World championship long jump silver medallist Wayne Pinnock has officially turned professional, signing a contract with global sportswear giant PUMA. Pinnock, who just completed his junior year at the University of Arkansas, has decided to forego his final year of college eligibility to focus fully on his burgeoning athletic career.

The 23-year-old Jamaican has been making significant waves in the track and field world with his impressive performances on both international and collegiate stages. Pinnock led the world in 2023 with a lifetime best of 8.54m and secured the silver medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. His collegiate accolades include being the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Champion and winning Indoor titles for the Razorbacks in 2022 and 2024.

Previously, Pinnock was signed to PUMA through a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal, allowing him to balance his academic commitments with his professional aspirations. However, his recent decision to turn pro marks a significant shift, as he now fully dedicates himself to his athletic career.

"I'm incredibly grateful and humbled to be signing with PUMA as a professional athlete," Pinnock said. "This is a dream come true for me, and I'm excited to represent the brand at the highest level."

Pinnock's excitement for his new professional chapter is palpable, and he is confident that PUMA's support will be instrumental in his future successes. "I'm looking forward to this new chapter in my career, and I'm confident that with PUMA's support, I'll be able to achieve great things in the world of track and field. I'm ready to put in the work and make Jamaica and my fans proud," he added.

With his signing, Pinnock joins the ranks of elite professional athletes sponsored by PUMA. His presence is expected to be a significant asset in the brand's marketing efforts moving forward, solidifying PUMA's commitment to supporting top-tier athletic talent.

Jamaican Olympic icon Veronica Campbell-Brown was inducted into the NJCAA Foundation Hall of Fame on Thursday night. The prestigious event, part of the fourth annual NJCAA Foundation Awards, took place at the Hilton Charlotte University Place in Charlotte, North Carolina where Campbell-Brown was recognized for her illustrious career that has left an indelible mark on the sport of track and field.

Expressing her gratitude on Instagram, Campbell Brown wrote, “Thank you @njcaa for the Hall of Fame induction, I deeply appreciate this prestigious recognition. I want to thank everyone who supported and believed in me throughout my journey.” She received her award with her husband Omar and their two children proudly looking on from the audience.

The NJCAA Hall of Fame aims to celebrate individuals who have significantly contributed to opportunities at the two-year college level, both athletically and professionally. The Hall of Fame honours administrators, coaches, student-athletes, and influential contributors who have been pioneers throughout the association's history.

Campbell Brown's journey to greatness began in Trelawny, Jamaica, and led her to Barton Community College (KS), an NJCAA member, on a track and field scholarship. As a Cougar, she set numerous records, some of which still stand today.

She holds NJCAA records in the 200m outdoor and the 60m indoor track and field events. After her successful stint at Barton, she moved to the University of Arkansas, where she continued to break records and is now celebrated as the most decorated Olympic athlete associated with the state.

Turning professional in 2004, Campbell Brown made history at the Athens Olympics, becoming the first Jamaican woman to win a gold medal in a sprint event. Her performance at these Games, which also included a gold in the relay and a bronze in the 200m, established her as the most successful Caribbean athlete at a single Olympics.

She continued to shine at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming only the second woman to defend her 200m title successfully.

Her Olympic career spanned five Games, from 2000 to 2016, where she competed in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, medaling in each edition. Her rivalry with Allyson Felix is one of the most memorable in athletics, with both athletes dominating the 200m event from 2004 onwards.

Beyond the Olympics, Campbell Brown's achievements include multiple medals at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games, World Indoor Championships, Continental Cup, World Athletics Final, World Relay Championships, World Junior Championships, CAC Junior Championships, and Carifta Games.

Since retiring, Campbell Brown has taken on roles such as a UNESCO Sport Ambassador and founder of the VCB Foundation, which provides mentorship and financial assistance to young women in Jamaica.

Campbell Brown’s induction into the NJCAA Hall of Fame recognizes her remarkable contributions to track and field and her enduring impact on the sport and beyond.

In a remarkable display of resilience, Olympic and World Championship finalist Candice McLeod finished eighth in the 400m at the Racer’s Grand Prix on Saturday night. This marked her season debut, clocking in at 55.59, a significant distance from her personal best of 49.51 set at the same venue in 2021. The race was won by Stacey-Ann Williams in 50.86, with the USA’s Lynna Irby-Jackson finishing second in 51.05, and Charokee Young third in 51.86.

