Shericka Jackson will have to settle for a meet record instead of a world record after another dominating performance at the Diamond League finale in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.

Fans were on world-record watch for the 200m world champion, who has run times of 21.41, 21.82 and 21.48, heading into Eugene but after winning the 100m Diamond League trophy in 10.70 on Saturday, Jackson seemingly didn’t have much left in her legs a day later but still sped to a meet record 21.57.

Florence Griffiths-Joyner world record of 21.34 set in 1988, survives for another year, but Jackson will undoubtedly challenge it again next season as the Olympic Games in Paris beckon.

Marie Josee Ta Lou ran a season-best 22.10 to finish second with Bahamian Anthonique Strachan finishing third in 22.16.

Natoya Goule-Toppin shattered her own national record while finishing third in a fantastically fast 800m at the Diamond League final in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.

Goule-Toppin took the Jamaican national record into new territory eclipsing her previous record of 1:56.15 when she clocked 1:55.96 to claim third behind Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson and the USA’s Athing Mu, who battled down the stretch in a desperate bid for the Diamond League trophy.

The American just edged ahead late to win in 1:54.97, a USA national record and world lead. It was also a new meet record and a personal best for Mu.

Hodgkinson finished second in a national record and personal best 1:55.19.

World champion Danielle Williams and fellow Jamaican Megan Tapper finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in a fast 100m hurdles races at the Diamond League final in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.

In a race where the top six athletes all ran under 12.5s, 2022 world champion Tobi Amusan clocked a season-s best 12.33 to hold off a fast-finishing Jasmine Camacho Quinn and former world record holder Kendra Harrison, who clocked 12.38 and 12.44, for second and third, respectively.

Williams, who was among the early leaders clocked 12.47 with Tapper close behind in 12.48, the same time as the USA’s Alaysha Johnson.

In an incredible display of high-quality sprint hurdling Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment stormed to victory in the 110m hurdles in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday to win the 2023 Diamond League trophy over world champion Grant Holloway.

Parchment, the Olympic champion, hurdled his way to a world-leading 12.93s, which is also a personal best for the 33-year-old Jamaican. World champion Grant Holloway, the early leader, had to settle for second place clocking 13.06, 0.01 ahead of compatriot, Daniel Roberts, who clocked in at 13.07.

Parchment’s time also makes him the fastest Jamaican in the world this year, eclipsing the 12.94 set by Rasheed Broadbell at the National Stadium in Kingston in July.

Marileidy Paulino stamped her authority as the best female 400m runner in the world for 2023 when she destroyed a talented field to win the one-lap sprint at the Diamond League finale in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.

The 2023 world champion ran a fast 49.58s to add the Diamond League trophy to her world championship gold medal in what has been an incredible season in which she lost only once all year.

Paulino was almost a second clear of the fast-improving Polish athlete Natalia Kaczmarek, who clocked 50.38 for second place. Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands was not far behind in 50.47.

Jamaica’s Candice McLeod, who looked good for a podium finish after 300m faded to fourth in 50.76 with world championship bronze medallist Sada Williams of Barbados clocking 51.07 for fifth. Aliyah Abrams of Guyana was eighth in 51.97.

In a thrilling contest in the 400m hurdles in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday, Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton and Janieve Russell were third and fourth, respectively, in a race won in a meet record time by world champion Femke Bol of the Netherlands, who added the Diamond League trophy to her collection this season.

Bol, who boasts a personal best of 51.45, clocked 51.98s after shaking off a brief challenge from American Shamier Little, to shatter the previous meet record of 52.77 set by Dalilah Mohammad two years ago.

The American and Bol were neck and neck with three hurdles to go but Bol unleashed her superior speed and strength to pull away from the rapidly fading Little, who finished second in 53.45 just ahead of the rapidly closing Jamaicans.

Clayton, who won her second bronze medal in Budapest clocked 53.56 to just held off Russell, the two-time Commonwealth Games champion, who stopped the clock in a season’s best 53.60.

