In a dazzling display of unexpected speed, two-time World Championship 400m bronze medalist Sada Williams of Barbados set the track ablaze at the GC Foster Classic in Spanish Town on Saturday. Williams, who trains with the MVP Track Club in Jamaica, not only secured victory but also shattered her country’s national record with a scintillating time of 22.59.

As she crossed the finish line, Williams couldn't contain her joy, letting out a scream that echoed the magnitude of her achievement. The 26-year-old athlete's triumph was not just a personal victory but a testament to her resilience and commitment to excellence.

Williams dominated the field, leaving her MVP teammates Natasha Morrison and Tina Clayton in her wake. Both Morrison and Clayton delivered commendable performances with season-best times of 23.53 and 23.65, respectively. However, it was Williams who raced to victory with a significant lead.

Explaining the jubilant screams, Williams shared with Sportsmax.TV, "Yes, because I haven’t run that fast since 2016 (when she ran 22.61 as a junior). I was just hoping that the wind was legal. I wasn’t expecting much in the 200m, so I guess this only shows how fast I’ll run in the 400m this season, so I’m very excited to see how that goes. I did not think I was going to come out here and run that fast."

The arduous nature of her training was evident in her post-race comments. "Training is rough, training is rough. Every day I am just trying to survive. Every day is a constant battle, so I am just trying to survive and hope for the best for another season," she declared.

Reflecting on whether this year's training was more challenging than the past two seasons, during which she earned bronze medals at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon and Budapest, Williams admitted, "That’s a good question. Maybe. All I could tell is that it’s just rough right now, that’s why I was so shocked about the time because I have been dying the past three weeks."

The Barbadian sprinter is not one to rest on her laurels, as she looks ahead to another challenge – another 200m race in Miramar, Florida in a few weeks. When asked about the expectations in Barbados, Williams expressed confidence in the support she receives. "I know everybody is just hoping that I can make it on the podium for Paris. I know they’ll be very excited as they are every year."

As her fame continues to soar, Williams admitted to slowly getting used to her celebrity status in Barbados where she has received national honours as well as enjoyed ambassadorial roles for companies in the private sector.

 She anticipates the reactions of her fellow Barbadians, eagerly awaiting their support and enthusiasm. "I am slowly getting used to it. I guess that if I was in Barbados I would be more pronounced …everywhere I go everybody would be at me, so seeing as I am in Jamaica it isn’t as obvious. But I am slowly getting used to it, so I can't wait to see their reaction."

In a dazzling display of speed, Brianna Lyston claimed the 60-metre title at the 2024 NCAA National Division 1 Indoor Championships, setting an LSU record with a lightning-fast time of 7.03 seconds at the Track at New Balance in Boston. This victory not only marked a personal triumph for the sophomore sprinter but also positioned her as the second-fastest collegiate sprinter in history, just behind the previous year's Bowerman winner, Julien Alfred.

Amid the pulsating atmosphere of triumph, Brianna's immediate reaction spoke volumes about the significance of her achievement. "You know, everything clicked at the right time. I feel so full; I have nerves all over. I'm shaking. I don't know how to, like, embrace it or show it, but just know I'm happy," she shared, capturing the raw emotion of the moment.

Having overcome the adversity of missing the previous year, Lyston expressed the meaningful nature of her victory. "The pieces came together, you know, and that my hard work and practices paying off. It's just for me now to transition from indoor to outdoor, see if I could better my 100m times and my 200 times and help my team score some points," said Lyston, who became LSU’s first women’s indoor champion since Aleia Hobbs in 2018.

As questions turned to her consistent performance throughout the season, Brianna delved into the inner doubts that accompany every athlete. "Regardless of me coming out here running fast times, it still has me nervous for the next race. Like what am I going to do? Is everything going to push forward, am I going to go backward? You know, there are some questions there, but you just have to trust yourself in your program and your coach. You just have to talk with your coach."

