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• Nickisha Pryce sets new national record 48.57 in 400m at London Diamond League

   In a spectacular display of speed and strength, Jamaica's champion Nickisha Pryce set a new national record and world-leading time of 48.57 to win the 400m at the London Diamond League meet on Saturday. This remarkable performance comes as Pryce's final race before the Olympic Games, which kick off with the opening ceremony on July 26.

  Pryce's incredible run saw her shatter her own national record of 48.89, previously set at the NCAA National Division 1 Championships in June. In a thrilling race, Pryce defeated European champion Natalia Kaczmarek, who also achieved a personal best and set a Polish national record with her time of 48.90. Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands finished third, clocking a personal best of 49.58.

  In the men's 400m hurdles, Alison Dos Santos made a strong comeback from his recent defeat in Monaco, winning with a time of 47.18. Jamaica's Roshawn Clarke ran a season's best of 47.63 to secure second place, while Ismail Daudai Abakar of Bahrain finished third with a personal best of 47.72.

  The women's 400m hurdles saw Netherlands' Femke Bol, fresh off her new lifetime best of 50.95, a European record, dominate the field. Bol clinched victory with a time of 51.30, while the USA's Shamier Little finished second in 52.78. Jamaica's Rushell Clayton earned third place with a time of 53.24, and her compatriot Andrenette Knight followed closely in fourth, setting a season's best of 53.69.

  Nickisha Pryce's record-breaking performance not only cements her status as one of the world's elite sprinters but also sets a formidable tone ahead of the Paris Olympics. As the Games approach, Pryce, along with her fellow Jamaican athletes, is poised to make a significant impact on the global stage.

   

• Caribbean stars set for final Olympic tune-up at London Diamond League meeting

  Several Caribbean athletics stars, including Ackeem Blake, Rushell Clayton, Julien Alfred, Nickisha Pryce, and Natoya Goule-Topping, are set to finalize their Olympic preparations at the highly anticipated Diamond League meeting in London on Saturday, July 20.

  Blake will compete in the men’s 100m event, facing world 100m and 200m champion Noah Lyles, who last raced at the US Olympic Trials, clinching both titles. He will also face Botswana's versatile sprinter Letsile Tebogo, who finished second to Lyles in both events at last year’s World Championships. Other notable entrants include world bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes, South Africa’s Akani Simbine, and Britain’s Jeremiah Azu.

  Alfred from Saint Lucia will compete in the women’s 200m, going up against world leader Gabby Thomas, fresh off her US Trials win with a time of 21.78. Alfred will face a star-studded field, including 2019 world champion Dina Asher-Smith, Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke, and European silver medallist Daryll Neita. This race is set to be one of the highlights of the meet.

   Clayton will take on the women’s 400m hurdles, competing alongside fellow Jamaican Shiann Salmon against a strong line-up led by world champion Femke Bol, who recently set a new European record of 50.95. USA’s Shamier Little is also among the competitors, promising a thrilling race as they all look to sharpen their form ahead of the Olympics.

  Pryce, who set a national record of 48.89 in winning the NCAA title, will make her Diamond League debut in the women’s 400m. She will be challenged by Poland’s European champion Natalia Kaczmarek, world indoor silver medallist Lieke Klaver, and Britain’s Amber Anning.

  Meanwhile, Goule-Toppin, the Jamaican record-holder in the women’s 800m, will compete against world and Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson, who has been undefeated this year. The line-up includes world indoor silver medallist Jemma Reekie, Olympic 1500m silver medallist Laura Muir, and 2019 world champion Halimah Nakaayi.

  As these Caribbean stars and other top athletes from around the world compete in London, fans can expect an exciting preview of the performances to come at the Paris Olympics.

• 'I actually threw up a few times': Salmon overcomes nerves to book first individual Olympic spot

  To say that 400m hurdler Shiann Salmon made a remarkable breakthrough when she secured an individual spot on Jamaica’s team to the Paris Olympic Games, would be an understatement.

  After just missing out on a spot to the Tokyo 2020 showpiece –for which she was listed as a reserve to Rhonda Whyte, Leah Nugent, and Janieve Russell –Salmon vowed to right that wrong on this occasion, and that she did.

  She produced one of her finest performances in recent times to place third in a new personal best of 53.71s, behind Rushell Clayton (52.51s) and Janieve Russell (53.33s) at the JAAA National Senior Championships recently.

  “I feel so good. I'm elated. I put the work in to achieve this and I always told myself that I wasn’t going to leave Jamaica as an alternate for the Olympic Games, and I did just that. This was my moment, and I couldn't let anything hold me back, so I'm very happy,” Salmon told SportsMax.TV.

  Salmon’s path to achieving the Olympic feat was by no means smooth, as faced intense pressure and anxiety leading up to her qualification race, so much so that she was physically sick before stepping onto the National Stadium track.

  Despite these challenges, she managed to harness her nerves and deliver an efficient performance that solidified her place among the elite athletes set to represent Jamaica.

  “I was incredibly nervous before the race that I actually threw up a few times,” Salmon admitted.

  

  Salmon is all smiles after accomplishing the Olympic qualifying feat.

  “But like I said, I did the work and so I just kept reminding myself ‘you can do it, three persons cannot beat you,’ and I knew I had to push through, so I'm very happy,” she added.

  Beyond her focus and determination, the highlight of Salmon’s display was an improved backstretch execution, an aspect of the race she pointed out she and her coaches have rigorously worked on in training.

  While her qualification is a significant achievement, the 25-year-old and her coaches are not resting on their laurels. Instead, they intend to continue identifying areas for improvement to enhance her competitiveness in the closing stages of the race.

  “Sometimes I don’t execute my races properly, I tend to sleep on the backstretch and the race gets away from me and then I try to finish strong. But for the National Championships, I was just reminding myself mid-race, ‘do not sleep, do not sleep, do not let them go too far,’ And that's what I did,” she shared.

  “My coaches also talked to me about, and we have been focusing a lot on executing a proper race strategy because it's crucial for me to maintain my speed and form through that part of the race to ensure I finish strong. So we’re working on refining my technique and endurance to make sure I'm at my best when it counts the most,” Salmon noted.

  Having represented Jamaica with distinction, winning multiple individual and relay medals at the youth and senior levels, including NACAC Championships, Commonwealth Games, and the World Championships, Salmon would very much love to add an Olympic medal to her accolades.

  

  Salmon crosses the line ahead of Rushell Clayton in a previous race.

  However, Salmon knows that winning a medal in Paris will by no means be easy, and as such, she is more focused on building on her strengths to continue giving of her best for the country at the highest level.

  “Honestly, I feel like making the team was the hardest part. That was the aim, and I'm on the team, so I'm just going to take it one step at a time from here. I just have to go through the rounds at the Olympics, execute them, do what my coaches tell me to do and I'll be fine,” she declared.

   “Anything that comes with that, I'll be grateful. Just to be a part of the team is a big enough accomplishment for me and I'm just super happy to be representing my country on the biggest stage of my career, and I can't ask for anything more,” Salmon ended.

  NB: The Paris Olympic Games scheduled for July 26 to August 11, will be live on SportsMax and the SportsMax App.