In the world of athletics, dreams are often forged on the track, shaped by the relentless pursuit of excellence. For Lanae-Tava Thomas, a 22-year-old sprinter with aspirations of donning the vibrant colors of Jamaica at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the journey has been one of resilience, determination, and a rollercoaster of emotions.

A graduate of the University of Texas in Austin, where she shared the track with compatriot Kevona Davis and St Lucia's track sensation Julien Alfred, Lanae-Tava Thomas boasts impressive personal bests of 11.06 in the 100m and 22.38 in the 200m. Born in Jamaica and educated at Vaz Prep, she migrated to the United States over a decade ago and pursued her studies in Human Biology at the University of Texas.

Thomas's desire to represent Jamaica led her to initiate the complex process of transferring allegiance from the United States. However, administrative roadblocks threatened to shatter her dreams, as she discovered last July after the Jamaica national championships to select a team for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Devastated after finishing third in the 200m, Thomas believed she had secured a spot on her first national team for the World Championships, only to learn that her transfer had not been completed. In an exclusive interview, Thomas recounted the emotional turmoil she experienced during that tumultuous period.

“I was informed (by World Athletics) that whenever I sent through the transfer, it was completed. I was informed that it was already completed by the time I started competing (at the national championships). So then we got there they said that I needed to get a passport or something like that for the transfer to be… I don't even remember the term they used,” Thomas revealed.

The confusion persisted as Thomas, armed with the belief that her transfer was complete, faced further setbacks at the national stadium after advancing to the finals of the 200m.

 “They (meet officials) kept leaving me off the finals board, saying that I couldn't compete in the finals because of something to do with the transfer. And I said ‘No, my transfer was already completed, I have the passport and everything was already set, which is what both I and JAAA had thought."

Yet, the twist of fate unfolded when World Athletics emailed her coach Eldrick Floreal, revealing the transfer was not completed due to a scheduling change. Thomas, left in the dark, faced the harsh reality that she would miss the World Championships despite her outstanding performance.

“It was traumatic. After the national championship, I was so excited. I feel like as a track and field athlete, the two things you look forward to are World Championships and Olympics," she said. "So competing and making it into the World Championship, not because of any technicality but because you actually run and place, that's like a great thing for you to achieve, it's just something that is very hard to do, especially for Jamaica."

Reflecting on the moment she discovered she wasn't on the team to Budapest, Thomas shared, "It was very devastating. They didn't notify me whatsoever when they posted the list online of all the athletes competing for Jamaica, and I wasn't on it. That's when I was notified. No one, no one like World Athletics, nobody had told me personally that I wasn't competing."

Despite the heartbreak, Thomas remained resilient. The completion of her transfer of allegiance in October 2023 opened the door to a renewed sense of hope and determination. As she anticipates the Jamaica national championships in June, where a top-three finish secures her spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Thomas, who signed a professional contract with PUMA following the Jamaican trials, is eager to make a statement.

“It feels so great. All I will say is that they better be ready for me. I already competed last year and proved that we can do what we can do. They're not supposed to expect nothing less. I'm just going to get there and do what I've been doing, what I can do, and what I have done in the past. Nobody can stop me from there," she declared with confidence.

Zharnel Hughes dismissed any fears over the direction of UK Athletics just seven months before the Olympics.

The Great Britain sprinter, who won 100m bronze at the World Championships last year, believes the governing body has no choice but to battle on.

Technical director Stephen Maguire’s sudden departure in October – after a record-equalling medal haul of 10 at the World Championships – was followed by the announcement of a £3.7million loss in December.

But Hughes, who has been training at his base in Jamaica, remains focused on his own work ahead of the Paris Games.

“They have to get themselves sorted out because they have major championships coming up,” he said, with Paula Dunn in interim charge through the Olympics.

“I hope everything will be ironed out by the time the championships come around and everything will be running smoothly for the athletes to be in the best place mentally to give our best performances.

“I hope they get their stuff sorted out. I see it, I read it but I keep my head down and keep moving.

“It did surprise me (Maguire’s departure). We had just come out of Budapest and, shortly after, it happened. ‘OK, what happened there?’ I just left it alone, no-one said anything to me.

“I’m pretty sure they’re aware it doesn’t have much to do with me. It’s not like I’m writing the cheques or anything.”

The 28-year-old is focused on this year’s outdoor season after opting to skip the indoor competitions, including the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March.

