In highly anticipated comebacks, Olympic champion Omar McLeod and World Championship silver medalist Britany Anderson are set to make their season debuts at the ISTAF Indoor Meeting in Berlin on February 23, 2024. Both sprint hurdlers will both compete in 60m dash as they step back into the competitive arena after some time away.
For McLeod, the journey to Berlin marks a return to competition after facing setbacks in recent years. The 2016 Olympic champion has struggled with poor form, leading to his failure to qualify for the Jamaican team in both the Tokyo Olympics and the World Athletics Championships in 2022. However, reports from his training camp in Italy hinted at a remarkable turnaround, with McLeod displaying renewed focus and determination to regain his winning form on the track.
Eager for redemption, McLeod is approaching the ISTAF Indoor Meeting as a pivotal moment in his career as the 2017 World 110m hurdles world champion aims to showcase the fruits of his hard work and dedication in front of the global athletics community.
On the other hand, Anderson's story adds another layer of inspiration to the event.
The silver medalist from the 2022 World Championships in Oregon had faced a significant hurdle in the form of a knee injury that required surgery in early 2023. This setback forced her to miss the entire season.
The ISTAF Indoor Meeting in Berlin is now the stage for Anderson's much-anticipated return from surgery.
The meet otherwise boasts stellar lineup, featuring world record holder Grant Holloway, European indoor champion Samuele Ceccarelli from Italy, Zaynab Dosso, the third fastest 60m sprinter globally, and British European Champion Daryll Neita.
Among the local contenders were the fastest sprinters of the German Leichtathletik-Verbands (DLV), including Alexandra Burghardt, Rebekka Haase (both in the 60m), and Franziska Schuster (60m hurdles). The anticipation built as the world prepared to witness the thrilling competitions unfold on the renowned blue track in Berlin, with McLeod and Anderson's comebacks adding an extra layer of excitement to an already star-studded event.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Wins for Jamaican duo McLeod and Anderson in Italy on Thursday
As they continue their preparations for Jamaica’s national championships in June, Olympic champion Omar McLeod and World Championship silver medallist Britany Anderson, were both winners at a La Fratellanza 1874 meeting in Italy on Thursday.
McLeod, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Thursday, won the 100m in a brisk 10.32 in a race that also included Britain’s Adam Gemili. Obviously elated over his victory, the 2017 world champion, declared on Instagram, “A win today in the 100m was all I had on my birthday wish list.
“10.32 in an ankle freezing 15-degree weather is a solid opener. Beyond excited for what is to come this season.”
Meanwhile, Anderson, in only her second hurdles race back from injury and knee surgery that saw her miss the entire 2023 season, clocked 13.34 into a 1.4 m/s headwind in a dominant victory in which she widened her lead at each hurdle.
As the meeting concluded on Thursday, things are looking up for the Jamaican sprint hurdlers looking to reclaim their places among Jamaica's elite as the Olympics approach this summer.
Vernez Nelson, Osmond Holt emerge top performers at first MVP Grassroots Athletics Training Camp
Following a display of raw athletic talent, Vernez Nelson from Lacovia High School and Osmond Holt from Muschett High School emerged as the top performers at the MVP Grassroots Athletics Training Camp held in Cornwall County, Jamaica. Suzanne Richie-Brown of York Castle High was the top coach.
The training camp, organized by the MVP Track & Field Club, witnessed an overwhelming turnout of aspiring young athletes eager to learn from the best in the field. The event, held at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in St. James, marked the successful commencement of the training camps for this year.
The standout performers, Vernez Nelson and Osmond Holt, were crowned as the PUMA girl and NCB boy of the camp, respectively. Their achievements reflect not only their individual prowess but also the effectiveness of the comprehensive training provided by the MVP coaching staff.
The rankings were determined by the cumulative scores given by six technical coaches, each specializing in hurdles, jumps, throws, middle distance, relays, and sprints. The athletes showcased their competence in each technical area, emphasizing the holistic approach adopted by the MVP Track & Field Club.
Head Coach Paul Francis, who led the team to exceptional results at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, has stressed the significance of sharing knowledge and training methods, fondly recalling the success story of Antonio Watson, a participant in the 2016 MVP Grassroots Training Camps, who went on to win gold in the 400m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August.
"The journey of nurturing young talent begins here," declared Coach Francis. He outlined the upcoming Advanced Level Training Camps, with the Middlesex edition scheduled for November 18th at the GC Foster College in St. Catherine and the Surrey edition to be held at the National Stadium in Kingston on November 25th, 2023.
Guyana's Archibald into men's 100m heats; second fastest through from preliminaries
Guyana’s Emanuel Archibald booked a spot in the men’s 100 metres heats, as he clocked the second fastest time in qualifying from the preliminaries on the Saturday’s opening day of action at the World Athletic Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Archibald, 28, running in the first preliminary race, clocked 10.27 seconds in victory, to secure one of nine spots to the main event.
The heats are scheduled to be contested later today at 12:43pm Jamaica time.
You can catch live action of the 2023 World Athletic Championships by downloading the Sportsmax App.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