The rising star's connection to the legacy of Jamaican women in sprinting was not lost on her. With a sense of pride, she declared, "It's all about pride. To be honest, I think pride pushes you to just carry the legacy of your country’s name or your school name or everything. I just want to be in the conversation. I just want to be one of them."

Bahamian Terrence Jones assisted Texas Tech University to the men’s team honours, as he completed the 60m and 200m double at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Boston, on Saturday.

Jones, who won the 60m title last year, successfully retained his crown when he topped the event in 6.54s, ahead of University of Iowa’s junior Kalen Walker (6.59s) and Texas Tech teammate Don’dre Swint (6.60s). Jamaican Travis Williams representing University of Southern California, was fifth in 6.64s.

The 21-year-old Jones, who has ambitions to emulate Jamaica’s multiple World and Olympic champion, and the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt, then stomped his class in the 200m. He won in a new Facilities record of 20.23s, just shy of his 20.21 personal best, as he lowered the old record of 20.34s set by Wanya McCoy of University of Florida, on Friday.

Cheickna Traore of Penn State University, clocked a new personal best 20.30s for second, with University of Florida’s Robert Gregory (20.37s) in third. McCoy, who was also in the event, ended seventh in 25.60s.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Rivaldo Marshall representing University of Iowa, won the men’s 800m in 1:46.96. The former Calabar standout finished ahead of Villanova’s Sean Dolan (1:47.61) and Finley McLear (1:47.68) of Iowa State.

Former Kingston College stalwart Tarees Rhoden of Clemson University, was fifth in 1:47.79.

After the 17 events scores, Jones’ Texas Tech finished tops with 50.5 points, ahead of Arkansas (41 points) and University of Florida (39 points). Northern Arizona (31 points) and North Carolina (26 points) completed the top five.

Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford of Arkansas Razorbacks successfully defended his high jump crown at the NCAA Indoor Championships when he soared to a personal best-equalling 2.27m in Boston, on Saturday.

Beckford, who won with a height of 2.24m last year while competing for University of South Florida, has enjoyed good form this season, and he once again displayed with the winning leap, which not only equalled the Collegiate leading mark, but also bettered the Facilities Record of 2.26m set by India’s Tejaswin Shankar last year.

However, the winning leap came on his third attempt after he earlier had a failure at 2.21m. The 21-year-old, who is the first Arkansas winner of the event since 1998, also made an attempt at the Olympic qualifying mark of 2.33m.

Caleb Snowden (2.24m) of University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Kansas University’s Devin Loudermilk (2.21m) were the runners-up.

Former St George’s College standout Zayne Palomino of Southern Miss University was joint fifth at 2.18m.

Meanwhile, another in-form Jamaican Lamara Distin of Texas A&M University was beaten in the women’s event, clearing 1.97m.

She was bettered by Arkansas’ Rachel Glenn, who won with 2.00m, equalling Distin’s college record and also erasing the meet record of 1.98m, which was set by Destinee Hooker of Texas in 2009.

Elena Kulichenko (1.91m) of University of Georgia was third. Another Jamaican in the lineup, Roschell Clayton of Villanova, equalled her personal best 1.88m to finish sixth in her first NCAA finals event.

Despite boasting an ultra-competitive side, Jamaica’s long jumper Wayne Pinnock is seemingly biding his time where a decision on joining the professional ranks is concerned, as he believes things will fall in place at the appropriate time.

Pinnock’s comments came after he claimed gold for Arkansas Razorbacks with a world lead and national indoor record-equalling 8.40m on Friday’s second day of the NCAA Indoor Championships in Boston.

The 23-year-old, who claimed World Championship silver in Budapest last year, joined James Beckford (1996) and Carey McLeod (2023) at the top of the country’s jump list with the mark.

“I know a lot of people are wondering why I haven’t gone pro as yet, but there is a reason for that and I believe it is going to come at the right time,” Pinnock said shortly after the dazzling performance.