McLeod, a 27-year-old two-time World Championship 4x400m relay silver medalist, saw this performance as a personal triumph. Just a few months ago, she was unable to walk and had to undergo knee surgery on March 22, which significantly disrupted her training regimen.

“There wasn’t much to expect, to be honest. Sadly, I did knee surgery on March 22, so I really wasn’t expecting too much because it’s been just two months including rehab and everything, I really just started track work,” McLeod told Sportsmax.TV after the race. “It’s not something I want as an athlete but it is what it is and we have to work with it.”

The knee issue had been a persistent problem for McLeod, and the surgery became inevitable when she found herself unable to walk. Despite the setback, McLeod remains positive about her progress. “I am taking it step by step. I have a great support team. The challenge is more tolerable because I accept that I had to do surgery and I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t say I was sad about it but, to be honest, life goes on,” she shared.

When asked about her readiness for the upcoming national championships in four weeks, McLeod responded with cautious optimism. “The objective this season is to see where it takes me. I will just come out and do what I have to do each and every time and then we see where it goes.”

Reflecting on the difficulties she faced, McLeod emphasized the frustration of being unable to train and compete. “The difficulty was not being able to compete; the difficulty was not training because if you’re not training you won’t be able to compete. I was not training to the best of my ability but I am training every day, I just started running two weeks ago so to be out here running on the track is something good, to me.”

McLeod's journey back to the track is a testament to her determination and resilience. Her performance at the Racer’s Grand Prix may not have been her best, but considering the circumstances, it was nothing short of a triumph. As she continues her recovery and training, McLeod's focus remains on taking each day as it comes, with hopes of returning to peak form in the near future.

Retired American track legend Allyson Felix, accompanied by her husband Kenneth, recently enjoyed a blissful vacation on the picturesque island of Jamaica. The couple, expecting their second child later this year, took time off to unwind and relish the beauty of the Caribbean paradise.

Felix, who bid farewell to her illustrious track career at the end of the 2022 season, has had a storied connection with Jamaica. The island served as the backdrop for some of her fiercest competitions against Jamaican rivals like Veronica Campbell Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce. The retired sprinter reminisced about her first encounter with Jamaica in 2002 when she competed as a junior at the World U20 Championships.

Sharing her Jamaican experience on Instagram, Felix expressed gratitude for the warm reception she received despite being a competitor. She reminisced about her 22-year journey, highlighting her medal-filled career that included an impressive tally of 22 gold medals at global championships, seven of which were Olympic and 14 World championships gold medals.

Felix, who shares a daughter named Camryn with Kenneth, posted a heartfelt message on Instagram, saying, "22 years ago, I went to Jamaica for the World Junior Championships and met my now-husband on that team. I also fell in love with the incredible people and the beautiful country. Even though they always cheered against me, I honestly feel so appreciated when I am here. It was only right for us to come back for our babymoon. Jamaica will forever hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for all of the love and hospitality, Jamaica."

The post garnered responses from fellow athletes, including Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, who welcomed Felix "home." In response, Felix conveyed her delight, stating, "@realshellyannfp definitely! Hahahah always good to be home."

Allyson Felix's Jamaican babymoon not only provided her with an opportunity to relish the island's beauty but also allowed her to reconnect with the memories of her impressive track career and the warm camaraderie she shares with her Jamaican competitors and her legion of fans on the island.

Three-time Olympic champion Adam Peaty qualified fastest for the 100 metres breaststroke final at the World Championships in Doha.

Peaty, who was absent from the championships in 2022 with a foot injury and also missed out last year after stepping away from the sport to prioritise his mental health, clocked a time of 58.60 seconds to reach Monday’s final.

“I feel good,” the 29-year-old said.

“My objective for this meet was to progress through the rounds, progress physically and in results, but also progress mentally and see what strategies are working, what isn’t working.

“It’s more of a test event for us, but obviously we’re going to put our best foot forward and put a good fight on.

“After the heats I was like, ‘OK, I know what I’m working with and I know what I’m capable of’.

“But tonight was just about going out there, showing a little bit of Adam Peaty, getting a little bit angry with myself like I normally do. Tonight I showed that I can still get it down that back end when I really need to.”

