Loop News/Marlon Reid
Adelle Tracey had one of the best weeks of her career at last week’s IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
The Seattle, Washington-born Jamaican started her week with a 4:03.67 effort to advance to the semi-finals of the women’s 1500m.
A day later in the semi-finals, Tracey brought out her best and produced a time that would have been good enough to get to any other major championship final with 3:58.77. That effort is a national record and makes Tracey the first Jamaican woman to dip below 4:00 in the 1500m.
Despite Tracey’s time being seventh-fastest overall in the semis, she failed to advance to the final due to a seventh-place finish in her individual semi-final. The top six finishers in the two semi-finals advance to the final.
Tracey’s chance for redemption came in the 800m where, on August 23, she finished second in her heat with 1:59.82, a season’s best at the time, to make it to the semi-finals.
Two days later, the 30-year-old produced a personal best 1:58.99 to finish fourth in her semi-final and advance to the final as one of the two fastest losers.
The final then saw Tracey once again lower her personal best, this time clocking 1:58.41 to finish seventh.
“5 rounds, 3 PB's in one week, x2 2024 Olympic QT's, a National 1500m Record, and all the smiles doing it!!” Tracey said in a social media post on Monday.
“I am so grateful for the progress and every step of this process! Special thanks to my team and to everyone for all their support,” she added.
Tracey will next line up in the 800m at the Zurich Diamond League on Thursday.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Bahamian Olympic 400m champion Steven Gardiner receives prestigious Golden Jubilee Independence Award
In recognition of his exceptional contributions to Bahamian sports history, Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Steven Gardiner was on Monday bestowed with The Golden Jubilee Independence Award of Supreme Honor by the Government of The Bahamas. The accolade celebrates Gardiner's remarkable achievements on the track, solidifying his legacy as a trailblazer for the nation.
The Special Golden Jubilee of Independence Award recognizes citizens for their outstanding contributions to The Bahamas in various spheres of human endeavor encompassing both the pre-Independence and post-Independence periods of Bahamian history.
Gardiner's triumph in the 400m event at the Tokyo Olympics not only secured his status as the 2021 Olympic champion but also etched his name in Bahamian sports history as the first Bahamian man to clinch Olympic gold in any sport. The 28-year-old sprinter, also the 2019 World Champion, has had a stellar career, boasting Olympic bronze and World Championship silver medals.
Known for his blazing speed, Gardiner holds the Bahamas national records for the 400m and 200m, clocking impressive times of 43.48 and 19.75, respectively. Indoors, he has demonstrated his prowess with a national best performance of 31.56 over 300m, setting an area best and world-best performance.
Despite setbacks caused by injuries that sidelined him during the 2022 and 2023 World Championships in Oregon and Budapest, Gardiner remains hopeful for a triumphant return at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Expressing his gratitude for the prestigious award, Gardiner acknowledged the consistent support from God, family, friends, and supporters. In an Instagram post, he shared his anticipation for the upcoming track season and the opportunities to showcase his talent, stating, "I look forward to this upcoming track season and the opportunities to showcase my talent and make my country proud."
Gardiner's achievements add to The Bahamas' proud legacy in track and field, a legacy that includes notable figures like contemporary athletes Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Tonique Williams.
Back to full health, Olympic champion Steven Gardiner plans to win gold once more at 2024 Paris Games
Olympic 400m champion Steven Gardiner is back to full health and is determined to defend his title in Paris, France next year.
In one of the more heartbreaking moments of the 2023 World Athletics Championships, the Bahamian star, who won the 400m title in Doha in 2019 and on the rebound from an injury that kept him out of the championships in Oregon in 2022, suffered an injury in his semi-final heat, tragically ending his campaign in Budapest.
Running out lane six in the last of three semi-finals, Gardiner was in complete control when he suddenly collapsed and fell to the track. He later revealed he had suffered a grade-one sprain of the tendon extending into the knee of the right posterior thigh.
His injury opened the door for Jamaica’s Antonio Watson, who advanced to the final with the fastest time of 44.13, to win Jamaica’s first gold medal in the event in 40 years.
However, in an interview with Bahamian media platform Eyewitness News, the soft-spoken Gardiner expressed confidence about his coming campaign to win a second Olympic gold medal.
“I’m back 100 per cent. Between my doctors in Germany and my coach in the US, we all are on one accord to take it slowly at the beginning of the season and then we’ll be ready for Paris 2024,” he said.
Gardiner revealed that there is only one objective for the coming season.
“The gold medal is the main goal. You know, to bring the medal home to Bahamas once more and also to defend the title that I conquered in 2021, so I just want to do it all again.”
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce honoured to receive prestigious Alumni Exemplar Sports Award at UWI's 75th Anniversary Celebration
In a heartwarming celebration of athletic excellence and academic dedication, three-time Olympic gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was awarded the Alumni Exemplar Sports Award at the University of the West Indies' 75th-anniversary event on Friday night.
The Jamaican sprinting sensation, a five-time world 100m champion, expressed deep gratitude for the recognition from the university that she attended for just one month several years ago.
In a statement shared on her Instagram page on Sunday, Fraser-Pryce expressed her honour, saying, "I am honoured to receive the 2023 Alumni Exemplar Sports Award from the University of the West Indies at their 75th Anniversary Celebration."
She went on to emphasize the dual pillars of her career, stating, "My career has always been rooted in sports and education, and as I go into another year, I’m committed to continue my work with @sfppocketrocketfoundation to ensure students are ready to rise."
Fraser-Pryce, who had previously been honored with an honorary doctorate of laws degree from the University of the West Indies in 2016, as well as a similar honor from the University of Technology, seized the spotlight once again.
Her remarkable achievements extend beyond the track, as she graduated from the University of Technology in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Child and Adolescent Development with honors.
The star sprinter, known for her incredible speed on the track, has also proven to be a force for positive change off the field. As the founder of the Pocket Rocket Foundation, Fraser-Pryce has dedicated herself to providing crucial financial support to deserving student-athletes. Her foundation is a testament to her commitment to the intersection of sports and education.
This recognition comes as Fraser-Pryce sets her sights on another historic milestone – a third Olympic 100m gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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