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Last year he claimed his first individual world medal, finishing third in the 100m in Budapest having broken the 100m and 200m British records.

He ran 9.83 seconds in New York in June – smashing Linford Christie’s 30-year 100m mark – before running 19.73 seconds in the 200m in London a few weeks later.

Hughes had written down 9.83 seconds in his diary before running the time and has already scribbled his goals down for this year.

“I’ve written down my times and what I want to accomplish. I’ve even said I want to break the British record again,” he said, ahead of defending his 200m European title in Rome in June.

“I want to medal in the European Championships and Olympics and want to get to the Diamond League final and see what I can do.

“Plans have been written down long before any New Year resolutions. I wrote them down in the first week of training.”

Zharnel Hughes is an ambassador for Vita Coco, for updates and information on the partnership visit: www.vitacoco.co.uk

Julien Alfred, the second-fastest woman of all-time over 60m, will take on four Olympic medallists in the short sprint at the Millrose Games – a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting – in New York on 11 February.

The sprinter from St Lucia won the NCAA indoor title last year in a North American record of 6.94, just 0.02 shy of the long-standing world record. She also won the NCAA indoor 200m title in 22.01, which also moved her to second on the world indoor all-time list.

Outdoors, she went undefeated at 100m from April to August. Her first and only loss of the year came in the World Championships final, where she placed fifth. She went one better in the 200m, finishing fourth.

Alfred will take on a strong field that includes 2019 world 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith. The 28-year-old holds British records for 60m, 100m and 200m, and owns eight global medals as well as seven continental medals, four of them gold.

“The Millrose Games is one of the most prestigious and historic indoor competitions in the USA, and I am looking forward to racing there for the first time,” said Asher-Smith, who recently relocated to the US. “I am really enjoying my new training set up in Austin, and I’m looking forward to a big year in 2024.”

USA’s 2016 Olympic 4x100m champion English Gardner, winner of the 60m at the Millrose Games in 2019, will also be in the line-up, so too will Jamaica’s Briana Williams, who won Olympic 4x100m gold in 2021.

World indoor bronze medallist Marybeth Sant-Price, 2023 Millrose runner-up Tamari Davis, 2016 Olympic 4x100m silver medallist Shashalee Forbes and NACAC silver medallist Celera Barnes.

World 1,500 metres champion Josh Kerr concedes athletics’ entertainment value has “fallen behind” other sports.

The 26-year-old Scottish athlete stunned overwhelming favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen at August’s World Championships and now has his sights set on upgrading his Tokyo 2020 bronze at this summer’s Olympics in Paris.

Many remain concerned that athletics is falling out of favour with the British public, a predicament exacerbated by broadcast and sponsorship challenges and backed by evidence suggesting younger audiences are looking elsewhere.

Kerr told the PA news agency: “I would say we are doing what we can in terms of entertainment from an athlete’s perspective. We’re trying to create more rivalries. We’re trying to create more storylines, which I think we are doing better at, but we are a little bit behind other sports.

“A lot of it is about TV deals but I don’t really have much say or much knowledge of what’s going on behind the scenes.

“If I’m allowed to be in any of those meetings maybe I can have more of a say but right now I’m going to keep trying to make entertaining races and hopefully get good build-up and make people watch.

“That’s the best I can do right now. I’m not sitting here complaining about the viewership of our sport. I think sometimes you get what you deserve in terms of viewership, and if our sport isn’t exciting enough maybe some things need to change.”

UK Athletics (UKA) lost Muller, their title sponsor, in 2022 and failed to renegotiate a reported £3million-a-year broadcast deal with the BBC when it expired in 2020.

UKA has since secured shorter, multi-platform deals with the broadcaster, including its 2023 major events series, while the BBC in 2021 extended its agreement with World Athletics for five more world championships and also holds the rights to the Paris Olympics and Diamond League through 2024.

Some competitions have been shown live on BBC TV, but others have featured only on iPlayer, Red Button or the BBC’s website and app, sparking fears that a lack of visibility on flagship channels will contribute to a decline in athletics’ relevance – which some numbers suggest is a genuine concern.

The 2023 EY Sports Engagement Index, which considers both participation and how Britons engage with sports live, on TV and online, revealed that while athletics still cracked the overall UK top-20, placing 15th, it did not feature in the top-20 for the coveted Gen Z (18-24) demographic, who prefer basketball, boxing, MMA, and even badminton – although “running” fared better.

