Jamaican sprint hurdler Ackera Nugent proved her mettle with a commanding victory in the women’s 60m hurdles at the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais EDF Trophy on Thursday. After suffering a loss and a disqualification in her last two outings, Nugent rebounded emphatically to clock 7.75 seconds, the fastest time in the world this season.

The 21-year-old, a Racer with Grand Slam Track, stormed ahead of the field to secure a convincing win over American Grace Stark, who finished second in 7.82 seconds. France’s Laeticia Bapte completed the podium in third with a time of 7.85 seconds. Nugent’s stellar performance signals a return to top form ahead of the much-anticipated Grand Slam Track Series set to begin in Kingston, Jamaica, from April 4-6.

In the men’s 60m hurdles, American Grant Holloway reaffirmed his dominance with a world-leading time of 7.36 seconds to take victory. France’s Wilhem Belocian clocked 7.46 seconds for second place, registering a season-best, while Spain’s Enrique Llopis finished third in 7.53 seconds.

In other highlights from the meet, Cuba dominated the women’s triple jump with a brilliant 1-2 finish. Leyanis Perez Hernandez soared to victory with a world-leading 14.62m effort, while her compatriot Liadagmis Povea secured second place with a jump of 14.17m. France’s Ilionis Guillaume rounded out the top three with a season-best 13.98m.

Meanwhile, in the men’s 200m, Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando delivered a strong performance to claim second place in 20.70 seconds, setting a new national record. He finished behind the USA’s Erriyon Knighton, who clocked 20.54 seconds for the win. Israel’s Blessing Akwasi Afrifah completed the podium.

With this victory, Nugent reaffirms her status as one of the top hurdlers in the world and looks set to continue her stellar form in the upcoming competitions. The Grand Slam Track Series in Kingston promises to be another exciting opportunity for her to showcase her world-class talent on home soil.