LSU sophomore Brianna Lyston and Arkansas senior Nickisha Pryce both produced excellent performances to claim gold medals on the final day of the SEC Outdoor Championships in Gainesville, Florida on Saturday.

The former Hydel High and St. Jago High athlete won ahead of Georgia’s Kaila Jackson, who wasn’t far behind in second with 10.95, and LSU’s Thelma Davies who ran 11.01 in third.

She then ran 22.37 for fourth in the 200m final. Ole Miss’s McKenzie Long ran 22.03 for gold ahead of South Carolina’s JaMeesia Ford (22.11) and LSU’s Thelma Davies (22.17).

Earlier, she helped LSU take bronze in the women’s 4x100m in 42.49 behind Ole Miss (42.47) and Tennessee (42.42).

The 19-year-old Lyston ran wind assisted times of 10.87 and 10.84 earlier this season. She also claimed the indoor 60m titles at both the SEC and NCAA Indoor Championships in February and March.

In the men’s 100m final, Bahamian Florida junior Wanya McCoy ran a personal best 10.02 for second behind LSU’s Godson Oghenebrume who successfully defended his title in 9.99. Tennessee’s T’Mars McCallum ran 10.03 in third.

McCoy also ran a personal best 19.93 for second in the 200m behind Alabama’s Tarsis Orogot who ran a meet record 19.75 to take gold. Auburn’s Makanakaishe Charamba ran 20.00 for third

The 400m saw reigning Jamaican national champion Nickisha Pryce move to second all-time for Jamaica in the event with a brilliant 49.32 to win gold. Kaylyn Brown (49.47) and Amber Anning (49.51) took second and third to complete an Arkansas 1-2-3.

This is just a day after Pryce ran her previous personal best 49.72 to advance to the final.

Pryce's time is just outside of Lorraine Fenton's Jamaican record 49.30 set back in 2002.

Barbadian Tennessee senior Rasheeme Griffith ran 49.24 for third in the men’s 400m hurdles final behind Alabama’s Chris Robinson (48.43) and Tennessee’s Clement Ducos (47.69).

The women’s event saw Jamaican Ole Miss sophomore Gabrielle Matthews run a personal best 55.12 to win ahead of Georgia’s Dominique Mustin (55.60) and LSU’s Shani’a Bellamy (56.40).

Brianna Lyston secured a chance at the sprint double at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Gainesville, Florida after booking her spot in the final of the women’s 100m.

The LSU sophomore, who ran 22.31 on Thursday to secure her spot in the 200m final, came back a day later to run 11.09 to be the joint-fastest qualifier for Saturday’s final alongside collegiate leader Jacious Sears of Tennessee.

Bahamian Florida junior Wanya McCoy and Jamaican Georgia freshman Jehlani Gordon advanced to the men’s 100m final as the second and ninth fastest qualifiers with 10.09 and 10.17, respectively.

The women’s 400m prelims saw Arkansas senior Nickisha Pryce become the eighth-fastest Jamaican ever in the event.

Pryce, who is Jamaica’s reigning national champion, ran a personal best and collegiate leading 49.72 to advance to the final as the fastest qualifier ahead of teammate Kaylyn Brown who ran 49.86.

LSU sophomore Jahiem Stern produced 13.45 to advance to the final of the 110m hurdles.

In the field, the Jamaican Arkansas pair of Romaine Beckford and Wayne Pinnock won gold in the high jump and long jump, respectively.

Beckford had a best clearance of 2.22m to win ahead of LSU’s Kuda Chadenga (2.19m) and Ole Miss’s Arvesta Troupe (2.14m).

Pinnock, a sliver medalist at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, jumped 8.09m to successfully defend his SEC title.

Georgia’s Micah Larry produced 7.80m for second while Florida’s Caleb Foster was third with the same distance.

Brianna Lyston, the standout LSU sophomore, demonstrated her exceptional talent at the SEC Outdoor Championships on Thursday by running a lifetime best of 22.31 seconds in the 200m, securing her spot in the finals scheduled for Saturday.

 Despite facing a challenging headwind of 1.0m/s, Lyston delivered a remarkable performance to win her heat and surpass her previous personal best of 22.53 set in Kingston two years ago. Her impressive run solidifies her status as a formidable competitor in collegiate track and field.

 Joining Lyston in the finals is Nickeisha Pryce, a senior from the University of Arkansas, who also secured her place with a strong performance, clocking a time of 22.75 seconds.