Kerr, who tries to treat the Olympics as “a regular day at the office”  has embraced his growing celebrity largely because it allows him to give young athletes “access to the information that’s needed for them to achieve their goals and dreams”.

His own ambitions are clear.

Ingebrigtsen walked away with gold in Tokyo, but the Norwegian was beaten by Britons in back-to-back world 1,500m championships, Kerr succeeding compatriot Jake Wightman, who sat out 2023 with a foot injury but is set to kick-start his comeback at February’s Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne.

A potential Stade de France Olympic final featuring the three most recent world champions feels poised to become precisely the sort of must-watch TV storyline Kerr and his rivals are trying to write.

He added: “I am going to be in a position to be available for that medal.

“Everything changes every day. I might not be in this sport tomorrow. No one knows what is going to happen, so that’s my big goal. If someone says that’s cocky, that’s completely fine with me.

“They evidently don’t know me, and they don’t know what it takes to be an Olympic champion. That’s what I set in my brain. That’s the goal. Go out and get it, and if you can’t it’s OK.”

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In a training session that is sending ripples through the track and field community, NCAA triple jump champion Jaydon Hibbert, who recently turned 19, displayed remarkable progress by shattering his previous standing triple jump best mark. Coach Travis Geopfert confirmed that Hibbert leaped out to an impressive 10.87m, a significant improvement from his earlier mark of 10.34m set just last year during his freshman year at the University of Arkansas. (See video below)

The half-metre enhancement in his standing triple jump could be a foreshadowing of greater achievements for the Jamaican athlete in this crucial Olympic year. With his world-leading and personal best mark standing at 17.87m, the question looms whether this remarkable training feat could indicate a trend toward surpassing his own records and possibly Johnathan Edwards' world record of 18.29m.

The year 2023 marked a milestone for Hibbert, securing NCAA Indoor and Outdoor titles with record-breaking jumps of 17.54m and 17.87m, respectively—both ratified as World U20 records. Despite these triumphs, his World Athletics Championships campaign in Budapest was marred by a hamstring injury during the final, cutting his participation short after an impressive preliminary round performance.

Capping off an outstanding year, Hibbert clinched the prestigious Bowerman Award in December, becoming the first Jamaican and the youngest collegiate athlete ever to receive this accolade.

While the Jamaican athlete's recent training feat raises expectations for the upcoming season, Coach Travis Geopfert remains cautious about making predictions. Geopfert acknowledged Hibbert's improvement, stating, “It's almost, I think exactly half-a-metre farther... I think it's a direct correlation to his power more than anything else."

Geopfert emphasized Hibbert's commitment to strength training, noting a substantial increase in his performance, revealing that the Razorback sophomore has added 30lbs to his power clean. However, he remained guarded about predicting specific improvements in Hibbert's full jump, stating, "As far as how it equates to the full jump, it's all relative. Being stronger with the same body weight as last year and he's faster, those are two those are two positive things (but) to give you an exact indicator of how much farther you can jump, that, I don't know.”

The coach hinted at the possibility of surpassing last season's 17.87m personal best but underscored the team's strategic approach to Hibbert's training this year. "He's in better shape than last year, but we're also taking things a little bit slower, putting a little bit more emphasis on strength a little bit longer into the season because last year ended late. So we gave him a rest and started a little bit later this year."

As Jaydon Hibbert prepares for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, the athletics world eagerly anticipates whether this training benchmark is a precursor to more record-breaking feats in the triple jump arena.

Bahamian Olympic and World Championship 100m hurdles finalist Devynne Charlton opened her 2024 season with a 60m hurdles win at the UK Rod McCravy Memorial in Louisville on January 12 and 13.

Charlton, who took 60m hurdles silver at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in 2022, won the event in 7.88 on Saturday ahead of Masai Russell (7.89) and UCF senior Rayniah Jones (8.09).

This was after she produced times of 7.99 in the heats and 7.98 in the semi-finals.

Charlton, who also won 100m hurdles silver at the 2022 Commonwealth games in Birmingham, also ran one heat of the 60m, running 7.38 to win heat eight.

Reigning National high jump champion Romaine Beckford was victorious in his first meet as an Arkansas Razorback.

