Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper might have been smiling on the outside, but her inner dissatisfaction was evident after her third-place finish in the 100m hurdles at the Racers Grand Prix held at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday night. Tapper, who made history at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by becoming the first Jamaican female sprint hurdler to win an Olympic medal in the event, expressed her frustration with what she considered a "mediocre" performance.

Clocking a time of 12.80 seconds, Tapper finished behind American athlete Tia Jones, who secured second place with a time of 12.72 seconds, and the world champion and world-record holder Tobi Amusan, who claimed victory with a season-best time of 12.57 seconds. Despite the podium finish, Tapper was far from pleased with her own performance.

The diminutive sprint hurdler, known for her tenacity and determination, revealed that she has been facing various physical challenges that for the first time manifested themselves in a race, further hindering her performance.

In an interview following the race, Tapper shared her disappointment, saying, "I was ready to run, ready to compete, do my best, and run the fastest time I've ever achieved before the national trials at home in front of the Jamaicans, who show me so much love, but it just wasn't in the cards for me unfortunately."

Nevertheless, Tapper maintained a positive outlook and expressed relief that the subpar performance occurred at the Racers Grand Prix rather than during the upcoming National Trials. She acknowledged the significance of running in front of her fellow Jamaicans and saw the race as a learning opportunity and a chance for growth.

Tapper's time of 12.80 seconds, which she considered mediocre, has not dampened her determination. Looking ahead to the national championships in the next four weeks, she remains optimistic and hopeful for a better outcome. She remarked, "12.80 in a mediocre performance for me, but it gives me hope, and I'll continue to look forward with great expectations as I prepare for the national championships."

The hurdles specialist also opened up about the challenges she has been facing, stating, "It's really hard to come to terms with the idea that a lot of things that worked for you, that you literally can attribute to your past success, are roadblocks or hindrances now." Despite these ongoing obstacles, Tapper emphasized her resilience and growth, highlighting that she is handling the challenges better than she would have in the past.

As Megan Tapper continues her preparations for the national championships, her unwavering determination and ability to overcome obstacles will undoubtedly fuel her pursuit of success on the track. Jamaican fans eagerly await her next performance, ready to support and cheer on their history-making athlete as she strives to reach new heights in her career.

2011 World 100m Champion, Yohan Blake, produced a season’s best 10.05 for second in the Men’s 100m at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games in Hengelo on Sunday.

The 33-year-old was beaten by British star Reece Prescod, who ran a season’s best 9.99 for victory. Dutchman Raphael Bouju ran a personal best 10.09 in third.

This was Blake’s third 100m race in the span of seven days. He ran 10.18 for sixth at the Rabat Diamond League meet on May 28 and 10.15 for seventh at the Florence Diamond League meet on June 2 before Sunday.

In the field, Trinidadian 2012 Olympic Gold medalist, Keshorn Walcott, threw a season’s best 83.56m for second in the Men’s javelin behind Germany’s Julian Weber (87.14m). Finland’s Oliver Herlander was third with 80.50m.

Elsewhere in the field, 2019 World Championship silver medalist, Danniel Thomas-Dodd, followed up her national record 19.77m at the USATF LA Grand Prix last week with a 19.21m effort for second behind American Maggie Ewen’s 19.61m. Portugal’s Auriol Dongmo was third with 18.89m.

Shericka Jackson and Noah Lyles unleashed jaw-dropping runs at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday night during the revival of the Racers Grand Prix where world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk set a new stadium record in the 400m and Tyler Mason electrified the thousands who braved the heavy rain that threatened to dampen proceedings.

Earlier, on Saturday afternoon, Jackson, the World 200m champion, wrote in her notebook that she wanted to run between 10.75 and 10.78 in the 100m later that evening. She duly delivered speeding to a season-best 10.78 to win the race by some distance over the ever-improving Anthonique Strachan, who ran a season-best 10.99.

Sasha Lee Forbes, who ran a lifetime best of 10.98 in Bermuda on May 21, produced another solid performance while finishing third in 11.07, her second fastest time ever.

The withdrawal of Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake from the men’s 100m final, took much of the sheen off what was expected to be a barn-burner that also featured American Christian Coleman. Nonetheless, the race delivered an exciting finish with the American holding off the challenge of Kadrian Goldson, who produced a lifetime best of 10.08 for second place.