The former Kingston College stalwart, who won the title in 2022 and was fourth last year, surpassed his previous personal best of 8.34m twice after he jumped 8.36m in the second round and then went further in the fourth round, before fouling his final two attempts.

His other distances for rounds one and three were 8.23m and 8.29m, as he won ahead of Florida State’s Jeremiah Davis (8.20m) and Malcolm Clemons (8.11m).

Pinnock’s record jump also moved him joint fifth on the all-time collegiate list with McLeod, and joint second on the UA all-time list, trailing only the school record of (8.43) set by Erick Walder in 1994.

“I prayed about this moment actually, so I came out here with a calm mindset. I know that everyone in the field is competitive, so I just knew I had to execute well and that’s what I did. I equalled the national record and I’m forever grateful for this opportunity to showcase my talent,” Pinnock shared.

Though slightly disappointed with the two fouls, Pinnock took heart from the fact that they were possibly over the 8.40m mark, and that has left him highly motivated as he looks ahead to the remainder of the collegiate season and possibly the Paris Olympic Games.

“I fouled two other jumps that were over 8.40m, but it’s a competition and competitions are all about execution. But I know if those jumps were counted it would have been further, so yeah,” he ended.

Great Britain’s Phillips Idowu won gold in the triple jump at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia, on this day in 2008.

The 29-year-old Londoner smashed Jonathan Edwards’ 10 year old British record and came within eight centimetres of the then world indoor record.

Sporting a designer red hairstyle, Idowu opened with a jump of 17.10m before going out to 17.75m with his second.

He matched his previous personal best of 17.56m in the third round and jumped 17.45m in the next before sitting out the fifth and fouling with his final attempt.

By that point he had already done enough to see off the challenge of former world junior champion David Giralt and the previous year’s world outdoor gold medallist Nelson Evora.

Idowu was presented with his medal by former world and Olympic champion Edwards.

He said: “I knew it was going to be hard beforehand, so I kept on going.

“I wanted to see what sort of shape I was in after four or five months of hard winter work – and obviously it’s a very good one.”

Reigning Olympic 110m hurdles gold medalist Hansle Parchment has hinted that the upcoming Paris Olympics in 2024 could signal the beginning of the end of his illustrious athletics career. The 33-year-old, who stunned the world with his gold medal victory at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, shared his sentiments with Sportsmax.TV on Wednesday night, expressing uncertainty about committing to another four-year cycle.

"I’m not sure I want to go another four years; that’s a lot of time and a lot of hurdling, and hurdling is a little bit more taxing on the body than normal running, so I will see what the body has to offer. I’m trying to take the best care of myself to make sure that I can put my best foot forward each time," Parchment disclosed.

Despite contemplating the potential conclusion of his competitive journey, Parchment affirmed his commitment to maintaining his current training regimen. Adopting a laid-back Jamaican perspective, he humorously stated, "Well, dem say if it no bruk down, you nuh have to fix it. I intend to do the same things that helped me in previous years, so it’s just a matter of trying to put all of that together and get everything to work how it is supposed to work and giving my best each time I go out."

Reflecting on his performance at the World Championships in Budapest last year, where he secured the silver medal behind American rival Grant Holloway, Parchment admitted he was not at his best. However, he rebounded admirably, achieving a lifetime best of 12.93 weeks later to claim the Diamond League title.

For Parchment, hitting his peak at the right time in Paris is a paramount focus for the upcoming season. While he acknowledged the timing issue in 2023, he remains optimistic about refining his approach.

"Probably slightly. I would have hoped to be a little bit sharper a little earlier, but I am not upset. I am thankful that I could get a PR so long after running 12 several years ago, so hopefully, I get it a little closer this year," he commented.

As he gears up for the 2024 campaign, Parchment plans to open his season next month before embarking on the Diamond League circuit set to commence in the latter part of April.

