor track as well, where he secured automatic qualifying times for the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships in both the 200m and 400m.

Green's dominance continued at the CIAA Outdoor Championships, where he was named MVP after winning the 200m, 400m hurdles, and placing second in the 400m. His remarkable athletic achievements were matched by his academic excellence, as he maintained a 4.0 GPA in information systems engineering. Green also received the Pettis Norman Award at the JCSU Annual Athletic Banquet, recognizing him as Student-Athlete of the Year.

The pinnacle of Green's collegiate career came in 2011 when he was named NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year. That year, he finished the season undefeated and won the NCAA title in the 400m with a time of 45.74 seconds, outpacing the nearest competitor by a full second. He also won the 400m hurdles at the NCAA meet in 2010 and contributed to JCSU's winning 4x400m relay team and fifth-place 4x100m squad.

Green's impact extended beyond his individual accolades. At his conference meet, he earned 2011 CIAA Male Athlete of the Meet honors after winning the 400m and 400m hurdles, finishing second in the 200m, and running a leg on the Golden Bulls' second-place 4x400m relay team. His efforts earned him the title of Division II Male Track Athlete of the Year in 2010.

Reflecting on his time at JCSU, Green highlighted his freshman year as especially memorable. "My freshman year. It was a transitional period for me and Coach Graham. Freshman year, pretty much won indoors, new to all that stuff and came out national champion in the 400m was exceptional for me so it just showed I could overcome and keep on going further and further."

 Green's achievements extended to the international stage, where he represented Jamaica at the 2012 London Olympics, finishing seventh in the 400m hurdles final. He also competed at the World Athletics Championships in 2011, 2013, and 2015. Additionally, Green won gold in the 400m hurdles for Jamaica at the 2010 and 2011 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Puerto Rico. After graduating, Green continued to contribute to JCSU as an assistant coach, mentoring the next generation of athletes.

Leford Green's induction into the Johnson C. Smith University Athletics Hall of Fame is a testament to his dedication, resilience, and excellence both on and off the track. His legacy will undoubtedly inspire future generations of student-athletes to strive for greatness.

Malik James-King produced a stunning performance to win his maiden national 400m hurdles title on day two of the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Friday.

James-King became the second fastest Jamaican in the history of the event with a massive personal best 47.42, almost a full second faster than his previous personal best of 48.39 done earlier this season, to claim the win.

National and World junior record holder and World Championship finalist Roshawn Clarke ran 48.04 in second while Commonwealth Games silver medallist Jaheel Hyde ran 48.35 for third.

“I just executed my race as best as I could,” James-King said after his stunning performance.

“I was just focusing on how I train, taking every hurdle as they come. I wasn’t really watching anyone and just running my race,” he added.

Regarding the time, James-King said he’s more excited than surprised.

Clarke was happy to get on his first Olympic team.

“The strategy tonight was to execute as best I could, get myself in the top three and make the team and work from there,” he said.

“I wanted to go faster but I made the team so I can’t complain,” he added.

Two-time World Championships bronze medallist Rushell Clayton continued her fantastic form this season with a massive personal best to claim her second national 400m hurdles title on day two of the JAAA National Senior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Friday.

Clayton ran a brilliant 52.51, the second fastest time ever by a Jamaican, to add to her national title back in 2019.

Her previous personal best was 52.81 set at last year’s World Championships in Budapest.

Five-time national champion Janieve Russell will be going to her third Olympic Games after running a season’s best 53.33 in second while Shiann Salmon will be heading to her first Olympic Games after running a personal best 53.71 for third.

Clayton's time was just outside of Melaine Walker's national record 52.42 set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

World Championship finalist and national record holder Roshawn Clarke and Malik James-King led all qualifiers to the final of the Men’s 400m hurdles final on day one of the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Thursday.

James-King, who ran a personal best 48.39 at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational in May, was the fastest qualifier on Thursday with a fast 48.68 to win his semi-final.