Emmanuel Archibald of Guyana ran 10.23 to take the final podium spot.

The ‘B’ finals were also good value for money.

In September 2017, 20-year-old Michael Campbell suffered life-threatening injuries in a motor-vehicle accident that claimed the life of his friend and fellow athlete Jordon Scott. That same year, Campbell, a promising young prospect ran a lifetime best of 10.07 at a meet in Kingston.

On Saturday night, almost six years later, Campbell was back to his best winning the 100m in a season-best 10.08. He pumped his fist in elation when he looked across at the clock and noticed the winning time that had him well clear of Tyquendo Tracey, who ran 10.26 for second place and Kuron Griffith of Barbados, who ran a personal best of 10.30.

Remona Burchell, 2014 NCAA champion, clocked a season-best 11.17 to win the women’s race ahead of a fast-finishing Tia Clayton, who delivered a personal best of 11.23 and Briana Williams, who finished third in 11.30.

Lyles promised to do something special in Jamaica and he delivered. The super-confident American scorched the damp track to win in a meet record 19.67. Zharnel Hughes finished second in 20.14 while Rasheed Dwyer clocked a season’s best time of 20.53 for third.

The last time Wayde van Niekerk was in Jamaica, it was in 2017 to honour the retirement of his friend Usain Bolt, who had announced that he would walk away from her stellar career that year after a decade of dominance.

Later that same year, during a charity rugby match, the Olympic champion and world-record holder tore both the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus cartilage in his right leg bringing his track career to a screaming stop.

The past few years saw him struggle to regain the form that made him one of the best quarter-milers in history. By all indications, he is now back near to his best. After a 44.17 season best at the South African Championships in April, the now 30-year-old sprinter cruised to victory in 44.21, a new meet record.

Zandrian Barnes finished second in a new lifetime best of 44.90, making him the third Jamaican to break 45 seconds this season. Jamaica’s national record holder, Rusheen McDonald was third in 45.24.

Antonio Watson was the second Jamaican to break 45 seconds this season when he won the ‘B’ final in a lifetime best of 44.75 that had the thousands in attendance cheering wildly.

Promising 400m hurdler Roshawn Clarke also ran a lifetime best of 45.24 for second place with Assinie Wilson finishing third also in a personal best of 45.51.

Charokee Young took control of the women’s race with about 120m to go and held off a strong field to win in 51.10 over Stacey-Ann Williams who ran a decent 51.34 for second place. The USA’s Kendall Ellis was third in a season-best 51.37.

Tobi Amusan arrived in Jamaica coming off a disappointing last-place finish in the 100m hurdles at the LA Grand Prix a week ago. The 12.69 she ran then was well off the Nigerian’s world record of 12.12 set in Eugene, Oregon last year. However, a week later she was much better, hurdling to victory in 12.57, a season’s best time and a marked improvement over a week ago.

Tia Jones, the 2018 World U20 champion, finished second in 12.72 while holding off Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper, who finished third in 12.80.

The 110m further confirmed the resurrection of the career of Tyler Mason, the once promising Jamaica College high school hurdler. After running 13.32 in Costa Rica in 2015, Mason, because of injury and poor form, struggled to fulfill his immense potential and many pundits saw his career as being on life support, especially after a season-best 14.12 in 2021.

There were signs of life in 2022 when he ran 13.34 in Tennessee and again earlier this year when he ran 13.32 at the National Stadium in April. On Saturday night, the 27-year-old Mason, told the world that news of his career’s demise were greatly exaggerated when he ran a slightly wind-aided 13.14 (2.3m/s) to win a close race over Orlando Bennett (13.18) and Damion Thomas 13.29.

Shian Salmon was impressive in victory to open proceedings in the 400m hurdles, winning in 55.10 over Rhonda Whyte 55.55 and Cassandra Tate of the USA, who took third in 55.62.

Two-time World Championships silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts won the triple jump over rival and friend Thea LaFond of Dominica in less than ideal conditions. The cool temperatures and negative headwind notwithstanding, Ricketts’ 14.32m to was enough to secure the victory ahead of LaFond’s 14.15m.

