Olympic finalists Roshawn Clarke and Shiann Salmon both produced their best performances of the season in winning efforts at the Zurich Diamond League on Friday.

Clarke, who was a DNF in the Olympic final in Paris last month, ran a season’s best 47.49 to win in a stacked men’s 400m hurdles ahead of Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba (47.58) and Estonia’s Rasmus Magi (48.02).

Salmon, sixth place in the final in Paris, dipped below 53 seconds for the first time in her career with an excellent personal best 52.97 to win ahead of Olympic silver medallist Anna Cockrell (53.17) and Shamier Little (54.07).

Also, among the winners on Friday was Olympic silver medallist Wayne Pinnock who produced a best jump of 8.17m to take top spot over rival and Olympic and World champion Miltiadis Tentoglu (8.02m) and Simon Ehammer (7.98m).

Two-time World Champion and Olympic bronze medallist Anderson Peters threw 85.72m to take the win in the men’s javelin ahead of Germany’s Julian Weber (85.33m) and Japan’s Roderick Genki Dean (82.69m).

In a much-anticipated Olympic final rematch in the women’s 100m, American Sha’Carri Richardson (10.84) this time secured victory over St. Lucian Olympic champion Julien Alfred (10.88) and British 2019 World 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith (10.89).

Puerto Rican Olympic bronze medallist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn ran 12.36 to win the women's 100m hurdles ahead of Cyrena Samba-Mayela (12.40) and Olympic champion Masai Russell (12.47).

2021 Olympic champion Hansle Parchment ran a season’s best 13.18 for fourth in the men’s 110m hurdles won by Olympic champion Grant Holloway in 12.99. Sasha Zhoya took second in a personal best 13.10 while Freddie Crittenden ran 13.15 in third.

Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic ran a respectable 19.87 for fifth in the men’s 200m. Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo took the win in a fast 19.55, just ahead of American Kenny Bednarek (19.57). Erriyon Knighton ran 19.79 in third while Fred Kerley ran 19.81 in fourth.

The next stop on the Diamond League circuit will be the Diamond League Final in Brussels on September 13 and 14.

Wanya McCoy of the Bahamas and Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic were the only two Caribbean athletes to secure automatic qualification to the semifinals of the men’s 200m at the Paris Olympics at the Stade de France on Monday.

McCoy, running out of lane nine, produced an excellent last 50m to finish second in heat two in 20.35 behind Uganda’s Tarsis Orogot who won in a comfortable 20.32.

Brazil’s Renan Correa ran 20.41 to secure the third automatic spot relegating Jamaica’s Andrew Hudson, who ran 20.53 for fourth, to Tuesday’s repechage round.

Ogando was the third fastest qualifier to the semis after running 20.04 to finish second in heat four behind American Kenny Bednarek who’s winning time of 19.96 was the fastest in the heats. Germany’s Joshua Hartmann took the third automatic spot in that race with 20.30.

Jamaica’s Bryan Levell and Bahamian Ian Kerr will both have to come back to tomorrow’s repechage round if they are to make it to the semifinals after fourth and fifth place finishes in their respective heats.

Levell ran 20.47 to finish fourth in heat six behind 100m champion Noah Lyles (20.19), defending Olympic champion Andre De Grasse (20.30) and Japan’s Towa Uzawa (20.33).

Kerr ran 20.53 for fifth in heat five won by American Erriyon Knighton in 19.99. Zimbabwe’s Tapiwanashe Makarawu ran 20.07 for second while South Africa’s Shaun Maswanganyi ran 20.20 for third.

Medal contenders Letsile Tebogo of Botswana (20.10) and Joseph Fahnbulleh of Liberia (20.20) both advanced as heat winners.

Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville have the top two fastest times going into the 100m finals set for later today.

Thompson, the newcomer, easily won his heat in 9.80s, 0.01 faster than his compatriot Oblique Seville who cruised to a personal best 9.81 to win his heat while looking across at the brash American Noah Lyles who ran 9.983.

The USA’s Fred Kerley was second in Thompson’s heat in 9.84,  a season’s best.

Also through to the final are South Africa’s Akani Simbini (9.86), Letsile Tebogo (9.91), and reigning Olympic champion Marcel Jacobs, who ran a season’s best 9.92. The USA’s Kenny Bednarek is also through to the final in 9.92.