Tokyo Olympics relay gold medalist Briana Williams is set to make waves this year as she gears up for an ambitious dual challenge – competing in both the 100m and 200m events. Speaking with Sportsmax.TV at the launch of the 2024 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Wednesday, Williams shared her plans for what she considers a pivotal year in her burgeoning career.

"This year is a very big year. I owe myself a lot. I am not thinking about what the crowd or people have to say; I'm doing it for me,” expressed Williams who has had to face her fair share of public criticism in recent times.

“I am doing this to raise the flag of Jamaica in Paris, and I am really focused on this year, doing everything I can to just give myself the glory and to fulfill the dream that I have had since I was little – to be in Paris. I really want to make myself, my mother, my family, my coaches, and Jamaica proud. I really owe it to myself, and I feel like I can do it."

At the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland that concluded last weekend, Williams produced times of 7.22 and 7.19, which saw her bow out at the semi-finals, a step back from her 2022 campaign in Belgrade where she was fifth in the finals in a lifetime best of 7.04.

Williams emphasized that she is not overly concerned about what happened in Glasgow as her primary focus this year is on returning to her best form in the 200m. Reflecting on her indoor achievements, she explained, “I wasn’t really preparing for World Indoors. I am opening up next week in the 200m (Velocity Fest) and I really want to focus on that this year because the 200 holds a special place in my heart because I feel like the last time I had a great 200m was in 2018 and that was when I really fell in love with it so I want to pick up back from there and continue to excel in the 200m.”

At the World U20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, Williams won both the 100m and 200m, the latter in what was then a championship record of 22.50, which still remains a lifetime best for the soon-to-be 22-year-old.

To achieve her goals this year, Williams said she is also honing in ramping up her fitness.

"I am focusing on toning my body this year and being in the best shape of my life. It's not going to happen overnight, but I have been seeing the progress, and so we are just focusing on speed now, running these races and winning," she affirmed confidently.

The anticipation among track & field fans in Jamaica and around the world is growing by the second with the world's top High School Athletics showcase, the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys & Girls Championships, on the horizon.

The meet, set to take place from March 19-23 at the National Stadium in Kingston, had its official media launch on Wednesday evening at the same venue.

This year will mark the 113^th year of the showpiece event as well as the 25^th anniversary of the merging of Boys and Girls Champs.

Kingston College are defending champions on the boys side while Hydel High ended Edwin Allen’s eight-year reign on the throne last year of the girls side.

101 teams are down to compete on the boys side while 97 are set to do battle for the girls title. Athletes will contest a total of 88 events over a grueling five days of competition.

While Tuesday’s day one will feature only preliminaries, Wednesday’s day two will see 17 finals contested highlighted by the 100m and 1500m. Thursday and Friday will each have 13 finals contested before the festivities culminate with 43 finals on Saturday’s final day.

Organizers have also added a special event to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the merge between the Boys and the Girls events.

There will be exhibition mixed relays, twinning traditional boys’ schools with their sister schools as well as adding Manchester High School in honor of Mr. Branford Gayle, late former principal who was instrumental in the merger.

This year’s edition will also see the introduction of international technical officials to complement the local technical official pool.

President of the Inter-Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA), Mr. Keith Wellington, expects this year’s event to be special.

“The 2024 version of the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships promises to be another landmark staging of the greatest High School Athletics Championships in the world,” he said at Wednesday’s event.

“We expect patrons that patrons will be dazzled, not only by the performances of our athletes but will also experience pulsating entertainment off the track,” he added.

Wellington also commented on the addition of international officials.

“We believe that the inclusion of an international start referee and the addition of an international official to the jury of appeal will not only add significant credibility to these areas, but will enhance the already significant reputation of “Champs” as a meet of the highest international quality,” he said.

GraceKennedy, who have been sponsoring “Champs” since 2007, have committed $178 million to this year’s edition.

“Champs continues to be the largest sponsorship in dollars and heart by far, for the entire GraceKennedy Group,” said GraceKennedy Group CEO Don Wehby.