Clarke, who finished fourth at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, was the second fastest qualifier with 49.06 to win his semi-final while the third semi-final was won by 2014 National champion Roxroy Cato in 49.48.

The other finalists include Assinie Wilson (49.88), Jaheel Hyde (50.02), Antonio Forbes (50.39), Robin Black (50.45) and Demar Murray (50.54).

The final is scheduled for Friday.

Title contenders Janieve Russell, Andrenette Knight and Rushell Clayton all successfully booked spots in the final of the Women’s 400m hurdles on day one at the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Thursday.

Russell, who finished fourth at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, was the fastest qualifier in Thursday’s semi-finals with 54.00 to win her heat ahead of Knight (54.09).

Clayton, the fastest Jamaican in the world this year and a bronze medallist at the last two World Championships, won her heat in 54.54.

The other finalists include 2017 National champion Ronda Whyte (55.77), 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Shiann Salmon (56.49), Ole Miss sophomore Gabrielle Matthews (56.95), Lashanna Graham (57.20) and Edwin Allen High’s Tonyan Beckford (57.74).

The final is scheduled for Friday.

Two-time World Championship bronze medalist and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sada Williams headlines a star-studded list of Barbados’s top athletes set to compete at their National Track and Field Championships from June 21-23.

Williams, who trains at the MVP Track Club in Jamaica under the tutelage of Stephen Francis, is her country’s biggest medal hopeful for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games having already qualified.

The 26-year-old will contest the women’s 400m event at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex in Bridgetown.

The Bajan national record holder has, so far, had a sub-par 2024 season by her lofty standards, failing to dip below 50 seconds in all five of her 400m races.

Her season’s best 50.71 came at the Oslo Diamond League on May 30.

Williams created history at 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon by winning 400m bronze in a then-personal best and national record 49.75 seconds.

Later that year, Williams became the first woman to run under 50 seconds at the Commonwealth Games with 49.90 to capture gold. She closed out 2022 with a third-place finish at the Diamond League Final in Zurich in 49.98.

She followed up that fantastic season with another bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.

Williams produced a personal best and national record 49.58 in the semi-finals before returning to run slightly slower in the final, 49.60, to claim consecutive bronze medals.

Also confirmed for the Barbados nationals are Olympians Mario Burke and Tristan Evelyn who are expected to contest the men’s and women’s 100m events respectively.

Burke, 27, has a personal best of 9.98 done back in 2019 and was an Olympian in Tokyo in 2021. In 2016, he took home 100m bronze at the World Junior Championships in Poland in 10.26. He has a season's best of 10.22 done at the Last Chance Sprint Series on June 7 in Sherman Oakes, California.

Hurdlers Tia-Adana Belle and Rasheeme Griffith are also among the big names, along with quarter miler Desean Boyce and former CARIFTA sprinters Julian Forde and Kishawna Niles.

Griffith, a senior at the University on Tennessee, established a new 400m hurdles national record of 48.79 in the heats at the SEC Championships on May 9.

CARIFTA Games gold medalist Layla Haynes and Hannah Connell as well as national javelin record holder Kayla Thorpe are also set to compete.

For the second year in a row, Shiann Salmon took top spot in the women’s 400m hurdles at the Racers Grand Prix at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

Salmon, a silver medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, produced 55.41 to win on Saturday ahead of 2015 World Championship bronze medallist Cassandra Tate (55.60) and 2017 Jamaican national champion Ronda Whyte who ran a season’s best 56.19.

“I’m very happy. The conditions were not as I expected them but I came out here and I did the best that I could with it,” Salmon said after the race.

“It was much windier than I expected it to be but my aim was to win and I did just that so I’m pleased," Salmon added.

Heading into the Jamaican trials from June 27-30, Salmon says she is where she wants to be at this point in the season.

“I’m definitely where I’m supposed to be. I’ve already done 54.2 this season and it’s the fastest I’ve ever gone before trials. Trials are about three weeks away and I’m ready,” she said.