Imani Oliver of the USA could only muster 12.97m for third place.

Samoa’s Alex Rose won the men’s discus with a throw of 65.86m with Traves Smikle taking second place with 65.15m. Kai Change threw 63.19m for third place.

Lushane Wilson cleared 2.20m to win the high jump over Raymond Richards (2.15m) and Christoff Bryan (2.10m).

Barbadian sprint hurdler Shane Brathwaite, Jamaican sprinter Natalliah Whyte and 400m hurdler Andrenette Knight were among the Caribbean winners at the Music City Track Carnival in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday.

The 33-year-old, a two-time World Championship finalist and Commonwealth games silver medallist, ran a season’s best 13.58 for victory over Great Britain’s Joshua Zeller (13.67) and Haiti’s Yves Cherubin who also ran a season’s best 13.71.

Whyte, 25, ran a personal best 22.39 to win the 200m ahead of American Candace Hill (22.57) and Ivorian Jessika Gbai (22.69). Whyte also finished sixth in the 100m in a season’s best 11.13. The event was won by American teenager Shawnti Jackson in a personal best 10.89 ahead of countrywomen Kortnei Jackson and Brittany Brown, who both ran 11.06. BVI’s Adaejah Hodge was seventh in 11.20.

Knight ran a season’s best 54.20 for victory in the Women’s 400m hurdles ahead of the USA’s Deshae Wise (56.07) and USVI’s Michelle Smith (56.83). Tia-Adana Belle of Barbados won the B section in a season's best 55.51 ahead of the USA's Kaila Barber (56.16) and Bianca Stubler (56.20).

Antigua’s Cejhae Greene ran a season’s best 10.11 for third in the Men’s 100m. American Brandon Carnes ran a personal best-equaling 10.02 to win ahead of countryman J.T Smith, who ran his own personal best 10.09. Jamaican Jelani Walker ran 10.20 in sixth.

In the Men’s one lap event, Javon Francis ran a season’s best 45.10, his fastest time since 2018, to finish second behind American Bryce Deadmon (44.72). Evan Miller was third in 45.20.

The Men’s 400m hurdles saw Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Jaheel Hyde, run a season’s best 48.57 for second behind American Taylor McLaughlin’s personal best 48.38. David Kendziera ran 49.04 for third. Marvin Williams ran a season's best 50.58 for second in the B section behind USA's Drake Schneider (49.75). Sam Hartman ran 50.59 for third.

In the field, Trinidad & Tobago's Portious Warren threw 17.99m for second in the Women's shot put behind American Jalani Davis who threw a personal best 18.64m. Jamaica's Lloydricia Cameron threw 16.50m for third.

It was not a good night for Caribbean athletes at the Florence Diamond League Meeting in Italy on Friday as only Jereem Richards managed to achieve a podium at the meet where Faith Kipyegon shattered the 1500m world record.

The Trinidadian ran 20.28 for second place in the 200m won by American teenager Erriyon Knighton, who clocked a season-best 19.89. Canada’s Aaron Brown who was third in 20.32.

World championship silver medallist, Femke Bol continues to demonstrate that she could present a challenge to world champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone this summer, when she shattered Lashina Demus’ 13-year-old meet record of 52.82 in the 400m hurdles.

The Dutch star clocked 52.43, which was also the fastest time in the world this year.

Shamier Little who won in Rabat last week was almost a second behind in 53.38 while heptathlete Anna Hall finished third in a personal best time of 53.42. Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton, who challenged early faded badly over the last 200m and finished sixth on 54.71. She was the only athlete in the race who didn’t achieve either a personal or season-best time.

Marie Josee Ta Lou ran out an easy winner in the 100m, winning in 10.97. Finishing second was European champion Gina Luckenkemper, who clocked 11.09. The in-form British athlete Imani Lansiquot was third in 11.16.

Her compatriot Dina Asher-Smith was a late withdrawal.

Yohan Blake was seventh in the 100m won by Fred Kerley, who clocked 9.93 to remain unbeaten in the blue-ribbon sprint this year. Ferdinand Omanyala was second in 10.05, the Kenyan edging Trayvon Brommel who was third in 10.09. Blake clocked 10.15.