“We are honored and proud to be the title sponsor of such an iconic event, an event that holds such cultural prominence among Jamaicans at home and abroad. This is a significant investment and represents a powerful example of our commitment to invest in our schools, youth and our country. Our support for Champs and youth development in Jamaica is unwavering, and will continue for years to come,” he added.

Wehby also announced that, in honor of GraceKennedy’s 102^nd anniversary, they will have a special award of $202,000 for any school whose student breaks a 200m record.

 The air at the National Stadium in Kingston was thick with anticipation as the 2024 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships approaches. However, there was a sombre note underlying the excitement—the absence of the revered journalist, analyst, and author, Hubert Lawrence, whose insights and analyses had become synonymous with the prestigious high school track and field meet.

Lawrence, who had spent decades unraveling the intricacies of track and field, providing context and depth to the exhilarating performances witnessed at the championships, passed away at his St. Catherine home on the evening of February 23, 2024. As the sporting community mourns the loss of this Jamaican legend, the organizers of the event are planning a fitting tribute to honour Lawrence's indelible contributions.

The announcement of this pending tribute was made by Don Webhy, CEO of the GraceKennedy Group, during the launch of the 2024 ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships. Addressing the gathering on Wednesday night, Webhy spoke of the void left by Lawrence's recent passing and the unique presence he brought to the world of athletics.

"This morning (Wednesday) I had a discussion with the ISSA (Inter-Secondary School Sports Association) President Keith Wellington, and I (told) Keith that GraceKennedy would like to honour Hubert at Champs. He assured me that he would engage Hubert’s family and my GraceKennedy team to develop a fitting tribute to Hubert Lawrence. I am confident Keith and my colleagues that an announcement will be made very shortly in terms of how we can honour his memory," expressed Webby.

The sentiment of honouring Lawrence's legacy echoed throughout the evening, with ISSA President Wellington and Olympian Vilma Charlton, speaking on behalf of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) president Garth Gayle all paying tribute to the late journalist.

The most poignant tribute came from Dr. Claire Clarke-Grant, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Broadcast and Content Services at the RJR Group. For the past decade, the RJR Group had been broadcasting the Championships across all their platforms, with Lawrence's analyses enriching their coverage.

“Lawrence’s analysis and unique perspective enriched our broadcasts and touched the lives of countless viewers and listeners. It’s probably not measurable, but I would like us all to think about the broadcasts that we have watched and listened to Hubert, how much he has taught the Jamaican audience what track and field is about, what track and field means to schools, to communities, to families,” shared Dr. Clarke-Grant, who had also been Lawrence's schoolmate at St Jago High School.

As the specter of Lawrence's absence looms over the upcoming Championships, Dr. Clarke-Grant emphasized the significant impact he had made, leaving an everlasting legacy that would guide and illuminate the world of track and field for years to come.

“We will miss his presence dearly, and his legacy will forever remain a guiding light for all of us at Television Jamaica, but for all of us who are connoisseurs of track and field who love the sport, who will remember the experiences that we had as we heard his voice doing commentary and analysis,” she concluded, reflecting the collective sentiment of a community mourning the loss of a true icon.

7venz Media Agency has proudly announced the signing of Jamaican high jumper Romaine Beckford, adding an extraordinary talent to their roster of exceptional athletes. This collaboration signifies a momentous stride in the agency's commitment to supporting athletes both on and off the track, propelling them toward unparalleled success.

Romaine Beckford has emerged as a rising star within the track and field community, showcasing an impressive track record coupled with an unwavering determination to excel. The partnership with 7venz Media Agency signifies the agency's dedication to empowering athletes to reach their pinnacle.

Khimani Clarke, the CEO of 7venz Media Agency, expressed his enthusiasm about welcoming Romaine to their prestigious roster that also includes global championship medalists Danielle Williams, Wayne Pinnock, Hansle Parchment and Briana Williams.