The former South Plains College and University of South Florida standout was locked in a tense battle with teammate Kason O’Riley before eventually winning the event with a 2.19m clearance on a short, four-step approach. 

Beckford trailed teammate Kason O’Riley when both cleared 2.16m, as O’Riley navigated the previous height of 2.11m on a first attempt while Beckford needed three tries before clearing. 

A third attempt clearance at 2.19m earned Beckford the victory as three missed attempts at 2.22m followed.

Beckford then saluted the encouraging crowd of 1,418 with his signature backflip on the high jump mat. 

Following the 1-2 Arkansas finish in the high jump, Razorback Tomas Ferrari placed fifth with a 6-7 (2.01) clearance.

Beckford won last year’s NCAA Outdoor title with a 2.27m clearance while competing for USF.

He then won the National title with 2.23m and the NACAC U-23 title with 2.21m.

The 21-year-old also competed at the World Championships in Budapest, finishing 11^th in his qualifying group with a best clearance of 2.22m.

Tokyo Olympics 100m hurdles  bronze medalist Megan Tapper has inked a major three-year sponsorship deal with the luxury all-inclusive Jamaican-born super brand, Sandals Resorts International. The AC Hotel Kingston, on Friday, hosted the contract-signing ceremony held with Sandals’ Executive Chairman, Adam Stewart, Tapper, members of her family and some of her closest supporters.

Tapper gained recognition during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first-ever Jamaican female athlete to clinch an Olympic medal in the 100-metre sprint hurdles. However, it wasn't just the two-time Olympian's athletic prowess that won hearts, but also her effervescent personality that captivated many Jamaicans, including Sandals' executive chairman.

“I think it is fair to say that Megan is a reflection, through her smile, of what Jamaica’s soul represents. Her achievements on the world stage speak for themselves, but the way she conducts herself, the way she inspires the next generation, the way she brings to life the feeling of Jamaica through her smile and how she acts and carries herself is something that Sandals Resorts International wanted to be associated with. We love superstars, and we love standing on the world stage ourselves. We love boasting about everything Jamaica is and can continue to be, and I saw a reflection of our company in Megan,” Adam Stewart stated, as he welcomed the Olympian to the Sandals’ family.

Stewart expressed that Tapper and athletes like herself continue to vividly demonstrate that Jamaica is more than “likkle but tallawah.”

He described Jamaican athletics as a password that propels the country’s approximate three million people to the world stage, inspiring the international community to want to visit and experience Jamaica’s rich culture, warm people and breathtaking beauty.

“So when you are running, you’re doing so much more than just crossing the hurdles for yourself and for team Jamaica. You’re actually helping the entire three million people have a strong and bold future,” he conveyed to Tapper.

Stewart also proudly declared that Tapper now has the unwavering and enthusiastic support of Sandals Resorts and its expansive army of devoted Jamaicans and Caribbean nationals globally.

Tapper, visibly moved by the Executive Chairman’s sentiments, admitted that she was close to tears and overwhelmed by his extraordinary show of support. She described the sponsorship deal with Sandals as a golden and incredible opportunity, especially as she prepares for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games to be held in Paris, France, this year.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of this partnership with Sandals as I gear up to make my third Olympic team,” a beaming Tapper said. “I can’t wait to soar to new heights and bring the essence of the Caribbean sun and the Sandals smile to every single country that I go to. It’s an incredible opportunity and I am excited to represent such a fantastic brand. I am confident that this will be an unforgettable partnership. This collaboration is an important one because it reiterates that Sandals, though not an apparel brand, supports sport in Jamaica, which, along with tourism, is consistently doing well on the world stage and will obviously continue to do so. I am confident that this partnership will contribute positively towards carrying the brand to new heights,” she added while expressing heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the luxury all-inclusive resort brand.

Over the years, Sandals Resorts International has sponsored sports in Jamaica and the region, including cricket and motorsports. With this latest partnership forged with Tapper, Sandals' Executive Chairman used the opportunity to graciously recognise other Jamaican brands who support local athletics.

He extended commendation to companies such as Digicel and cordially called on corporate Jamaica to continue these types of partnerships.

“When you look at Digicel’s stamp on athletics and their commitment to the sport, I think it’s something that cannot be overlooked without expressing gratitude as a Jamaican and a Caribbean national. All the other companies such as Grace Kennedy, that support Jamaican athletics undoubtedly deserve commendation. I just want to encourage those companies that have been around for a long time to continue to support – and the new companies- to hold hands and continue to fight. Jamaica is in a league of its own, do what is right and support Jamaican athletics,” the Sandals boss stated.