Grant Holloway ran 13.04 to hold on for a close win in the 110m hurdles over a fast-finishing Jason Joseph of Switzerland, who set a new personal best and national record of 13.10. Devon Allen was third in 13.19.

Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek won the 400m in 50.41, a season best, beating Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands, who also achieved a season’s best time of 50.75. The USA’s Lynna Irby-Jackson was third in 50.84.

The best-placed Caribbean athlete was Cuba’s Roxana Gomez, who was fourth in 51.29 while Guyana’s Aliyah Abrahms in 51.31.

Kipyegon ended the meet on a high establishing new 1500m World Record of 3:49.11. Laura Muir was second in 3:57.09 while Australia's Jessica Hull was third in a new Area record of 3:57.29.

Jamaican discus thrower Abigail Martin will get to display her skills on the NCAA circuit next season after committing to Texas A&M University, the school announced on Thursday.

“A good one for the throws squad,” the school posted on Instagram.

Martin, currently at St. Jago, has a personal best in the event of 55.87m done at the JAAA Budapest Quest meet at the National Stadium in Kingston on May 27.

The 19-year-old took discuss silver in the Class 1 Girls event at the ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships in March before, a week later, winning Under-20 gold at the Carifta Games in the Bahamas.

Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake have been withdrawn from this weekend’s Racers Grand Prix at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Fresh off his lifetime best 9.89 while defeating Coleman at last weekend’s LA Grand Prix there was much anticipation for the rematch between Blake and the American this coming Saturday.

Blake ran a personal best of 9.89 to defeat Coleman (9.91) but according to his coaches, the 22-year-old sprinter was a bit sore after that run and only managed to resume training on Wednesday. As a result, they have taken a decision to withdraw him from the meet as a precaution.

Seville, reliable sources have said, suffered a hamstring injury in training and won’t run on Saturday. Calls to his coach Glen Mills went unanswered but Seville’s name was not among the remaining names on the men’s 100m start list for Saturday’s meet.

Notwithstanding their absence, there is still plenty to look forward to at the meet that will feature World 200m champions Noah Lyles and Shericka Jackson, Zharnel Hughes and Wayde van Niekerk.

There is also a potential mouth-watering clash between the 2022 100m hurdles world champion and world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria and teenage sensation, World U20 Champion and U20 world record holder Kerrica Hill.

Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Broadbell and Olympic Champion will go head-to-head in the men’s sprint hurdles.

Carifta Under-17 Girls 100m and 200m silver medallist, Naomi London, wants to help put her country on the track & field map.

The 16-year-old St. Lucian sprinter has enjoyed an excellent season, so far, with her best results coming at the 50^th Carifta Games held from April 7-9 at the Thomas Robinson Stadium in Nassau, The Bahamas.

The Vieux-Fort native first ran 11.72 to claim silver in the 100m, her country’s first ever sprint medal at the Caribbean junior showcase.

The Vieux-Fort Comprehensive Secondary School attendee then produced 23.72 for silver in the 200.

“I went out there to get the gold but God gave me the silver so my Carifta season went pretty well. I executed my race as planned and I got on the podium,” London said on the latest edition of In Case You Missed It hosted by Mariah Ramharack on SportsMax.TV

“It felt great that I had some competition in the race. I was competing with some of the best and I pulled through to get on that podium so, right now, I feel great about myself,” she added.

After her Carifta exploits, London said she returned home to a celebration.

“Oh my gosh! A lot of celebration happened. When I got home, everybody was around and just cheering ‘Naomi London! Naomi London!’ It was so much support. I love the fact that my community supports me no matter what I do,” she said.

Although happy with her silver medals, London expressed her desire to one day upgrade to gold.

“It would be a life-changer for me and for my country,” she said. “Gold is many, many more than silver.”

London also does well in the classroom and credits good time-management skills and sacrifice for that.

“I prioritize my work and I do have good time-management skills. After I come home from training, I will sacrifice the time to go study or do an assignment,” she said.

Her next quest on the track will be at the Commonwealth Youth Games set for August 4-11 in Trinidad & Tobago.

“One of my goals is to medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games and my second goal is to run a personal best at any meet that I attend,” London said.

