The University of Minnesota’s Abigail Schaaffe emerged from last weekend’s Fighting Illini Big 10 Relays with two gold medals but armed with the knowledge that she has to work on being more consistent before the conference championships in mid-May.
At the meet held at Demirjian Park in Champaign, Illinois, the Jamaican freshman won the 400m hurdles on Friday in 58.63 over Illinois freshman Franklin Jessica who clocked 58.99. Her Minnesota teammate Val Larson was third in 59.17. Her winning time was the fastest time in the conference so far this season.
Then on Saturday, Schaaffee anchored a team of Jayla Campbell, Janielle Josephs and Larson, to victory in the 4x400m relay in a conference-leading 3:38.40.
Illinois ran 3:42.01 for second place while a second team from Minnesota was third in 3:52.10.
The 2019 ISSA Boys and Girls Championships 800m bronze medalist was delighted with her weekend’s work but said there was still room for improvement, especially in the one-lap hurdles event.
“I am feeling pleased about my time and the performance,” she said. “I just need to work on my technique some more which would give me a faster time going into the championship.
“I have been working on my start, as in getting to the first hurdle in a faster spilt. My coach catches a spilt to each hurdle; my progression with that has been fluctuating. I get better then I go back to what I was doing another day. But I am just working on being consistent.”
Meanwhile, she was quite pleased with her leg of the mile relay, saying: "It felt good. I just want to get down to a faster split so we run a faster time."
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Olympic champion Julien Alfred to contest 100m at Diamond League final in Brussels; focused on finishing season strong
Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred will only be doing the 100m at the Wanda Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium from September 13-14.
The 23-year-old St. Lucian, who also took 200m silver at the Paris Olympics last month, confirmed her participation in the marquee event after her run at the Zurich Diamond League on September 6.
There, in her first race since her history-making performance in Paris, Alfred produced a time of 10.88 to finish second to American Sha’Carri Richardson in a rematch of the final in Paris where Alfred took gold in a personal best and St. Lucian record 10.72.
“It felt good. Right now, I’m just really having fun and trying to finish strong,” Alfred told Citius Mag after her race in Zurich, noting that she hasn’t really got a chance to relax since Paris.
“I did for a few days but I really haven’t had a chance to take it all in yet,” she said.
The 2023 Bowerman Award winner described her training since the Olympics as “up and down,” noting that she’s still just fine tuning and working on other things.
As it relates to her final race of the season in Brussels, Alfred says she has no particular goal in mind.
“Nothing in particular, really. Just finishing strong. That’s all I care about,” she said.
Finally, Alfred still hasn’t got a chance to go back to St. Lucia since the Olympics, instead heading to her home base in Texas to finish out the season.
“Just celebrating with my country” was Alfred’s response when asked what she’s looking forward to when she returns home for the first time as an Olympic champion.
Ackera Nugent and Stacey-Ann Williams dominate with victories at Zagreb meet
Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent and Stacey-Ann Williams continued their impressive seasons with dominant performances at the Boris Hanžeković Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sunday. The meet, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold since 2020, featured several standout performances from Caribbean athletes, with Nugent and Williams leading the way.
Nugent, the world leader in the 100m hurdles with her blistering 12.24 set at the Rome Diamond League, once again demonstrated her class, claiming victory in 12.55. Facing a quality field that included former world record holder Kendra Harrison and Olympic silver medalist Cyrena Samba-Mayela, Nugent ran a composed race to comfortably secure first place. Great Britain's Cindy Sember finished second in 12.67, with Harrison third in 12.76. 2022 World Championship silver medalist Britany Anderson of Jamaica finished sixth in 12.91.
In the women’s 400m, Stacey-Ann Williams ran the race of her life, clocking a lifetime best and meet record of 50.00 seconds to win the event. Williams faced strong competition but managed to hold off Norway’s Henriette Jaeger, who ran 50.22, and the USA’s Shamier Little, who finished third in 50.58. Barbados' Sada Williams, showing signs of fatigue after a long season, finished fourth in 51.23.
The Jamaican victories were part of a broader Caribbean presence on the podium in Zagreb. Shashalee Forbes finished second in the women’s 100m, clocking 11.23 behind Gambia’s Gina Bass Bittaye, who won in 11.13. The USA’s Jenna Prandini rounded out the top three with a time of 11.30.
In the 800m, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule ran a strong race to finish second with a time of 1:57.43, just behind Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir, who set a meet record of 1:57.00. Ethiopia’s Nigist Getachew finished third in a personal best of 1:57.47.
Meanwhile, in the men’s 110m hurdles, Tokyo Olympic champion Hansle Parchment secured third place in 13.25. Japan’s Rachid Muratake claimed victory in 13.14, holding off American Daniel Roberts, who finished second in 13.18.
Shiann Salmon returns to her roots to rediscover her best with stunning win in Zurich
Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon has rediscovered her best form after returning to train at home, and it’s paying off in spectacular fashion. Salmon, who has been a consistent force in the 400m hurdles this season, clocked a lifetime best of 52.97 seconds to win her first-ever Diamond League race in Zurich last Friday. This remarkable achievement not only secured her spot among the elite but also marked a significant personal milestone, as she became just the fifth Jamaican woman in history to break the 53-second barrier in the event.
After graduating from Hydel High and spending a year at GC Foster College, Salmon ventured overseas to train with Tonja Buford, a US Olympic medalist turned coach. However, after a few seasons in the United States, Salmon felt the American environment was making her "soft" and unmotivated, which led to her bold decision last season to return to Jamaica to train under renowned coach Maurice Wilson at the Sprintec Track Club.
“I don’t feel as if I ever needed to ‘justify’ doing something that I felt was for my best interest. However, I felt like the American lifestyle/system was never meant for me. I think I got a bit complacent and soft, so I returned to my roots,” Salmon explained.
That decision has clearly paid off. Salmon has shown remarkable consistency this season, first setting a lifetime best of 53.13 in the Olympic final in Paris and consistently racing close to that mark in the lead-up to Zurich. But in Zurich, she finally broke through the elusive 53-second barrier, achieving her goal for the season.
“I was thrilled. My overall aim for the remainder of the season was to break the 53 seconds barrier, so I was beyond happy when I realized that I had done so,” Salmon said. “I’m currently the fifth Jamaican woman to do so. I feel exhilarated, top 5 all-time is a big accomplishment and I’m grateful.”
Reflecting on her performances before Zurich, Salmon felt her breakthrough was imminent. “Yes, I definitely felt it coming. My body is now used to running low 53s. My coach and I already predicted it, it was just a matter of me executing the races properly,” she shared.
Only four other Jamaican women—Deon Hemmings, Melaine Walker, Kaliese Spencer, and Rushell Clayton—have ever broken the 53-second mark in the 400m hurdles. Now, Salmon joins that exclusive club, cementing her status as one of the best in the world.
Looking ahead, Salmon is focused on finishing her season on a high. She will contest the Diamond League final in Brussels, with her sights set on another sub-53 performance. “My ultimate aim is to finish the season with another 52 performance. Anything else that comes with that is a bonus,” Salmon concluded.
With her decision to return to Jamaica proving to be the right move, Salmon’s resurgence has her poised to continue breaking barriers and reaching new heights in the 400m hurdles.
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