 In Saturday's final, Lyston will face a stacked field that includes Tennessee's Jacious Sears who ran 22.66 in her heat on Thursday as well as Razorback Amber Anning (22.66) as well as South Carolina's JaMeesia Ford (22.47) and McKenzie Long of Ole Miss (22.37).

 In addition to Lyston's outstanding achievement, Kimar Farquharson and Tyrese Reid showcased their talent in the 800m event, both advancing to the finals.

 Farquharson, representing Texas A&M, clocked an impressive time of 1:47.57, while Reid, representing the University of Mississippi, secured his spot with a time of 1:48.07.

Louisiana State University sophomore Brianna Lyston, Minnesota junior Devin Augustine and Olympic and World 400m champion Steven Gardiner were among the Caribbean winners at Saturday’s LSU Alumni Gold meet in Baton Rouge.

Lyston produced one of the day’s most impressive performances, winning the college 100m in 10.84, a time that would’ve been a new personal best if not for a 2.2 m/s tail wind.

Minnesota’s Odell Frye (11.19) and Victory Godah (11.28) were second and third.

This was Lyston’s second time already this season going sub-11 seconds. At the Battle of the Bayou on March 30, she turned heads with an also wind-aided 10.87 (2.6m/s).

The former St. Jago High and Hydel High standout also, earlier this season, became the SEC and NCAA Indoor 60m champion with times of 7.08 and 7.03, respectively.

Lyston then returned to win the 200m in 22.35 (2.8m/s) ahead of Southern Miss’s Jada McDougle (23.061) and LSU’s Aniyah Bigam (23.064).

Trinidadian Minnesota junior Devin Augustine was also impressive in winning the sprint double.

He first won the 100m in 10.02 (2.2 m/s) ahead of LSU’s Da’Marcus Fleming (10.03) and 2024 Carifta Games U-20 100m silver medallist Jaiden Reid (10.12).

Augustine then ran 20.98 into a -3.0 m/s wind to win the 200m ahead of teammate Charles Godfred (21.41) and Meridan Community College’s Keon Buck (21.46).

Elsewhere on Saturday, Bahamian 400m legend Steven Gardiner produced 44.45 to comfortably win his 400m season opener ahead of American Vernon Norwood (44.94) and British World Championship silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith (45.00).

Jamaican Louisiana State University (LSU) sophomore Briana Lyston produced 22.46 for third overall in the women’s 200m invite on Friday’s first day of the 2024 Tom Jones Memorial at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida.

Lyston, who became the SEC and NCAA Indoor 60m champion earlier this season, won the third heat on Friday but her time was aided by a 3.1 m/s trailing wind.

Ole Miss’s McKenzie Long and South Carolina’s JaMeesia Ford finished first and second overall with times of 22.18 and 22.41, respectively, which they both did in the first heat aided by a 4.1m/s wind.

The women’s college 200m saw Mississippi State senior Rosealee Cooper run a personal best 23.60 to take the win ahead of Baylor’s Kayla Hunt (23.76) and Ohio State’s Columba Effiong (23.82).

In the men’s javelin, Bahamian Auburn sophomore Keyshawn Strachan threw a season’s best 76.25m for third behind Georgia’s Marc Minichello (81.03m) and Baylor’s Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi (78.90m).

Jamaican Florida State sophomore Jordan Turner jumped 7.87m for third in the men’s long jump invite behind Marquis Dendy (8.05m) and Cameron Crump (7.91m).

LSU Head Track Coach Dennis Shaver has bold aspirations for Brianna Lyston, aiming to mold her into a sprinting powerhouse akin to Jamaican legends Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah. However, he emphasizes the importance of patience as Lyston continues her journey towards greatness.

 "My goal over her career here at LSU is to make her an elite 100m sprinter because I think that as a professional track and field athlete, your ability to earn money is better in the hundred than it is being a 200m," he explained.

“But it's still in the early stages. We need to get to where she's just a beast all the time because that's like Shelly Ann, that's like Elaine Thompson. Those people that are just durable and you can always count on them.”

Following Lyston's impressive performance at the Battle of the Bayou, where she clocked a blistering 10.87s (wind 2.6m/s), the fastest time ever recorded for an opener by a collegiate woman under any conditions, Coach Shaver remains optimistic about her development. Despite her recent accolades, the experienced coach  stresses the importance of steady progress and physical development, underscoring Lyston's growth in strength since joining LSU.