Great Britain’s men finished fourth in the final of the 4x100m freestyle relay behind China, Italy and the United States, but the quartet of Jacob Whittle, Tom Dean, Duncan Scott and Matt Richards qualified for an Olympic quota spot with their performance in the heats.

In the world of athletics, dreams are often forged on the track, shaped by the relentless pursuit of excellence. For Lanae-Tava Thomas, a 22-year-old sprinter with aspirations of donning the vibrant colors of Jamaica at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the journey has been one of resilience, determination, and a rollercoaster of emotions.

A graduate of the University of Texas in Austin, where she shared the track with compatriot Kevona Davis and St Lucia's track sensation Julien Alfred, Lanae-Tava Thomas boasts impressive personal bests of 11.06 in the 100m and 22.38 in the 200m. Born in Jamaica and educated at Vaz Prep, she migrated to the United States over a decade ago and pursued her studies in Human Biology at the University of Texas.

Thomas's desire to represent Jamaica led her to initiate the complex process of transferring allegiance from the United States. However, administrative roadblocks threatened to shatter her dreams, as she discovered last July after the Jamaica national championships to select a team for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Devastated after finishing third in the 200m, Thomas believed she had secured a spot on her first national team for the World Championships, only to learn that her transfer had not been completed. In an exclusive interview, Thomas recounted the emotional turmoil she experienced during that tumultuous period.

“I was informed (by World Athletics) that whenever I sent through the transfer, it was completed. I was informed that it was already completed by the time I started competing (at the national championships). So then we got there they said that I needed to get a passport or something like that for the transfer to be… I don't even remember the term they used,” Thomas revealed.

The confusion persisted as Thomas, armed with the belief that her transfer was complete, faced further setbacks at the national stadium after advancing to the finals of the 200m.

 “They (meet officials) kept leaving me off the finals board, saying that I couldn't compete in the finals because of something to do with the transfer. And I said ‘No, my transfer was already completed, I have the passport and everything was already set, which is what both I and JAAA had thought."

Yet, the twist of fate unfolded when World Athletics emailed her coach Eldrick Floreal, revealing the transfer was not completed due to a scheduling change. Thomas, left in the dark, faced the harsh reality that she would miss the World Championships despite her outstanding performance.

“It was traumatic. After the national championship, I was so excited. I feel like as a track and field athlete, the two things you look forward to are World Championships and Olympics," she said. "So competing and making it into the World Championship, not because of any technicality but because you actually run and place, that's like a great thing for you to achieve, it's just something that is very hard to do, especially for Jamaica."

Reflecting on the moment she discovered she wasn't on the team to Budapest, Thomas shared, "It was very devastating. They didn't notify me whatsoever when they posted the list online of all the athletes competing for Jamaica, and I wasn't on it. That's when I was notified. No one, no one like World Athletics, nobody had told me personally that I wasn't competing."

Despite the heartbreak, Thomas remained resilient. The completion of her transfer of allegiance in October 2023 opened the door to a renewed sense of hope and determination. As she anticipates the Jamaica national championships in June, where a top-three finish secures her spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Thomas, who signed a professional contract with PUMA following the Jamaican trials, is eager to make a statement.

“It feels so great. All I will say is that they better be ready for me. I already competed last year and proved that we can do what we can do. They're not supposed to expect nothing less. I'm just going to get there and do what I've been doing, what I can do, and what I have done in the past. Nobody can stop me from there," she declared with confidence.

Rob Cross believes he is playing the best darts since his 2018 title as he targets another World Championship crown.

Cross announced himself in style five years ago as he stunned Phil Taylor in the final to become world champion in his maiden outing at Alexandra Palace.

He has not been able to reach the same heights since, as he suffered a self-diagnosed “low period”, but he is looking back to his best in 2023, getting to two major finals.

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Although the silverware has eluded him, he thinks he is in the best shape he has ever been to claim a second title.

“It is the pinnacle of the game, when you win it you realise that,” Cross told the PA news agency.

“For me to win it again, I couldn’t put it into words. It’s that big. After winning it before, to lift it again would just mean everything really. This is the tournament when people look back and say how many World Championships did this guy win. It would mean everything for me.

“I would always like to win more, we are all pretty greedy and want to win. You can’t win them all.

“I’ve probably had a low period for 18 months and two years, so I could have done better there. But the way I have played this year, my performances seem to be getting better and I am in a better place than I was a couple of years ago.