Tajay Gayle finished second in the long jump at the Diamond League finale in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday during a keenly contested event that saw the top-two tied in terms of distance achieved.

Gayle, the 2023 World Championships bronze medallist, soared out to a distance of 8.22m but had to settle for the runner-up slot to Switzerland’s Simon Erhammer, who also achieved a mark of 8.22 but won on the countback against the 2019 world champion.

Erhammer had additonal marks of 8.12m, 8.10 and 8.06m when compared to the Jamaican, who other best jumps were 8.08m and 8.06m.

Finishing third was Japan’s Yuki Hashioka, who jumped a season-best 8.15m.

Laquan Nairn of the Bahamas failed to break the 8m barrier, finishing seventh with a best of 7.27m.

 Elaine Thompson-Herah, the illustrious five-time Olympic champion and the reigning fastest woman alive, believes that her late-season resurgence in 2023 has set the stage for her to reclaim her best form in the upcoming year. Overcoming injuries that had her contemplating an early end to her season, Thompson-Herah concluded her 2023 campaign on a high note at the Eugene Diamond League meeting on Saturday.

At the Eugene Diamond League event, Thompson-Herah, known for her blistering 10.54-second victory in the 100m dash at that same venue two seasons ago, clocked a time of 10.79 seconds, securing a respectable third-place finish.

She faced stiff competition from Diamond League champion Shericka Jackson, who delivered a scorching 10.70 seconds, her second-fastest time ever, and Marie Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast, who equaled her lifetime best with a swift 10.75 seconds for second place. Thompson-Herah's performance also surpassed that of world champion Sha’Carri Richardson, who settled for fourth place with a time of 10.80 seconds.

Thompson-Herah's journey through the 2023 season was far from smooth, as persistent injuries disrupted her training regimen to the point where she contemplated ending her season prematurely. Her 100m campaign began in late June, recording a time of 11.24 seconds at Jamaica College. In July, her struggles continued as she failed to secure an individual spot on Jamaica's team for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, finishing fifth in the 100m finals with a time of 11.06 seconds at the Jamaican national championships.

However, a significant turning point occurred in Budapest when Thompson-Herah decided to change coaches, temporarily enlisting the expertise of Shannike Osbourne. This adjustment proved to be a catalyst for her rapid improvement. She delivered a remarkable 9.90 relay split, propelling Jamaica into the 4x100m relay final, where they ultimately clinched the silver medal.

Following the conclusion of the championships, the five-time Olympic gold medalist continued her resurgence, running 11.00 seconds for a third-place finish at the Diamond League meeting in Zurich. She further improved her form, clocking 10.92 seconds for victory in Bellinzona and 10.84 seconds for another triumph in Brussels. Her season reached a crescendo with her 10.79-second performance in Eugene, marking her fastest run since May 2022 when she achieved the same time at the Eugene Diamond League.

Reflecting on her challenging season, Thompson-Herah expressed gratitude for her late-season resurgence, saying, "God is awesome. You know, a couple of months ago, I really thought I'd close up the season due to injuries, and I think I have overcome that. I came out on the track to be tough, I am a tough cookie. I got four times, 11 seconds, 10.92, 10.84, and 10.79 today to close off. I think that is amazing. I am grateful to get those times to put me in a position for next year, so I am really happy for that."

Based on her current trajectory, Thompson-Herah seems set to re-take her place at the top of women’s sprinting and cement her legacy as the fastest woman alive.

Jamaica’s Danniel Thomas-Dodd failed to make an impression in the women’s shot put, as American Chase Ealy continued her superb vein of form to claim the Diamond League title in Meet Record style at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on Saturday.

While Thomas-Dodd struggled from the start and eventually placed sixth with a best throw of 19.17m, which came on her penultimate attempt, Ealy, the World Champion had no such issues.

The American on her third attempt, launched the instrument to a National Record, Meet Record and World Leading mark of 20.76m.

That throw bettered the previous World lead of 20.45m set by her compatriot Maggie Ewen in May, as well as the previous Meet record of 20.15m, set by New Zealand’s Valerie Adams in 2013. The previous American record was 20.63m set by Michelle carter in 2016.