Two-time World 200m champion Shericka Jackson will make her second appearance of the season when she takes part in the 200m at the Oslo Diamond League in Norway on May 30.

Jackson got her season off to a winning start with a 200m victory in Marrakech in 22.82 to maintain a winning streak of 16 finals that dates back to June 2022.

Having won Diamond Trophies in both the 100m and 200m last year, she’ll look to build on that opener in Oslo, where she will face USA’s Jenna Prandini, Anavia Battle and Brittany Brown, plus Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith and Daryll Neita, who won the 200m in Suzhou and 100m in Doha.

Dominican Republic’s world champion Marileidy Paulino will race against world bronze medallist Sada Williams and world indoor silver medallist Lieke Klaver in the 400m, while the men’s event features Grenada’s multiple Olympic and world medallist Kirani James, world silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith and home favourite Havard Bentdal Ingvaldsen.

Jamaica’s world bronze medallist Rushell Clayton leads the entries for the women’s 400m hurdles.

The men’s event will a treat for the fans as the three-time world champion Karsten Warholm contests the 400m hurdles for the first time since finishing second in the Diamond League final in Eugene in September.

He’s got some fierce competition as he faces Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, the world and Diamond League champion in 2022, who opened his own 400m hurdles season with a 46.86 win in Doha. Looking to challenge them both will be world silver medallist Kyron McMaster.

After setting a world record of 74.35m in Ramona in April, Mykolas Alekna won the discus clash in Marrakech, surpassing 70 metres again with a 70.70m throw to beat Australian record-holder Matthew Denny and Sweden’s Olympic and world champion Daniel Stahl.

That trio clash again in Oslo as part of a stacked field – one which also includes 2022 world gold medallist Kristjan Ceh, Andrius Gudzius, Fedrick Dacres and Lukas Weisshaidinger.

Bahamian Auburn University Tigers sophomore Keyshawn Strachan produced a best throw of 74.63m in the men’s javelin competition of the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round competition at the University of Kentucky Track & Field Complex in Lexington, Kentucky, on Wednesday.

With the throw, the CARIFTA Under-20 record holder advanced to the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships for the first time.

The 20-year-old finished third in the Wednesday’s competition, with all three of his throws (70.54m, 71.37m, 74.63m) surpassing 70m.

His personal best and Bahamian national record 84.27m was done at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in 2023 at the Mike A. Myers Stadium.

Wanya McCoy, a junior for the University of Florida Gators, moved on to the quarterfinals of the men’s 100 and 200m, winning his heats in 10.29 seconds and 20.34 seconds respectively.

He finished tied with the sixth fastest time going into the quarters in both events, and will have to finish among the top 12 to move on to the NCAA Championships.

McCoy was a runner-up in both the 100m and 200m at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Gainesville earlier this month.

Also advancing in the 100m were Caymanian two-time Carifta U-20 gold medallist Davonte Howell of Tennessee (10.35), Jamaica’s Jehlani Gordon of Georgia (10.41) and T&T’s Omari Lewis on Liberty (10.39).

Jamaican Florida State Seminoles sophomore Jordan Turner also advanced to the NCAA Championships after jumping 7.74m to finish fourth in the men’s long jump.

American Championship Conference (ACC) outdoor shot-put champion Courtney Lawrence of Clemson also booked his spot at the NCAA Championships with a throw of 19.61m to finish sixth.

Jamaican LSU sophomore, Jahiem Stern, ran 13.38 to lead all qualifiers to the quarterfinals in the men’s sprint hurdles set for Friday.

Clemson senior and ACC Outdoor champion Tarees Rhoden made it through to the quarterfinals in the men’s 800m with 1:47.89 to win his preliminary.

Jamaica’s Jevaughn Powell of Florida (45.85), D’Andre Anderson of Clemson (45.87), Reheem Hayles of Florida (45.99) made it through to the quarters in the men’s 400m.