Noah Lyles, the reigning world champion, secured his place at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a stunning victory in the 100m dash at the USA National Championships on Sunday. Clocking in at a blistering 9.83 seconds (0.4), Lyles dominated the field at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, demonstrating his readiness to chase Olympic gold.

Lyles only previous Olympic medal was a 200m bronze from Tokyo, but he heads to Paris bolstered by his remarkable achievements at the World Championships in Budapest last year, where he won gold in the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay.

Lyles was followed by Kenny Bednarek, primarily known for his prowess in the 200m, who finished with a personal best of 9.87 seconds. The 2022 world champion, Fred Kerley, took third place with a time of 9.88 seconds. Just missing out on the Olympic team, world indoor champion and 2019 world 100m gold medallist Christian Coleman finished fourth, clocking 9.93 seconds.

The day was also marked by an extraordinary performance from 16-year-old Quincy Wilson. In the 400m semi-finals, Wilson shattered his own under-18 world record, lowering it from 44.66 seconds to an impressive 44.59 seconds, demonstrating his prodigious talent and setting the stage for an exciting future in athletics.

In the women’s 400m, Kendall Ellis emerged victorious with a time of 49.46 seconds, followed closely by Aaliyah Butler (49.71) and Alexis Holmes (49.78), both of whom secured their places on the Olympic team.

As the USA's Kenny Bednarek gears up for a bid to join his second Olympic team, the 200m silver medalist from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has set his sights on meeting his childhood idol, Usain Bolt. In a recent interview with Nick McCarvel for Olympic.com, Bednarek revealed his admiration for the eight-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the 100m and 200m.

Despite his own accomplishments on the track, Bednarek has yet to meet the Jamaican sprint legend. "I've never met him, but Usain is somebody that I looked up to as a kid," Bednarek shared. "It'd just be nice to pick his brain, know his thoughts, and see how he was able to accomplish everything he did."

As Bednarek prepares for the upcoming Paris Olympics, he acknowledges the influence Bolt has had on his career while also emphasizing his commitment to his own training regimen and support system. "I'm trying to take some cues from the all-time great from Jamaica, but I'm also trusting my own process and the team that surrounds me," he said. "I just know all the work that I put in to help me reach this moment. I trust my coach, my technique, and everybody else who has supported me. The confidence is through the roof, and all that I need to do is execute."

Throughout his journey, Bednarek has learned invaluable lessons, including the importance of humility—a value instilled in him by his mother. "My mum always told me to stay humble," he remarked with a smile. "I've always told her to let me know if I ever get too cocky because I don't want to change just because I get more fame or more money. If I ever get a little too cocky, she always reminds me, and I appreciate her for that."

With Olympic and world medals under his belt and a growing social media presence, Bednarek remains grounded as he continues to chase his dreams. Meeting Usain Bolt would be a significant milestone for the American sprinter, symbolizing the connection between two generations of sprinting excellence.

As Bednarek looks ahead to Paris, his admiration for Bolt and his own dedication to the sport serve as dual inspirations, driving him to achieve even greater heights in his career.

Bahamian 400m Olympic Champion Steven Gardiner, and Jamaica’s World Championships long jump finalist Carey McLeod, stood out among the Caribbean performances as they topped their respective events at the Wanda Diamond League in Doha, Qatar on Friday.

McLeod, who was fourth at the Xiamen meet, displayed mark improvement on this occasion to top the event with a wind-aided leap of 8.52m. He recovered from a failed attempt at the start to cut the sand at 8.14m, before achieving the winning leap on his fourth attempt in a positive 5.2 metres per second wind reading.

The 26-year-old topped a stacked field which included Greece’s Olympic and World champion Miltiadis Tentoglou, who had to settle for second on this occasion with a season’s best leap of 8.36m. Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer (8.30m), was third, while Jamaica’s 2019 World champion Tajay Gayle (8.01m) was fifth, and Bahamian LaQuan Nairn (7.59m) eighth.

For Gardiner, it was a case of picking up where he left off, as he continued his rich early season form in the 400m with another classy display. He went out hard from lane five and quickly covered rivals on the outside at the 250m mark, before pulling away in the latter stages to win in 44.76s.

Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga, closed fast for second in a season’s best 45.07s, while Botswana’s Leungo Scotch (45.29s) was third.