Two-time World 100m hurdles champion Danielle Williams opened her season with a runner-up finish in the 60m at the Clemson Invitational on Friday.

Williams first won the second heat of the preliminaries in 7.37 before crossing the line in 7.25 in the final, narrowly behind Georgia sophomore Kaila Jackson who won in 7.19. Another Georgia sophomore, Autumn Wilson, ran 7.28 in third.

The men’s event was won by Jamaican Georgia freshman Jehlani Gordon. The former Wolmer’s Boys sprinter won the second preliminary heat in 6.74, the fourth fastest time in the prelims, before returning to win the final in a personal best 6.60, the third fastest time ever by Georgia athlete. Campbell senior Jamal Miller and Clemson senior Cameron Rose ran 6.64 and 6.65, respectively, in second and third.

A pair of Jamaicans, Lafranz Campbell and Gianno Roberts, finished first and second in the men’s 60m hurdles with times of 7.74 and 7.76, respectively. North Colorado junior Jerome Campbell ran 7.78 for third.

Clemson sophomore Oneka Wilson ran 8.31 for third in the women’s equivalent behind Amber Hughes (8.19) and Cortney Jones (8.21).

Charokee Young ran 1:29.45 for second in the women’s 600m behind Clemson freshman Gladys Chepngetich (1:28.22). Quanera Hayes ran 1:29.49 in third.

Clemson senior Tarees Rhoden was second in the men’s equivalent in a personal best 1:16.10. Garden State Track Club’s Jake Ulrich took the win in 1:15.94 while Georgia Tech senior Jameson Miller ran a personal best 1:18.83 in third.

In the field, Jamaican Clemson senior Marie Forbes dominated the field to win the women’s weight with a best throw of 22.20m, a season best. Kennesaw State junior Kali Tezra threw 19.32m for second while Georgia junior Kelsie Murrell-Ross threw 18.63m for third.

Forbes’ schoolmate and countrywoman, Shantae Foreman, produced a personal best 13.39m to win the women’s triple jump ahead of the Kennesaw State pair of senior Alana Mack (12.20m) and sophomore Victoria Joyce (12.05m).

MVP Track Club’s Tia Clayton and Rohan Watson emerged as winners of the women’s and men’s 60m, respectively, at the JAAA Puma Fuller/Anderson Development Meet held on Saturday at the GC Foster College.

Clayton, a two-time World U-20 champion, ran 7.22 to take the win over twin sister Tina (7.27) and their MVP teammate, Bajan Commonwealth Games 400m champion and two-time World championships bronze medallist, Sada Williams (7.30).

“I decided to be more disciplined with what I eat and I have seen the results,” Clayton said in an interview after her race.

“I have lost a lot of weight and I can say everybody is proud because they didn’t believe that I could lose it,” she added.

Two-time World 200m champion Shericka Jackson was also expected to open her season in the 60m but withdrew from the meet.

On the men’s side, reigning National 100m champion Rohan Watson opened his season with a 6.67 effort to take top spot ahead of clubmate Nishion Ebanks (6.68) and GC Foster’s Jevaughn Whyte (6.69).

“It has been good. No serious injuries so, so far, no problems,” Watson said about his preparation for this season.

Reigning NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion Ackera Nugent opened her 2024 season with a 60m win at the Arkansas Invitational in Fayetteville on Friday.

Nugent was able to get through three rounds of the women’s 60m on her way to victory.

First, she ran 7.38 to get through the first qualifying round before running 7.34 in the preliminaries to advance to the final. She was the fastest qualifier from both rounds.

The 2023 World Championship 100m hurdles finalist then produced 7.35 to narrowly outrun American Jada Baylark who was second in 7.36.

Arkansas senior Rosie Effiong ran 7.45 for third, the same time as a pair of Jamaicans, Louisiana Tech freshman Tonie-Ann Forbes and Arkansas junior Joanne Reid, in fourth and fifth.

Effiong and Reid were also the top two finishers in the 200m in 23.17 and 23.44, respectively. Their schoolmate Rachel Glenn ran 23.52 in third.

On the men’s side, Barbadian Louisiana Tech junior Julian Forde ran 6.74 to win ahead of Texas A&M-Commerce sophomore Ibrahim Fuseini (6.75) and Little Rock freshman Gabriel Torres (6.77).