 "Romaine's dedication, passion, and remarkable achievements embody the values we hold dear," said Clarke. "Our team is committed to providing tailored support, guidance, and expertise to help him soar to new heights, both on the track and in his personal brand."

The collaboration will see 7venz Media Agency working closely with Romaine to craft a comprehensive brand strategy, harnessing his unique story and accomplishments to create a lasting impact. The agency will also focus on securing partnerships and collaborations that align with Romaine's values and aspirations.

Excitement radiated from Romaine Beckford as he expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration. "I am excited to partner with 7venz Media Agency," Beckford shared. "Their passion, expertise, and commitment to athlete empowerment are a great look. I am confident that together, we will achieve great things and inspire others to do the same."

With Romaine Beckford on board, 7venz Media Agency continues to cement its status as a trailblazer in the sports marketing industry. Prioritizing athlete-centric values and innovative strategies, the agency is poised to redefine the landscape of sports brand development

Katarina Johnson-Thompson set a new British pentathlon record and claimed the first major title of her career at the European Indoor Championships, on this day in 2015.

Johnson-Thompson was in outstanding form at Prague’s 02 Arena, amassing 5,000 points to defeat the field and best Jessica Ennis-Hill’s previous high of 4,965.

The then 22-year-old, delivering on her long-known potential, came agonisingly close to an even bigger prize as she came within a whisker of the world record.

Johnson-Thompson won the 60 metre hurdles with a personal best and set championship records in the high jump and long jump to put the landmark within her sights.

Needing to clock 2mins 11.86secs over 800m to break the world record, Johnson-Thompson crossed the line in 2:12.78 and admitted her own high hopes left a tinge of frustration on her big day.

“I was gutted, instant regret,” said Johnson-Thompson, who became only the second athlete to score 5,000 points in the pentathlon as she finished just 13 points away from Ukrainian Natallia Dobrynska’s record.

“I’ve been tearing my brains out these last couple of weeks thinking I could get it, so to come so close, yeah I’m disappointed.

“If someone had said to me, ‘You’ve got 5000 points and a gold medal’, at the beginning of the day I would have taken it, but because everything was going so well and I was so close, I think that’s what made me so sad. I could have got it if I had pushed a little bit more.”

Ennis-Hill, watching from home having stepped away from the sport to start a family, congratulated her Team GB team-mate on Twitter, saying: “Well done Kat!! Amazing performance! Sad to see my record go but couldn’t have gone to a more deserving athlete!”

Johnson-Thompson went on to eclipse her compatriot once again when she took Ennis-Hill’s British heptathlon record in another gold-medal winning effort in the 2019 World Championships.

Eilish McColgan believes she has a chance of winning a medal at the Paris Olympics as she looks to bounce back from a challenging 2023.

The Scottish distance runner was forced to miss the London Marathon with a knee injury suffered in training, which also kept her out of the World Championships in Budapest.

She is also grieving the sudden death of her stepdad John Nuttall in November but is stepping up her recovery and hopes to do enough to be on Team GB’s plane to France in the summer.

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The 33-year-old says adding a gold medal to her 2022 Commonwealth Games title is “outside my realm” but believes she can get on the podium.

Asked by the PA news agency if she is confident she will be in Paris, she said: “I would like to think so. I am professional athlete so I am always going to back myself.

“I have come back from a hell of a lot worse than this. So I am still here and I still think that even though I had a challenging 2023 I still think I have the capabilities of making the team.

“I have the qualifying time so that is the hardest part out of the way so I just need to show I am not injured and I am on the right path towards the Olympics. I feel confident.

“I am not sure how realistic a medal is at this point, making the team will be a big enough challenge at this point considering the amount of time I have been off and coming from where I have been but I would never write myself off.

“I need to get into the same shape that I got into last March and April then I will definitely be setting my sights on sneaking an outside medal.

“Winning might be outside my realm but there’s no reason I can’t be looking for one of those outside medals but I have to get myself back into shape.”

Nuttall, a former Commonwealth Games medallist, died from a heart attack before Christmas and McColgan wants to make her family, especially her mum Liz, proud.