Meanwhile, Canada’s World Championship bronze medallist Sarah Mitton was second with a best throw of 19.94, while Auriol Dongmo (19.92m) of Portugal was third.

Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson produced her usual strong finish to be crowned Diamond League champion in the women’s 100m, while compatriot Elaine Thompson-Herah continues to upgrade with a season’s best time for third at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on Saturday.

Like the men’s event, the women’s dash was just as explosive, with Jackson, the World Championships silver medallists, registering her first 100m victory over American World Champion Sha’Carri Richardson to end that chapter of her season on a high.

Jackson, who is also favoured for the 200m crown, clocked 10.70s with a storming finish from lane six, as she swept by the fast-starting Marie-Josee Ta Lou, who clocked a season’s best equaling 10.75s.

Double Olympic champion Thompson-Herah once again demonstrated that she is gradually overcoming her struggles with injuries with a season’s best 10,79s.

Richardson was fifth in 10.80s, while another Jamaican Natasha Morrison clocked a big personal best 10.85s in sixth.

Shanieka Ricketts was once again in personal best shape but it wasn’t enough to prevent Venezuelan World and Olympic Champion and world record holder, Yulimar Rojas, from claiming a third straight Diamond League trophy at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on Saturday.

Ricketts produced an excellent series with distances of 14.69m, 14.79m and 14.69m in the first, second and fourth rounds before going out to 15.00m in her fifth-round effort. The 2019 World Championship silver medallist then produced a personal best 15.03m in the sixth and final round.

Rojas had fouls in her first two attempts before going out to 14.53m in her third round. After another foul in the fourth round, the superstar produced a world leading and meet record 15.35m in the fifth to secure victory.

Jamaica’s Kimberly Williams produced her best series of the season in third. Her best distance of 14.61m was her best jump since 2021. Her full series was as follows: 14.37m, 14.50m, 14.61m, 14.31m, 14.56m and 14.45m.

American Christian Coleman followed up his 9.83-second clocking in Xiamen with a similar performance at the Prefontaine Classic to claim the men’s 100m Diamond League crown in Eugene on Saturday.

It was always expected to be a breathtaking dash and despite Ackeem Blake’s false-start disqualification, the event lived up to its hype with Coleman’s time, like it did in China, again equalled the world lead of 9.83s, which was first set by Noah Lyles in August.

Lyles the World Champion, closed fast for second in 9.85s, while Kenya’s Omanyala Ferdinand was third with a similar time of 9.85s.

Jamaican Kishane Thompson, 22, in his first real competitive season got out well but faded into fourth in 9.87s. Another Jamaican Yohan Blake was sixth in 10.08s.

Kirani James produced his best performance of the season to claim his second straight Diamond League 400m title at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on Saturday.

The 2011 World and 2012 Olympic Champion's winning time was 44.30, .14 ahead of American World Championship bronze medallist Quincy Hall in second. Another American, Vernon Norwood, ran 44.61 for third. Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald was fifth in 45.10.

This was the fourth Diamond League title for the 31-year-old who also previously won in 2011, 2015 and 2022.

World Championship bronze medallist Rai Benjamin finally got an elusive win over World and Olympic Champion Karsten Warholm to claim his maiden Diamond League 400m hurdles title at the Diamond League final at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on Saturday.

Benjamin, who finished second to Warholm at the 2019 and 2022 World Championships as well as the 2021 Olympics, turned the tables on the Norwegian with a world leading, meet record and diamond league record 46.39 for victory.

Warholm was second in a spectacular 46.53 while Kyron McMaster, who finished second at the World Championships in Budapest last month ahead of Benjamin and behind Warholm, ran 47.31 for third. McMaster also got a win over Warholm at the Zurich Diamond League.

Former sprinter Daniel Bailey could very well be Antigua & Barbuda’s greatest when it comes to the sport of Track & Field.