To date, St. Lucia’s greatest export on the track is current University of Texas star and Commonwealth Games 100m silver medallist Julien Alfred, someone London says she looks up to.

“Julien Alfred is one of my inspirations from young. Me and her grew up in the same field in track and field. She used to run in the higher division and I used to always look out for her and we used to talk about all the races. I’m very proud of her achievements,” she said.

“I would say the success of the St Lucian athletes is making the young athletes want to do more and want to go out there to represent their country. I think track is a great sport and St Lucia has a lot of talent. We can go out there, do our best and put our country on the map,” London added.

Joe Choong is set to quit modern pentathlon after defending his Olympic title next year, expecting to be part of a widespread exodus amid a controversial change being pushed through.

A decision by the International Modern Pentathlon Union to replace show jumping with obstacle course racing was endorsed by national federations but caused dismay among athletes, including Choong.

The new structure of the sport – also comprising fencing, swimming and a combined running and shooting event – is awaiting the International Olympic Committee’s approval for inclusion at the 2028 Games.

But Choong, alarmed at how the switch has been handled by the sport’s governing body, is resigned for his swansong to be at Paris 2024 – and the 28-year-old suspects he will not be alone in walking away.

He told the PA news agency: “Paris will be a great way to round off my career because I expect it will be the last time I compete in pentathlon. I think there will be a mass walkout from the sport.

“We’re not just talking about people my age who are in their mid-to-late 20s, but 21 or 22-year-olds will suddenly see this chance to go to an Olympics as their last chance before they decide to retire.

“I think that’s the feeling amongst the community and it will be hard to see where the sport goes, what the next top athlete looks like with obstacle course racing in the picture.

“The athletes’ voice as a whole was pretty much completely ignored. The politics pushed through whatever they wanted. After Paris, we’ll see what happens but I don’t think I’ll be taking part in it.”

Modern pentathlon’s image was rocked two years ago when a German coach was witnessed punching a horse that refused to jump a fence at the Tokyo Games, prompting the removal of equestrianism by the UIPM.

Show jumping remains one of the events for Paris 2024 but modern pentathlon faces a battle to be included at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, with the UIPM admitting the sport needs to modernise.

Choong, who in Tokyo became the first British male to win individual Olympic gold in the modern pentathlon, accepted some rules could be modified so the sport becomes a “bit snappier”.

But such is his opposition to the proposed changes, Choong has thought about swapping lanes.

He said: “I would definitely want to stay competitive at something. Fencing is something I’ve dipped my toes in slightly over the last two years.

“That’s partly been an effort to improve my fencing for pentathlon but at the same time, it’s like that addictive nature where I’m back to being one of the chasers, I’m not at the top of the sport anymore.

“It sounds weird but I absolutely loved coming 64th or something at one of my first competitions.

“I’ll definitely be going back to that and seeing if I can push the boundaries, slightly, on fencing or maybe one of the other sports in pentathlon and see how far I can push one of those sports compared to what’s expected of a normal pentathlete.”

Choong’s more immediate focus is on next month’s European Games in Krakow, where he could complete his gold medals haul after adding to his Olympic success by triumphing at last year’s World Championships.

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Choong admitted fulfilling a life goal in Tokyo meant he struggled to adjust afterwards but the prospect of competing at a third Olympics next year is sharpening his focus.

He added: “You see people like Adam Peaty and Max Whitlock, they talk about having that hunger for the sport and sometimes it’s not quite there.

“I took a lot of time out after the Tokyo Games because you need a reset. To then go on and win the World Championships off the back of a slightly disjointed year almost compounded that feeling of ‘what’s next?’ and finding the why.

“Having had a couple of years to refocus, I’m very hungry to go and do it all again.”

Three student-athletes from the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport were the first recipients of scholarships from the Brendon Rodney Excellence Scholarship Awards that was launched at the Canadian High Commission in Kingston on Tuesday.

Rodney, a Canadian Olympic medalist of Jamaican parentage, trains at the GC Foster College where he also serves as an adjunct lecturer. In 2022, he was a member of the Canadian 4x100m relay team that won gold at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Shantel Munroe, Selvin Stewart and Toni Ann Lindsay were the recipients of the scholarship awards that aims to foster the integration of sports and education at the GC Foster College. The scholarship is designed to support full-time students from all programmes at GC Foster College and the amount awarded to each recipient is based on an appraisal of their individual needs.