Moving to the 800m where St. Vincent & the Grenadines’ Shafiqua Maloney ran 2:02.70 to win ahead of the USA’s Raevyn Rogers (2:03.73) and Arkansas senior Amber Anning (2:05.05).

Former Jamaican hurdler Danny McFarlane has been appointed as sprints and hurdles coach as Southern Nazarene University.

“Well, let’s see how good of a coach I am,” McFarlane said in a post on Facebook reacting to the news.

“I’m ready for this challenge. Jamaica big up!” he added.

McFarlane competed for the University of Oklahoma before embarking on a professional career that lasted for 15 years.

He took silver in the 400m hurdles at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and another silver medal in the 4x400m relay four years later in Beijing.

McFarlane is also a five-time World Championship silver medallist, a World Indoor champion and a two-time World Indoor bronze medallist.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nearly four weeks ago to the day, Jamaica’s Jaydon Hibbert became the youngest winner in the history of The Bowerman. Hibbert hoisted the iconic award at the conclusion of the 2023 USTFCCCA Convention at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center outside of Denver.

His path toward becoming the first repeat winner of collegiate track & field’s highest individual honour from either gender began Wednesday, as he headlines three Jamaicans that were unveiled on the Men’s Preseason Watch List.

Hibbert, who swept the NCAA triple jump crowns and shattered both the indoor and outdoor collegiate records as a freshman at Arkansas, was joined on the ten-man Watch List by Arkansas teammates high jumper Romaine Beckford and World Athletics Championships long jump silver medallist Wayne Pinnock.

Another 2023 finalist, Leo Neugebauer of Texas, 2023 semi-finalists Mykolas Alekna of California and Ky Robinson, as well as, Harvard teammates Graham Blanks and Kenneth Ikeji, Shaun Maswanganyi of Houston and Godson Oghenebrume of LSU, are also on the list.

The next Watch List on the men’s side will be released on February 8.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Jamaica’s long jumper Ackelia Smith of the University of Texas and high jumper Lamara Distin of Texas A&M University were named on the women’s side.

The Bowerman, which is presented to the best male and female track and field athletes in the US College circuit each year since it was inaugurated in 2009, will be awarded in December at the annual USTFCCCA Convention in Orlando, Florida.

Jamaican jumpers Lamara Distin and Ackelia Smith are among those on The Bowerman Women’s Preseason Watch List in 2024, which was unveiled by the United States Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), on Tuesday.

Distin of Texas A&M and Smith of Texas are joined by three other athletes - the LSU pair of Alia Armstrong and Michaela Rose, as well as Roisin Willis of Stanford –who have been on the list at least once before, while the rest of the Women’s Preseason Watch List is completed by five first timers.

Addy Wiley of Huntington (Ind) is the first athlete – male or female – from an NAIA institution to be included on a Watch List for The Bowerman, and she is joined by other debutants Axelina Johansson of Nebraska, Olivia Markezich of Notre Dame, Stephanie Ratcliffe of Georgia and Parker Valby of Florida.

Distin, a prolific high jumper who hails from Hanover, has won three NCAA DI high jump titles – twice indoors in 2022 and 2023, and once outdoors in 2022. She has cleared 1.97m (6-5½) both indoors and outdoors, which has ranked her number three all-time indoors and number four all-time outdoors.

The 23-year-old's accolades also includes additional clearances at 1.96m (6-5) outdoors once for a share at the number six all-time performance, plus three times indoors, all equal to number 10 all-time indoor performance. This is the Commonwealth Games gold medallist's seventh career Watch List appearance.

Meanwhile, Smith, a long and triple jump specialist, who hails from Clarendon, won the 2023 NCAA DI Outdoor long jump title with the number two collegiate performance all-time at 7.08m (23-2¾). She registered another memorable performance in the same meet, when she placed second in the triple jump at 14.54m (47-8 ½), which positioned her at number two on the all-time collegiate list.

Indoors, the 21-year-old was second in the long jump and third in the triple jump at the NCAA Championships, and those performances moved her to number six and number five collegiately all-time, respectively. This is her third career Watch List appearance.

The next Watch List will be released on Wednesday, February 7.

The Bowerman 2024 will be awarded in December at the USTFCCCA Convention in Orlando, Florida.