"In the shorter sprint races, we had her pretty well prepared. She's been accelerating quite well, and her top-end speed, obviously, has always been pretty good. But I think the biggest change for her, in her development at this point, is she's just physically a little stronger than what she was when she came in August," Coach Shaver told Sportsmax.TV in an exclusive interview.

"And I think it's made a big difference this year, her second year here. I was very patient with her last year because I know how talented she is and how important it is that we take good care of her and have her prepared for summertime, too."

In discussing Lyston's aspirations for the upcoming summer, Coach Shaver revealed her goal of securing a spot on Jamaica's Olympic team for Paris. This summer is especially important, and one of Lyston’s goals is to make Jamaica’s team for the Olympic Games in Paris, he shared.

To get on the team, she will have to run faster than she has ever done before. At the Jamaican trials, she will likely face three of the fastest women of all time in Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Shericka Jackson, the latter two over 200m as well.

Coach Shaver believes in Lyston's competitive spirit, sharing that she can run lifetime bests later this summer. "I think realistically, I'm more about consistency than what the PR time is. But I think if anybody, as a collegian, can consistently line up and run 10.90 on a fairly regular basis, then when you get towards championship time, or in her case, maybe the Jamaican trials, or maybe if she makes the team with Jamaica to represent in Paris, which is obviously probably one of her goals, is to be able to do that.

“And I think if we can just get the 10.90s on consistent basis, I think we can have her ready to run faster than that when we get to late into the summer.”

Highlighting the importance of patience in Lyston's journey, Coach Shaver emphasized injury prevention and physical development. "That's kind of been our outlook with everybody that's talented like her here at LSU. You know, we've always tried to show patience and give them a chance to mature," he remarked.

"I still think she has room for growth. And I think that's where the patience and the education part of how the training helps you overcome that also, when we're talking about, you know, strength training and so forth.

“She's a little fragile and so we've tried not to do too much with her, and especially last year. And I think now she's physically a little stronger, and I think she's gained confidence about the ability to be able to consistently run fast in more than one race. But, she's got a ways to go yet and I think this is an important season for her.

“This weekend we're competing and she's only going to run a four by one. But when we go to Tom Jones Florida the following week, if the weather's good, which it usually is, I think that'll be her 200m opener. I'm anxious to see what she runs in the 200m in a couple of weeks.”

Louisiana State University (LSU) Sophomore Brianna Lyston produced a sizzling 10.87w (2.6 m/s) to finish second overall at the 2024 Battle on the Bayou at the Bernie Moore Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Saturday.

Lyston, who earlier this season claimed both the SEC and NCAA Indoor 60m titles, produced her first sub-11 time to finish in a close second behind Favour Ofili of Tiger Olympians who won in 10.85.

McKenzie Long of Ole Miss was third in 10.89.

Interestingly, this was Lyston's first 100m race since the Class One final at the 2022 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships.

Elsewhere, LSU’s Jahiem Stern ran 13.43 for third in the men’s 110m hurdles behind the Texas A&M pair Jaqualon Scott (13.34) and Connor Schulman (13.42).

Mississippi State’s Tyrese Reid ran a personal best 1:45.76 for second in the men’s 800m won by Texas A&M’s Sam Whitmarsh in 1:44.46.

Marcus Dropik of Ole Miss ran 1:47.82 in third.

In the field, Kentucky’s Luke Brown produced 16.40m to take the win in the men’s triple jump ahead of Ole Miss’s Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley (15.25m) and Georgia’s Zavien Wolfe (14.84m).

The competition for The Bowerman is heating up, with the latest post-NCAA Indoor Watch List showcasing the talent and achievements of collegiate track and field athletes. Among the notable mentions are Jamaica's Lamara Distin and Brianna Lyston, who have retained their places on the prestigious list following their outstanding performances during the indoor season.

Distin, representing Texas A&M, continues to make waves in the high jump event. The Hanover native made history by becoming the first collegian to clear the 2.00m (6-6¾) mark at the SEC Indoor Championships. Despite finishing second at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a leap of 1.97m (6-5½), Distin's consistent excellence has solidified her position on the Watch List, marking her tenth appearance.

Lyston, hailing from Portmore, Jamaica, has been a dominant force in the sprint events for LSU. The talented athlete secured the top spot in the 60 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a blazing time of 7.03 seconds, making her the second-fastest collegian of all time in the event. With an undefeated season and multiple sub-7.10 performances, Lyston's remarkable achievements have earned her a spot on the Watch List for the third time.

Joining Distin and Lyston on the Watch List are eight other standout athletes, including newcomers Rachel Glenn of Arkansas and Juliette Whittaker of Stanford. These athletes have showcased their exceptional skills and contributed to collegiate track and field history with their remarkable performances.