It is open to students in their second, third and fourth years between the ages of 17 and 25, who maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 and should exhibit a strong sports orientation and demonstrate financial need.

Munroe, who is in the second year of her Associate Degree in Recreation and Sport Programme, was the only recipient on hand to receive her scholarship. Stewart and Lindsay were unavoidable absent. Rodney explained that both student athletes were at work which is why they were unable to attend, validating the purpose behind the scholarships.

In a prepared statement, Munroe explained why she deserved her scholarship award.

“This (Sport ) programme not only makes me a world-class coach at the end, it also makes me a great leader and how to be a multi-faceted individual. I am a very determined, dedicated, persistent motivational and responsible individual,” said the second-year student, who is also a certified boxing official and the manager of the college’s netball team.

“I take my studies seriously and whatever is thrown at me in life, I do my best to overcome it.”

Stewart is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education while Stewart is pursuing a Bachelors in Education.

“Physical Education and Sports Education is more than a career path, it is an extension of who I am as a citizen of the world and with your support and financial aid I will make my mark as a contributor to the future of Jamaica’s development in Jamaica’s Physical Education and Sport.”

Canadian High Commissioner Her Excellency Emina Tudakovic lauded the initiative by the Canadian sprinter, because “education matters and sports matter”.

“While we celebrate the presentation of scholarships to the awardees it is also my pleasure to celebrate Brendon’s work and sterling accomplishments throughout his athletic career. Brendon is recognized by many as a world-class Canadian athlete, who we now know has a tremendous passion for promotion education and sports,” she said.

“A couple weeks ago we had the chance to meet and what I was really struck by was that he is thinking ahead and he is passionate about the youth and I think this is really important because it’s not just about being good at sports, it’s also about using it to build upon your life in the direction you’re heading and this is what these scholarships are doing.”

Jaydon Hibbert continues to rack up accolades in only his first year at the University of Arkansas. On Wednesday, the record-breaking Jamaican was named SEC Outdoor Freshman Field Athlete of the Year and Field Athlete of the Year.

 He becomes the first freshman to claim both field event honors since Mondo Duplantis of LSU in 2019.

The previous Razorback to sweep both awards was pole vaulter Andrew Irwin in 2009.

Other Arkansas Freshman Field Athlete of the Year include jumpers Nkosina Balumbu in 2006 and Tarik Batchelor in 2009. Razorbacks named Field Athlete of the Year include jumper Alain Bailey in 2009 and decathlete Ayden Owens-Delerme in 2022.

Hibbert, who also claimed the SEC Indoor Freshman of the Year accolade, broke the triple jump collegiate record by nearly 0.3m in winning the SEC Outdoor title on his second attempt in the competition.

The former Kingston College athlete’s mark of 17.87m bettered the field by more than a metre while his opening round effort of 17.02m would also have claimed the victory. In addition to breaking multiple records, four of which were set in the 1980s, Hibbert moves to equal 13th on the all-time world list, matching the career best mark by Olympic gold medallist Mike Conley from 1987.

Hibbert is the Number 2 performer with the Number 2 performance on the Jamaican all-time list, trailing only the 17.92m by James Beckford from the 1995 NJCAA Championships in Odessa, Texas.

On the Arkansas all-time list, Hibbert surpassed two of Conley’s marks that were both set in winning the 1985 NCAA title in Austin, Texas. A wind-assisted 17.71m and a wind-legal 17.54m.

His awards were among five titles won by the University of Arkansas.

Coach of the Year went to Chis Bucknam, Jaydon Hibbert collected a pair of awards – Field Athlete of the Year and Freshman Field Athlete of the Year – while Ben Shearer was named co-Freshman Runner of the Year.

Coach of the Year went to Chis Bucknam, Ben Shearer was named co-Freshman Runner of the Year and Ayden Owens-Delerme was named Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year.       

Jamaica’s Sprint Legend Usain Bolt says he remains eager to play another impactful role in track and field’s growth and, as such, is awaiting a position from World Athletics to hit the ground running.