“I am enjoying the game more and looking forward to it. This year for consistency I suppose and what I have achieved, I have played some really good darts.

“Performances are better, I believe I have played the best I have played since winning the worlds, since 2018 this is the most consistent.”

The 33-year-old Englishman would have had a major title to show for his form this year had he not run into an unstoppable Luke Humphries at the Grand Slam of Darts last month.

Humphries, 28, has also won the World Grand Prix and the Players Championship and will head to Alexandra Palace as the favourite.

Cross said: “I think he is favourite overall. Luke is very wise and is definitely up there with the best in the world.

“He will take everything in his stride, he is a great guy. He is calm and collected, I can’t see him going in there and panicking. He is playing too well. Whoever is going to beat him will have to play well.”

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This year’s tournament will see sponsors Paddy Power donate £1,000 to Prostate Cancer UK every time a 180 is thrown, and with over 900 thrown last year, Cross reckons 1,000 will be reachable.

“For me this campaign is just thrilling for everyone and the support you can give for such a good charity,” he added.

“We will try and hit as many 180s as we can, we always do. It usually goes up every year so it will be exciting if we can get up to 1,000, which would be a £1million.

“In this case I don’t think there is the awareness of it, one in eight men will suffer from prostate cancer. It will be great to get that reach out, it is a great cause.”

Britany Anderson has described missing out on last season because of injury as heartbreaking and has revealed her primary objectives for the coming season as she aims to make Jamaica’s team to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

In an exclusive interview with Sportsmax.TV, the 2022 World Championship 100m hurdles silver medallist also explains why she still has a major hurdle to clear if she is to get back to her best and explained her reaction to watching fellow Jamaican Danielle Williams win gold in Budapest in August.

The accomplished 22-year-old sprint hurdler missed out on the 2023 outdoor season after damaging ligaments in her knee going over a hurdle in training in Padua, Italy. The injury required surgery ligaments and since then Anderson has been undergoing rehabilitation with the goal of being fit for the coming season. The last six months, she said, have not been easy.

“The most difficult part was right after the surgery, going into the first part of training with just trying to get that mobility and that strength in my entire leg, my quad, knee, everything. Just walking around was difficult. Just lifting my leg was difficult so everything I did was hard,” she remarked.

“Rehab has been one of the most difficult challenging things I have ever had to overcome during my entire track and field career but I think we’re right where we need to be and I am just looking forward to going out next season and at least performing at my best.”

Even tougher for Anderson, who had set a new national record of 12.31 while winning the silver medal at the World Championships in Oregon in July 2022, was knowing that she was unable to build on that success in 2023, especially since she was coming off a solid indoor season when she ran an encouraging 7.83 in Poland in February, just 0.01 off her lifetime best of 7.82 set in Louisville, Kentucky a year earlier.

“It was disappointing because I was looking forward to an excellent season because the way that I started the season, it was not my best but I think it was good the way I started and going into the outdoor season, after I got the injury it was disappointing because I was looking forward to a better season so it was heartbreaking,” she told Sportsmax.TV from her training base in Padua, Italy.

While she was recovering, Anderson watched Williams, who was third at Jamaica’s national championships in July, win gold giving Jamaica’s its third global medal in consecutive championships starting with Megan Tapper’s bronze at the Tokyo Olympics and her own silver in Oregon a year later.

And even though she was unable to line up in Budapest in August, Anderson said she was overjoyed that Williams was able to snatch the gold medal against a stacked field that included the likes of 2022 World Champion and world-record holder Tobi Amusan, former world-record holder Kendra Harrison and Olympic champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.

“It was an amazing feeling, to be honest, just to see the battles that she has been through. I have been watching Danielle since I was in high school at Vere (Technical) so just to see the battles that she has been through and how she fought to get to where she is right now, the feeling was amazing knowing that Jamaica brought the gold home,” she remarked while believing that had she been there should would have been in the mix for the medals, possibly gold.

“We athletes work hard each and every day so if I was in that race, it would have been a battle because we are all great women. We all fight to get where we are so it would have been a battle.”

Turning her attention back to her preparation for the coming season, Anderson revealed that the physical side of things is not her only area of concern. She acknowledges that since has begun background work while simultaneously continuing rehabilitation, she has come upon another hurdle that she hopes to clear before she begins to compete.

It has to do with overcoming her fear of getting hurt again, a not uncommon condition of athletes recovering from reparative surgery.