The battle for The Bowerman title will culminate in December at the USTFCCCA Convention in Orlando, Florida. As the competition intensifies, athletes like Distin and Lyston will continue to push the boundaries of excellence, representing Jamaica with pride on the global stage of collegiate athletics.

The next Watch List update is scheduled for Wednesday, April 10, promising more excitement and anticipation as the race for The Bowerman unfolds.

Brianna Lyston, Jamaica's young standout athlete from the LSU women's track and field program, has received recognition from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association. She was named the South-Central Region Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, marking a significant achievement in her burgeoning career.

This prestigious honour adds to Lyston's list of accolades, making her the first LSU athlete to claim the title since Tonea Marshall in 2020. Notably, LSU now holds the record for the most regional indoor track athlete of the year awards in the region, with six to their name.

Lyston's remarkable performance at the NCAA Indoor Championships solidified her status as one of the top athletes in collegiate track and field.

She clinched the gold medal in the women's 60m, setting a new LSU record with a breathtaking time of 7.03 seconds. This victory not only made her the first Tiger since Aleia Hobbs in 2018 to win NCAA gold in the event but also elevated her to the second position in collegiate history among 60m runners, trailing only behind the 2023 Bowerman award winner, Julien Alfred.

Prior to her triumph at the NCAA championships, Lyston demonstrated her prodigious talent at the SEC Indoor Championships, where she claimed the women's 60m title with a meet-record time of 7.08 seconds.

This achievement marked a significant milestone in her career, especially considering her absence from a substantial portion of the previous indoor and outdoor seasons.

As Lyston prepares to transition to the outdoor season, she remains determined to continue her success on the track. Scheduled to make her outdoor debut at the Hurricane Invitational, she is set to compete in the 100m, 4x100m relay, and the 4x400m relay, demonstrating her versatility and prowess as one of the top collegiate athletes.

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."

Jamaican athletes Lamara Distin, Brianna Lyston, and Ackelia Smith continue to make waves on the NCAA track and field scene, securing their spots on the prestigious 2024 Bowerman Watch List. The latest edition of the list was unveiled on Wednesday, following the conclusion of the regional conference championships this past weekend.

The Bowerman Award, named after Oregon track and field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman, stands as the highest honor bestowed upon the year's best student-athlete in American collegiate track and field. Administered by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the list showcases the most outstanding talents in the sport.

 Distin, hailing from Hanover, Jamaica, showcased her dominance at the SEC Indoor Championships by setting a collegiate record in the high jump, clearing an impressive 2.00m, which is also a national indoor record. This performance marked the first-ever two-metre jump indoors or outdoors in collegiate history. Undefeated in three meets this winter, Distin also notched a pair of clearances at 1.97m, solidifying her position with four of the top-11 collegiate indoor performances of all time. With nine career Watch List appearances, she stands as the active leader among women, eyeing a third-straight NCAA DI Indoor title.

Lyston, a talent from Portmore, Jamaica, has remained undefeated in three 60-metre finals this winter, delivering the year's two fastest performances. Running a swift 7.07 in January at the Razorback Invitational, she secured the No. 4 all-time collegiately spot. Lyston continued her stellar form with a 7.08 victory at the SEC Indoor on the same track. Additionally, she clocked an impressive 23.16 in her sole 200m event this year, earning her second appearance on the Watch List.

Smith, representing Clarendon, Jamaica, asserted her dominance in the long jump with ownership of the year's four best collegiate leaps. Her leading jump of 6.85m this winter showcases her undefeated streak in three meets. Holding a personal record of 6.88m from last year, Smith is a force to be reckoned with, securing her fifth career Watch List appearance. In the triple jump, where she ranks No. 3 all-time outdoors and No. 5 indoors, Smith continued her excellence with a fourth-place finish in the Big 12 Indoor at 13.37m. Her versatility extends to the 60m, where she boasts a personal record of 7.21, and she contributed a swift 53.25 leadoff split on the Longhorns' top 4×400 squad.

Joining these Jamaican sensations on the Bowerman Watch List are other outstanding athletes, including JaMeesia Ford – South Carolina, Jasmine Jones – Southern Carolina, Olivia Markezich – Notre Dame, Hannah Moll – Washington, Maia Ramsden – Harvard, Michaela Rose – LSU, and Parker Valby – Florida.