The men’s 400m hurdles saw Bajan Tennessee senior Rasheeme Griffith (50.40) and Jamaican South Florida sophomore Devontie Archer (51.13) make progress.

The 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships is set for June 5-8 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

World champions Thea LaFond and Marileidy Paulino were among the winners on day two of the USATF LA Grand Prix at the UCLA Drake Stadium on Saturday.

LaFond produced 14.37m in the fifth round to win ahead of Jamaican two-time World Championship silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts (14.36m) and American Tori Franklin (13.87m).

LaFond made history in March when she became the first Dominican to win gold at a World Athletics Championships. She produced a national record 15.01m to take top spot at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.

Elsewhere on Saturday, reigning World 400m champion Marileidy Paulino remained unbeaten this season with 50.27 to win ahead of World 800m champion Mary Moraa (50.56) and American Alexis Holmes (50.73).

2011 World champion Kirani James was second in the men's equivalent in a season's best 44.85 behind American 2022 World champion Michael Norman Jr who won in 44.53. Vernon Norwood was third in 44.86.

World Championship finalist and world U-20 record holder Roshawn Clarke opened his season in the 400m hurdles with a respectable 48.11 to finish second behind American Rai Benjamin who ran a world leading 46.64. World Championship silver medallist Kyron McMaster was third in 48.51.

Andrenette Knight ran a season’s best 54.69 for second in the women’s equivalent behind American Anna Cockrell who ran a season’s best of her own with 53.75. Cassandra Tate was third in 55.02.

On Friday's day one, Jamaica's Roje Stona threw 66.93m to win the men's discus ahead of Chile's Claudio Romero (64.12m) and the USA's Brian Williams (63.36m).

Two-time World Championship bronze medallist Rushell Clayton and Malik James-King emerged victorious in the women’s and men’s 400m hurdles events, respectively, at the inaugural Jamaica Athletics Invitational at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

Clayton looked in excellent early season form, running 53.72, a world leading time and her fastest season opener, to take the win ahead of American Anna Cockrell (53.76) and Jamaica’s Shian Salmon (54.57).

Clayton also tried out a new running pattern with 14 steps between hurdles.

“It felt amazing. I tried my best and I know my coach will be happy with that so I look forward to my next race which is next Sunday,” she said after the race.

“These ladies are who I compete against all the time. It’s an amazing feeling to always line up and compete against the best in the world,” Clayton added.

The men’s race saw Malik James-King spring an upset with a personal best 48.39 to win ahead of World Championship silver medallist Kyron McMaster (49.00) and Jaheel Hyde (49.48).

“I have a lot more to work on so I’m just going to be going back to the drawing board and listening to my coach,” James-King said after the race.

“I was surprised with the time, honestly. I expected 48 but I didn’t know an exact time. 48.3 is a really good time,” he added.

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).

The Caribbean will be represented in the final of the women’s 200m at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships through Jamaican University of Texas standouts Dejanea Oakley and Kevon Davis.

Oakley, a former Clarendon College standout, was the fastest qualifier in Thursday’s heats at the Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium with 23.00 while Davis, a 200m semi-finalist at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, ran 23.32 in the heats to advance to Saturday’s final as the fifth fastest qualifier.

Oakley is fresh off running a new 200m personal best 22.73 at the Texas Invitational on April 26. She competed at last year’s Big 12 Championships, failing to advance from the heats of the 400m.

Davis was a runner up in both the 100m and 200m at last year’s Big 12 Outdoor Championships with times of 11.04 and 22.51. She was beaten by former Texas teammate and current World Indoor 60m champion Julien Alfred in both events.

The men’s 200m saw Jamaican Baylor senior Demar Francis (20.66) and Bahamian Texas Tech sophomore Antoine Andrews (20.74) both advance to the final.

Trinidadian Houston junior Dillon Leacock ran 51.83 to advance to the final of the 400m hurdles.

The women’s 400m hurdles promises to be one of the most exciting events at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational set for May 11 at the National Stadium in Kingston.