“I most definitely think it is one of the things that is going help me for the next season because even now during the training workout, landing or anything that gives me a bit of discomfort on my knee at the back of my head I would think ‘Okay, I need to either slow it down or stop for a second and adjust to what I’m feeling. I can’t just do it because I have the fear in the back of my mind saying it’s going to hurt or the injury is going to happen again,” she said.

“I am already working on that, just to go and do it instead of holding back. I think that is one of the most important things that will help me next season just to be more confident that nothing is going to happen.”

That said, her focus is unwavering. She remains committed to her rehabilitation and recovery to prepare for what she intends to be a more productive season in 2024, one in which the plan is to get to the national trials and making the team to Paris 2024.

“For now, the plan is getting as healthy as I can, going into the season, whether it is strength, mental health, just being confident getting out there again and knowing that nothing is going to happen, getting used to going over the hurdles, landing, getting a couple races that is going to build that confidence in me,” she said.

“Being out for basically an entire season, it’s really hard to get back up and going out there again but I think I can do it. That just looks like getting healthy and getting in as many races as possible as I think it is going to help me for the Olympics and even after the Olympics.”

Beth Tweddle won Great Britain’s first gold medal at the gymnastics World Championships in the uneven bars competition, on this day in 2006.

Tweddle had suffered injury disappointment at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne earlier in the year, but bounced back in Aarhus.

A score of 16.200 points was enough for Tweddle to beat defending world champion Anastasia Liukin and Italy’s Vanessa Ferrari to the title in Denmark.

British hopeful Tweddle had claimed bronze during the World Championships 12 months earlier, but a right ankle injury halted her momentum and forced a watching front for the Commonwealth Games.

Tweddle recovered to star at the European Championships in April with victory before she cleaned up at the British Championships later in the summer.

It raised expectations over what the Olympian could achieve at NRGi Arena and after Tweddle ranked fourth overall during the qualification phase, she suffered a fall the day before the uneven bars final.

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It did not knock the Liverpudlian off her stride and she peaked perfectly to post 16.200 points, beating Liukin’s total of 16.050 and Ferrari’s 15.775 tally.

Tweddle told BBC Five Live: “All my hard work has finally paid off and I’m absolutely ecstatic. A lot of people told me it would come, but I didn’t think it ever actually would. It hasn’t sunk in yet.

“I’ve had the bronze medal at the last two World Championships and to come out today after the fall yesterday and get through, it is an achievement.”

Global track and field icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce recently opened up to Sportsmax.TV about her trip to Italy for the Bottega Veneta Fashion Show during Milan Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 and reveals that she is mulling a dive into the world of fashion once she hangs up her running spikes for good.

In late September, after a season during which she overcame knee and hamstring injuries to win a bronze medal in the 100m at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, to go along with the 10 gold and five silver medals she has won in eight championship appearances since 2007, Fraser-Pryce, at the invitation of Bottega Veneta Creative Director Matthieu Blazy, took a trip to Milan to lose herself in the world of fashion as she continued to heal from the rigours of a challenging season and enjoyed it immensely.

She revealed it was an eye-opening experience.

“I am going there and I am thinking that this thing is going be like an Olympics where everybody comes with their different fashions and then they showcase it at the event. I didn’t know everybody had like a day to themselves. And people made it like a thing where you had persons that flew to Milan just to dress up, go on the street and take pictures.

“So, it was definitely something different from what I am used to in terms of track but it was a good experience. I saw some fashion that were ‘nice, love it’. Wear it? Maybe, maybe not,” she said with a giggle. “But it was a good experience. I loved the fact that I was invited by Bottega, by Matthieu and his team and I am looking forward to doing more of those events.”

During the course of her illustrious career, Fraser-Pryce has become known for her ever-evolving style. Her wigs and outfits have raised eyebrows and won the approval of her many fans. Few will forget her colourful wigs that have accentuated her outstanding performances at global championships over the past few years as well as her keen sense of style off the track while attending local and international engagements.

So it was not really much a surprise to hear the two-time Olympic 100m gold medallist reveal that fashion is something she could get into when her medal-filled career draws to a close.

“I think for me style is unique. Style is something that is personal and unique to you, some definitely that is something that I would tap into. It is never too late to start something. It may not be a thing when you’re younger but as you get older you like different things. The older I get I like silence or you like plants, so yes, I am looking forward to doing more of those things and I am grateful to Bottega for the outpouring and love and support that they gave me. I was shocked when I got the invitation.