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“I feel like I have had some tough times so I need to try and turn it around and make it worthwhile,” she aded.

“And also make my family proud, after what we have all gone through it would be a nice way to round off 2024, making my fourth Olympic Games.

“I would be the first Scottish athlete to do that so that is a big goal.”

Much will depend on McColgan’s training over the next few months, something which the Scot places a lot of importance on.

Often training on her own and in unfamiliar places, McColgan is able to feel safe by using Shokz headphones.

“I have been wearing them for several years, for me it is really important to be able to hear surrounding sounds whilst I am training,” she said.

“Certainly if I am on my own, going for runs in the evening, or in woodland areas or places I haven’t been before, it just gives me a little bit of added safety, being able to hear what’s around me.

“That is important for me. I enjoy running with music so I suppose it is good to have that motivation but at the same time it is not completely in my ear.”

:: Eilish McColgan is an ambassador for leading electronics brand, Shokz (uk.shokz.com)

Great Britain is in the running to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, according to UK Athletics chief executive Jack Buckner.

The last time the event was staged in the UK was in London in 2017, while Glasgow hosted the World Indoor Championships at the weekend.

Now Buckner has told BBC Sport that UK Sport and UK Athletics are conducting a feasibility study into launching a bid to stage the 2029 event.

“We’d love to have another crack at 2029 and a World Championships,” said Buckner.

“We just do a great job. Everyone talks about the atmosphere at every event we’ve done.

“We first of all have to do a feasibility study and look at what the various options are.”

Buckner indicated that London would be the favoured venue for the event, in light of the successful staging of both the 2017 event and the 2012 Olympics.

“We can’t definitely say it’ll be London, but it would be in our mind given the success of it before,” Buckner added.

“I think London (2017) was transformational and it built off 2012 (the Olympic Games). It was transformational in all sorts of ways.”

Newly crowned World Indoor 60m champion Julien Alfred is over the moon after securing her country’s first ever global track and field medal with her triumph at the recently concluded World Indoor Athletics Championships held in Glasgow, Scotland from March 1-3.

The 22-year-old became St. Lucia’s first ever global medallist with a joint world-leading 6.98 ahead of main rival Ewa Swoboda of Poland (7.00) and Italy’s Zaynab Dosso (7.05).

In a post-race interview, the 2023 Bowerman Award winner said she said she has long dreamt about being her country’s first ever global medallist.

“I’ve been dreaming about this for such a long time to come out here and give my country their first ever medal and I feel so happy and overwhelmed,” she said.

“I had so many feelings going through my mind and body. We had to wait such a long time to see our names come up and I just kept wondering is it me? Is it Swoboda? As soon as my name came up I just felt overwhelmed and happy knowing I can finally call myself a world champion,” Alfred added.

Alfred entered into the final as the second fastest qualifier with a time of 7.03 and watched Swoboda light up the track on her war to a world leading 6.98 to win her semi-final.

The former St. Catherine High and University of Texas standout was asked about whether or not Swoboda’s semi-final performance was on her mind going into the much-anticipated final.

“I think I’ve grown a little bit more compared to last year at the World Championships. Even if somebody runs faster than me in the semis, just don’t worry about it because there’s always a final,” she said.

As far as her tactical approach went, Alfred’s goal was to get a good start and maintain her composure through the line.

“Just get out! I think my semi-final wasn’t executed in the right way. I know my top end speed was there but I know that Swoboda has a great start so my main focus was just to get out and hang on and continue to push to the line,” added the former Texas standout.

With that said, “no,” was her response to a question about whether or not she executed her race perfectly.

“My start was there but I felt like the ending could’ve been much better had I just stayed relaxed and not pressured myself to go to the line,” she added.

Alfred's goal now shifts to some outdoor success at the Paris Olympics.

"Definitely! One step at a time, one race at a time and just practicing hard to execute when the time comes," she said.