The 36-year-old, who shot to fame by winning eight Olympic titles and 11 World Championships gold medals, while breaking records in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m, believes the track and field has experienced somewhat of a decline since his retirement in 2017, but stands ready to assist in the sport’s revival, if asked to do so.

“I’m still waiting on a position from (World Athletics), I’ve reached out to them and let them know I would love to make a bigger impact in sports, as long as they want me to,” Bolt said in an interview with Reuters.

“We’ve been in talks, but we’ll have to wait and see what comes around,” the global phenom and one of Jamaica’s most recognizable figures, added.

Bolt is aware that his personality was a vital ingredient in the sport’s success during his era but pointed out to indications that athletes like US sprinter Noah Lyles, might be starting to fill the charisma gap.

“It’s going to be a process. After me, it kind of went down because of who I was as a person and how big my personality was,” the iconic sprinter shared. 

“But I think over time, it will be better. I think young athletes are coming up and I see a few personalities that are needed in sport; hopefully, in the upcoming years, it will change. Hopefully, I can play a part and help the sport to grow,” Bolt stated.

While there was some disappointment about the crowd turnout at last year’s World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Bolt is of the view that next year’s Olympic Games in Paris, France, could be a special moment for the sport.

“Sometimes, it’s all about where it is. America is not the biggest track and field place,” Bolt said.

“I think Paris will be big because it’s accessible and I know Paris always has a good team and good athletes over the years. So, I look forward to that,” he noted.

After a decade of Bolt-inspired global dominance, Jamaica’s men have failed to win a single track gold medal at the last two World Championships.

However, with rising young sprinters Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake both showing considerable promise of success, Bolt believes there is a good platform for that medal drought to be broken at this year’s championships in Budapest, Hungary.

“Last year, Seville came fourth (in the 100m), so I was very impressed. Also now, there’s a young kid, Ackeem Blake, who is also stepping up. So, I think that’s a good start,” the 11-time world champion said.

“Hopefully, these two will motivate other youngsters to want to step up and want to train harder and dedicate themselves,” he reasoned.

On that note, Bolt said he would be keeping a close eye on compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce at the World Championships in August.

Fraser-Pryce, also 36, who has led Jamaica’s dominance in the women’s sprints, will be seeking a record-extending sixth world 100m title in Hungary, 14 years after making her debut in the global showpiece of track and field.

“I follow Shelly a lot because we came through the same era, so to see her continue sprinting and coming back from having a child, that’s impressive,” said Bolt.

Peaches Roach-Findlay will be inducted into the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, September 1.

The Jamaican attended the University of Iowa for four years from 2004-2007 and enjoyed a collegiate career filled with numerous accolades.

She was a four-time All-American, 10-time regional qualifier, a five-time Big Ten Champion and the 2004 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Roach-Findlay also still holds the school’s indoor and outdoor high jump records as well as the seventh fastest 60m and 10^th fastest 100m times in school history.

Competing internationally for Jamaica, Roach Findlay won a gold medal in the Heptathlon at the CAC Games in 2010 before returning a year later to cop the bronze medal.

Also in 2010, she narrowly missed out on a medal in the same event at the Commonwealth Games in new Delhi, finishing fourth.

She is also a three-time national champion in the high jump.

Texas’s Julien Alfred will have a chance to defend her NCAA Outdoor 100m title after securing her spot in the field on the final day of the NCAA West Regionals in Sacramento on Saturday.

The 21-year-old St. Lucian, who won the NCAA Indoor 60m and 200m double earlier this season, sped to a meet record and collegiate leading time of 10.83 to comfortably be the fastest qualifier to the Championships set for June 7-10 on her home track at the University of Texas's Mike A. Myers stadium.

Her Jamaican teammate, Kevona Davis, also made it through the preliminaries with an 11.06 effort.

The Texas duo also made it through in the 200m with Davis running a season’s best 22.33 and Alfred running 22.45.

Arkansas’s Ackera Nugent, a two-time NCAA Indoor Champion, ran 12.69, a new meet record to advance fastest in the sprint hurdles. Her countrywoman, Texas Tech’s Demisha Roswell, also made it through with a season’s best 12.77.