“But when I got there I was in the front row, met some lovely people and I think I actually met a Jamaican model who walked in the show as well so it was awesome.”

Kenyan middle-distance sensation Faith Kipyegon, who had a remarkable 2023, setting world records and clinching gold medals at the World Championships in Budapest, has revealed a deeply personal and inspiring aspect of her journey.

Kipyegon, who is the favorite for the World Athletics' Women Athlete of the Year for 2023, credited none other than Jamaican sprinting legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as the driving force behind her triumphant return to athletics.

Kipyegon's journey to success included a maternity break in 2017, a pause she took to welcome her daughter Alyn in June 2018. Since her return, she has consistently delivered stellar performances, proving that motherhood need not be a barrier to athletic achievement. However, her path to victory wasn't always straightforward, and it was during these challenging times that Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's story served as a guiding light.

Fraser-Pryce, renowned for her blistering speed on the track, chose to put her career on hold in 2017 to give birth to her son, Zyon. In the years that followed, she not only made a stunning return to athletics winning World 100m titles in 2019 and 2022, but also became an advocate for mothers, both in and beyond the world of sports.

Kipyegon reminisced about a pivotal encounter in 2019 during the World Championships in Doha, where Fraser-Pryce clinched a gold medal. It was during this meeting that Kipyegon found her inspiration.

"Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce inspired me to take maternity leave and then make a comeback. We met in 2019 in Doha, where she won gold. It was from her that I garnered the courage to believe that we can take maternity leave and still return to win on the track. This has shown other runners that it's possible to return from maternity leave and achieve victory," Kipyegon revealed in a candid interview on JK Live.

Kipyegon, who became the first woman to win the 1500m and 5000m titles at one world championships, is among 11 nominees for World Athletics’ Women Athlete of the Year along with Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, the USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson, Gudaf Tsegay, who broke Kipyegon’s 5000m world record in September, Tigst Assefa, Femke Bol from the Netherlands, Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi, Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas, Winfred Yavi of Bahrain, Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine and Spain’s Maria Perez.

The story of Faith Kipyegon's triumphant return to athletics serves as an inspiration not just for athletes but for all mothers who aspire to achieve their dreams while embracing the joys of motherhood. It highlights the power of determination, perseverance, and the support and inspiration one can find in the experiences of fellow athletes like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

Jessica Ennis-Hill announced her retirement from athletics on this day in 2016.

She had won Olympic gold in the heptathlon at London 2012 and silver at Rio 2016, and retired as a two-time world champion.

Ennis-Hill, then 30, released a statement on her Instagram account to announce her decision and admitted it was “one of the toughest decisions” she had ever had to make during her successful career.

The Sheffield-born heptathlete returned to competition after the birth of her son Reggie in July 2014 and went on to win the World Athletics Championships in Beijing in 2015 having already achieved the qualifying standard for Rio.

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It was her second world heptathlon title after previously achieving the feat in Berlin in 2009 while claiming silver in 2011.

Ennis-Hill’s senior breakthrough came at her only Commonwealth Games in 2006 where she picked up bronze, finishing behind winner and team-mate Kelly Sotherton.

But she was destined for more greatness and won gold at the 2010 European Championships before claiming the World Indoor Pentathlon title in the same year.

The victories were part of her dominance of the sport between 2009 and 2012 ahead of her success at London 2012.

She won the 100 metres hurdles before coming sixth in the high jump and 10th in the shot put. A personal best of 22.83 seconds saw her finish second in the 200 metres and Ennis-Hill was also second in the long jump before she threw a personal best of 47.49 metres in the javelin to finish 10th and put her on the brink of glory.

She earned the Olympic crown with a season’s best of two minutes and eight seconds in the 800 metres to win the race.

Ennis-Hill then called time on her career following the 2016 Olympics after she narrowly failed to retain her Olympic heptathlon title-winning silver behind Belgian Nafissatou Thiam at Rio 2016.

She won the 800m – the final discipline of the competition – but it was not enough to overtake Thiam, who won by 35 points.

Last week was a memorable one for two-time world championships bronze medalist Sada Williams.