The 37-year-old currently holds the country’s national record in the 100m with 9.91 done all the way back in 2009. That year also saw Bailey have his best finish at a major outdoor championship, finishing fourth in the 100m final at the Berlin World Championships, the same race which saw Usain Bolt set the current world record 9.58.

A year later, Bailey took bronze in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships in Doha with 6.57. He also holds the Antiguan national record in this event with 6.54 done in 2009.

Today, Bailey is looking to give back to the next generation of Track & Field stars through the formation of his new Tigers Track Club in his home country.

Bailey explained that after his retirement from the sport in 2021, he needed to find a way to stay close to it because of the love he still had for it and this club is his way of doing that.

“That was one of my goals after retirement, knowing the love that I have for the sport. I just passed 20 years being a professional. Even after I retired, I felt the love still so the only way I felt I could stay close to the sport is through either becoming an agent or coach,” Bailey told Sportsmax.TV.

Bailey spent his professional career training in Jamaica under the tutelage of legendary coach, Glen Mills, at the Racers Track Club. He says Mills, as well as his former high school coach, Carl Casey, were two of the people he reached out to about starting his own club back home.

“I made the decision to call my former high school coach and told him I want to start a track club and asked him what he thought. He said it’s a great idea and opportunity for me. I also called coach Mills and told him this is what I’m going to do. He’s the one that’s been teaching me a lot when it comes to Track & Field, not just on the track but off the track as well,” he said.

“I finally said to myself let me just open a track club and see what the future holds. I’m confident that I’ll do well. I’m not going to guarantee that I’ll produce world beaters and world champions but that is my goal. I want to be different,” he added.

Bailey said he got the inspiration to start a track club when he started coaching a young athlete two years ago.

“Two years ago, I started training an athlete, River Robinson. I met him and we started training and sometimes I would call coach just to clarify certain things and then after a while, COVID hit and we could not do certain things or go certain places. We actually came back in to Antigua for a little bit. He was in school and had everything on point academically but he needed performance to get into a good school because the times that he was running could not get him anywhere so I said I’m going to start doing some work with him,” Bailey said.

“After all this, we started training during COVID and we spent most of the time training on the grass with no gym work or no offseason work. After a little bit, I realized they started to lift the COVID restrictions so we could travel. There were a couple of meets in Jacksonville and after three months of training, we wanted to see where he ranged up. We did that and got him ready. Before that, his fastest time was 11.44 and that can’t get you anywhere but when I saw him run, I saw the talent. With the three months work of me getting him stronger and more technically correct, we went to Jacksonville to compete in three meets. He missed the first one and ran 10.5 in the second one, a big personal best. That’s when schools started to call him. After that I said to myself, ‘I think I can do this.' I think there’s just an art around it and anything I don’t understand I can just ask questions. I always have a guide where coach Mills is concerned,” Bailey added.

The former sprinter then went more in depth about his relationship with his former coach, discussing the things he learned from Mills that he would like to implement at his own club.

“I trained with coach Mills for 15-16 years. I left from Antigua at a young age to join the club but when I got to Jamaica, I realized the difference with what I was doing here in Antigua. The whole gym regimen and training was different. What got my attention was when I got back to Antigua after so many years in Jamaica, that a lot of the young athletes here are doing the stuff that I used to do when I was a little kid. We can get better for these athletes. They have the talent but there’s a lack of pedigree,” he said.

“Don’t get me wrong, we do have young athletes going through the system but I know they can run a lot faster so my aim is to try to transfer what I’ve learnt in Jamaica to my athletes. Not just what I’ve learnt on the track but off the track as well. I want them to be well rounded,” he added.

While he recognizes that his club is in the grassroots stage, Bailey believes that, in the future, Tigers Track Club will be able to attract talent from all over the world. In fact, he says some athletes from across the globe have already started reaching out to him.

“I also want to invite athletes from overseas to join my club. I’m already getting athletes that live overseas calling me to join the club but I’m not at that stage as yet,” he said.

“Right now, I’m just focusing on local athletes. I have nine athletes right now that I’m getting ready for CARIFTA next year and whatever branches off from that, we’ll take and move forward,” Bailey added.