The anticipation for these remarkable athletes continues to grow, with the next women's Watch List scheduled for March 20. The Jamaican trio's stellar performances signal an exciting journey ahead in the world of collegiate track and field.

Lamara Distin of Texas A&M once again etched her name in the record books, as she became the first female high jumper in NCAA history to clear 2.00m (6-6.75) at the South-Eastern Conference (SEC) indoor championships at the Tyson Sports Complex in Fayetteville, on Saturday.

The 22-year-old Distin, who won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and was a finalist at last year’s World Championships, once again demonstrated her class and rich vein of form in her winning mark.

Along with rewriting her previous national record of 1.97m set last year, Distin also shattered her own meet record of 1.95m, as well as the previous championship record of 1.98m set by Hooker Tex in 2016. She also equaled the facility record.

Distin won ahead of Arkansas’ Rachel Glenn (1.94m) and University of Georgia’s Elena Kulichenko (1.91m). Another Jamaican Nia Robinson or Arkansas was 12^th with a new personal best mark of 1.75m.

Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford representing Arkansas also topped the men’s high jump after clearing the bar at 2.25m. He won ahead of Mississippi State’s Sherman Hawkins (2.16m) and Texas A&M’s Ushan Perera (2.11m).

On the track, Brianna Lyston of Louisiana State University, also continued her rich vein of form when she clocked a meet record equalling 7.08 to win the women’s 60m final. She equalled the time set by another Jamaican Remona Burchell of University of Alabama in 2015.

Wayne Pinnock of the University of Arkansas won his first indoor long jump championships at the South-Eastern Conference (SEC) indoor championships on Friday.

Pinnock, who was second last year to then teammate Carey McLeod, secured his first indoor title with a leap of 8.28m at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Arkansas.

The World Championships silver medallist, Pinnock, stamped his class and led from the second round after a foul in the first round.

His teammate Nia Robinson was second in the women’s long jump with 6.44m. Robinson also recovered well after she fouled her opening attempt.

Meanwhile, Brianna Lyston is among a number of Jamaicans down to contest finals on Saturday. The Louisiana State University (LSU) representative is down to contest the women’s 60m final, after she clocked 7.12 seconds to win her heat on Friday.

Rosealee Cooper of Mississippi State will enter the women's 60m hurdles with as the sixth fastest qualifiers, as she clocked 8.21s for third in her heat.

Nickisha Pryce of Arkansas will line up in the women’s 200m and 400m finals, after she clocked personal best times of 22.94 and 50.90, when she finished tops in the heats. She is one of five Razorback athlete in the 400m final.

Jevaughn Powell also displayed good early season form with a personal best 45.35-clocking to lead qualifiers to the final of the men’s 400m.

Meanwhile, Tyrese Reid of Mississippi State and Kimar Farquharson of Texas A&M, both booked their spots in the men’s 800m final, after placing first and second in their respective heats in 1:50.50 and 1:50.95 respectively.

Louisiana State University (LSU) Sophomore Brianna Lyston was in a dominant mood once again on her way to victory in the women’s 60m at Friday’s 2024 LSU Twilight.

The 19-year-old, who recently signed a NIL deal with Adidas, produced 7.17 to win comfortably ahead of Kennedy Blackmon and Shannon Ray of Tiger Olympians who produced 7.39 and 7.41, respectively, in second and third.

Lyston is currently the collegiate leader in the event with her personal best 7.07 done at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville on January 27.

Elsewhere, LSU Sophomore Jahiem Stern produced 7.73 to win the men’s 60m hurdles ahead of teammate Matthew Sophia (7.74) and Haiti’s Yves Cherubin (7.91).

Trinidadian Hinds Community College Sophomore Rinaldo Moore ran 50.17 to win the men’s 400m ahead of teammate Braylin Demars (50.26) and Texas Lutheran’s Bryce Powell-Chimene (50.31).

Louisiana State University (LSU) Sophomore sensation Brianna Lyston has signed a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal with Adidas.

The 19-year-old made the announcement in an Instagram post on Monday.

“Philippians 2:13 ‘For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.’ Blessed to announce my partnership with adidas through NIL,” she wrote.

Sources indicate that she has no plans to opt out of school but plans to complete her education at LSU.

Lyston, the 2022 World U-20 200m champion, has had an excellent start to her second season at the Baton Rouge-based University.

She is currently the collegiate leader in the women’s 60m with her 7.07 effort to win at the Razorback Invitation on January 27 in Arkansas.

The former St. Jago and Hydel High standout also ran 23.13 for third in the 200m at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic on February 2.