Williams won a bronze medal in the 400m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August, becoming the first Barbadian athlete to win medals at consecutive global athletics championships. She won a bronze medal in the same event at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Also in 2022, Williams won the gold medal in the 400m at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England and a silver medal at the NACAC Senior Championships in Freeport, Bahamas.

Last week, the government of Barbados, in acknowledgement of those accomplishments, unveiled two billboards bearing her image and rewarded her with a cash award of $150,000. That same week, Williams was also made a brand ambassador for Sagicor in Barbados.

“I am proud to announce that I have officially become a brand ambassador for Sagicor, Barbados and I will be part of their family,” the proud athlete posted on her Instagram page.

“Last night (Thursday) was the official welcome where I met so many wonderful and fun people. I cannot wait to start this journey with you guys.

She expressed her gratitude to Sagicor’s management team who put the deal together.

“Special thanks to Mr Paul Innis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sagicor Life Inc. and Chief Executive Officer Mr George Thomas of Sagicor Bank for making this partnership possible.”

Williams is expected to return to training in the coming week as she prepares for what is expected to be another successful year as she hunts for her first Olympic medal in Paris, France.

Jamaican quarter-miler Sean Bailey has signed a professional contract with Adidas. Bailey, a finalist in the 400m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August, made the announcement on Instagram on Thursday, explaining that the development is a dream come true.

“Lost for words. These past two years out of college, I wanted to run track and field professionally. Two years later I am Adidas athlete,” Bailey said in his post.

The younger brother of Jamaican Olympian icon Veronica Campbell-Brown, Bailey enjoyed perhaps his most successful season. In May, he ran a personal best 44.43 to win at the Drake Relays defeating the 2012 Olympic champion Kirani James and then won his first national title at the Jamaica National Championships in July.

In winning the national title, Bailey defeated Antonio Watson, who would go on to win the 400m at the championships in Budapest. Bailey made it to the final where he finished fifth in 44.96. An injury prevented him from participating in the 4x400m relay. His presence was missed as Jamaica finished fourth.

However, he has had his fair share of injuries which have hampered his progress and at one point had him thinking about giving up.

“The journey has not been an easy one by any means. I wanted to give up so many times because I felt as if I was not good enough. I stuck with it and I’m here to tell anyone out there chasing a goal that it is possible. It’s not a cliché, work hard and dedicate yourself.”

He expressed gratitude to his management team, OntrackManagement, “for believing in me and working with me through all my rough patches. I am grateful to have you all by my side.” He also thanked his coaxh Mickael Hanany for believing in him and giving him the opportunity to lean every day. “We have a lot more work to get done,” he said.

Two-time 200m world champion Dafne Schippers, who famously chased down and beat Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah at the line in the finals at the 2015 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China, has retired.

The 31-year-old Dutchwoman, who won a silver medal in the 100m final behind Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce that year, has been plagued by injury over the past few years, impairing her ability to compete at the highest level.

On Tuesday, she announced on Instagram that her race has been run.

“The race stops here,” she announced.

“As an athlete, you always know this day will come, that at one point, your career will be a moment in time—a collection of memories and hopefully medals. Today, I have decided to take my life off track to pursue and embrace whatever comes next, but not without saying a massive thank you for all the endless support. It has been a journey without regret.”

She expressed gratitude to all who have supported in a career that did not quite materialize in the way she would have liked.

“My family, my team, my fans, and my sponsors, you made it all worthwhile.”

At her peak, Schippers was among the greatest ever short sprinters.

She set a championship record of 21.63 in Beijing after chasing down Thompson-Herah and nipping the Jamaican, who ran a then personal best of 21.66, at the line. Veronica Campbell-Brown was third in 21.97.

At the time, Schippers’ time was the third-fastest ever run over the half-lap sprint. Only Florence Griffith-Joyner (21.34) and Marion Jones (21.62) had run faster. The Dutchwoman had earlier run a lifetime best 10.81 to win the silver medal behind Fraser-Pryce in the 100m final.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Schippers won the silver medal behind Thompson-Herah in the 200m, running a time of 21.88. She was a disappointing fifth in the 100m final due to injury. She won the 200m world title at the 2017 World Championships and was third in the 100m.

An adductor injury forced her to withdraw from the 2019 World Championships in Doha and persistent back injuries limited her ability to compete internationally for more than a year. She last raced in the 100m in Belgium in July 2022 finishing second in her heat in 11.37.