Arkansas’s Nickisha Price and Joanne Reid both advanced in the one-lap event with personal best times of 50.49 and 51.49, respectively.

In the field, defending NCAA high jump champion, Lamara Distin of Texas A&M, easily cleared 1.85m to secure her opportunity to defend her title. Texas’s Ackelia Smith, world leader in the long jump, also booked her spot in the field for the triple jump with 13.96m.

Meanwhile, at the East Regionals in Jacksonville, Ohio State’s Yanique Dayle and Kentucky’s Anthaya Charlton made it through in the 100m.

Dayle, the Jamaican Senior, produced a big personal best 11.05 while Charlton, the Bahamian Freshman, produced 11.08 (2.3 m/s) to advance.

Dayle also advanced in the 200m with a season’s best 22.58 while LSU’s Brianna Lyston also made it through with 22.92.

In the field, Georgia’s Vincentian Junior, Mikeisha Welcome, jumped 13.50m to make it through in the triple jump.

Eilish McColgan says winning gold at this summer’s World Championships is a “pipe dream” and she is instead focusing on breaking the 30-minute barrier in the 10,000 metres.

The 32-year-old Scot is recovering from the knee injury which forced her to pull out of the London Marathon last month just days before the race.

She returned to light training at the weekend with the August event in Budapest in her sights but admits that her time on the sidelines has severely hampered her chances of topping the podium.

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McColgan has had incredible success in the 10,000 metres over recent years, winning gold in the European Championships in 2021 and then at the Commonwealth Games 12 months later before creating history in March of this year by setting a new British record of 30:00.86.

And now she wants to become the first non-African-born woman to go under 30 minutes.

On her chances of winning gold in Budapest she told the PA news agency: “That would exceed my goals right now because of the setbacks I have had. I think it would be a pipe dream right now, but I am not going to set myself any real limits.

“To be in Budapest and be at the start and healthy would be a big achievement to be honest.

“But my big thing this year would be to break the 30 minutes in the 10k. I think there are only 12 women in the world who have done that, it would be a big achievement for me.

“Earlier in the year I had no doubt I could break 30 minutes, now there is a little bit of a doubt because I haven’t been able to train for the last so many weeks.

“It does put a little bit of a question mark over whether I can do it and perhaps that is one for next season, but it would be really nice to be in Budapest and be competitive.

“To be in the top six fastest women in the world… that would be a great achievement.”

It has been a frustrating few weeks for McColgan, having to rehab her knee problem, which fortunately did not need surgery.

And she cites recovering from injuries as one of the main triggers of stress in her job, especially as she says that her method of dealing with it is to go out and run.

“It’s a very privileged job that I have, it is not quite the same pressures as other people may have but we are still humans, we are not robots at the end of the day, so we do have pressures,” McColgan added.

“The biggest pressure is coming back from injury but we go through the same stresses as everyone else because with regards injury and illness, if we don’t race or compete that is how we pay our bills.

“It is the biggest pressure, coming back from injury and making sure you’re healthy.

“It is maybe more challenging for myself, running is ultimately what can cause my stress but it is what I use as a stress release. That is difficult if I am injured and I can’t do the thing I love.

“You train hard for years of your career for months and months on end to race. That lends itself to pressure, you build yourself up to that one event.

“Usually it’s the World Championships or Olympic Games because it is one day every four years where you have to be ready. It is quite big stakes when it is one day in four years.

“You think, ‘s***, that is not easy’. It is challenging to get the right balance of really enjoying your sport without it becoming too intense.”

A recent study has revealed that 85 per cent of people say sweating can increase stress levels, even though it is proven to have health benefits.

McColgan is part of deodorant brand Bionsen’s ‘Don’t sweat the small stuff’ campaign, which aims to remove the stigma of sweating and offer tips on how to manage stress.

McColgan added: “I don’t think people should be afraid to sweat. A few years ago it was almost like women didn’t want to be seen to be sweating, but now it is more of a confidence thing. Being active and keeping fit and being afraid to sweat is hard work, but that is what it takes.”

:: Bionsen’s full deodorant range is available from £2.69 at a variety of retailers including Boots, Amazon and Bionsen’s website: https://bionsen.uk/