The field will include a number of the world’s top hurdlers including global medallists including the likes of Rushell Clayton, Shamier Little and Dalilah Muhammad.

Muhammad won Olympic gold back in Rio eight years ago and took silver in Tokyo five years later. Her time in the Tokyo final, 51.58, remains a personal best and makes her the third-fastest woman ever.

At the World Championships, the 34-year-old won gold in 2019 in a then-world record 52.16. She was also among the medals in Moscow in 2013, London in 2017 and Eugene in 2022.

Clayton took bronze at the 2019 World Championships in Doha and had a similar result last year in Budapest with a personal best 52.81.

Little is a two-time World Championship silver medallist. The first came back at the 2015 edition in Beijing and the second came in Budapest last year.

Her personal best 52.39 was done back in 2021 and puts her fifth all-time.

Saturday’s field is completed by two-time Commonwealth Games champion Janieve Russell, Pan Am Games champion Gianna Woodruff, World Championship finalists Andrenette Knight and Anna Cockrell and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Shiann Salmon.

A pair of Jamaica’s representatives at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Wayne Pinnock and Ackera Nugent, were among a number of Caribbean winners at Saturday’s LSU Invitational in Baton Rouge.

Pinnock, who took long jump silver in Budapest, produced a wind-aided 8.44m (5.8 m/s) to claim victory in his first outdoor competition this season.

The 23-year-old Arkansas star, who won gold at both the SEC and NCAA Indoor Championships earlier this year, opened his competition with 8.15m in the first round before producing his winning distance in the second.

He had one more jump in the third round (8.25m) before passing on his final three attempts.

Florida State’s Curtis Williams was second with 7.99m while Florida’s Malcolm Clemons was third with 7.94m. Another Jamaican, Florida State’s Jordan Turner, produced 7.84m for fourth.

The women’s long jump was won by Bahamian Florida sophomore Anthaya Charlton with a best jump of 6.74m. Arkansas’s Nia Robinson was second with 6.70m while Georgia Tech’s Ameia Wilson was third with 6.56m.

In her fourth 100m hurdles race of the young season, Ackera Nugent, who was fifth in the final in Budapest, produced 12.57 to take victory ahead of Canada’s Mariam Abdul-Rashid (12.69) and LSU’s Leah Phillips (12.71).

Nugent’s season’s best, which currently stands at 12.52, was done in a fourth-place finish at the Tom Jones Invitational on April 13.

Arkansas also prevailed in the men’s high jump through another member of Jamaica’s team at last year’s World Championships, Romaine Beckford.

Beckford, the reigning NCAA indoor and outdoor and Jamaican national champion, had a best jump of 2.23m to win ahead of Georgia’s Riyon Rankin (2.20m) and his Arkansas teammate Kason O’Riley (2.20m).

Guyana’s Natricia Hooper produced 13.92m to win the women’s triple jump ahead of Mylana Hearn (13.78m) and LSU’s Morgan Smalls (13.17m).

Arkansas’s Apalos Edwards jumped 16.43m for second in the men’s equivalent won by Air Houston’s Chris Carter (16.70m). Florida State’s Kyvon Tatham jumped 16.00m for third.

The women’s 400m saw Vincentian 800m record holder Shafiqua Maloney and reigning Jamaican national champion and Arkansas star Nickisha Pryce run 51.29 and 51.35 for second and third, respectively, behind American Alexis Holmes who ran 50.80 to win.

Jamaica’s Lashanna Graham ran 58.16 for third in the women’s 400m hurdles behind American Anna Cockrell (54.74) and Georgia’s Dominique Mustin (56.52).

Florida’s Jevaughn Powell ran 20.28 to take second in the men’s 200m behind Arkansas’s Makanakaishe Charamba who won in 20.11. Arkansas’s Lance Lang ran 20.36 in third.

Powell also represented Jamaica in Budapest, running in the heats of the 4x400m relay.