Three track and field meets have been scheduled in 2022 for the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida, the training base of Olympic gold medalist Briana Williams and the home for a new life-size statue of the greatest sprinter of all time, Usain Bolt.
Bolt, the eight-time Olympic gold medalist and an 11-time World Champion, owns the world records for 100m (9.58), 200m (19.19) and the 4x100 meters relay (36.84).
The Miramar Invitational (Saturday, April 9, 2022), the Coach O Invitational (Saturday, June 11, 2022) and the NACAC New Life Invitational (Sunday, June 12, 2022) will be held at the complex where the city will pay tribute to the Jamaican and global sprint icon, Miramar Commissioner Alexandra Davis announced via a public statement on Tuesday.
“Artist Basil Watson has been commissioned to create the sculpture in Usain Bolt’s iconic “TO THE WORLD” pose from a position of kneeling on one knee,” Davis said.
“I proposed the Art in Public Places ordinance to be able to promote art throughout the City. The sculpture of the international and world-renowned track and field athlete will be funded in part by the Art in Public Places Fund as well as the Art in the Parks capital project.
“It will spur on economic development and serve as an inspiration for up-and-coming athletes of all ages and backgrounds.”
The monument is expected to be ready to be mounted by October 2022.
In 2021, the Ansin Sports Complex hosted two track meets that attracted hundreds of international athletes, more than 5,000 spectators and 30,000 international viewers via live stream.
At the Miramar Invitational that was held on Saturday, April 10, 2021, more than 160 international athletes including Justin Gatlin, Mike Rodgers, Ajee Wilson, Natoya Goule and Grant Holloway.
Akeem Bloomfield, Briana Williams, English Gardner, Kahmari Montgomery, Mike Rodgers, Kendra Harrison, Wil London and Elaine Thompson also participated at the meet.
It was also at that meet that Sha’Carri Richardson set a lifetime best 10.72 seconds to win the 100m. The performance moved her to the sixth all-time in the 100m.
On Saturday, June 5, 2021, the NACAC New Life Invitational- World Athletics featured approximately 200 international athletes, of which over 100 were Olympic qualifying athletes including Zachary Campbell, Jeims Molina and Kaden Cartwright.
It was there that Williams broke her national U20 record running 10.93 seconds before going on to become the youngest Jamaican to win an Olympic gold medal as a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team in Tokyo.
The USA’s Trayvon Bromell also set his personal best and world-leading time of 9.77 seconds at this event.
“We were so thrilled to have welcomed these talented athletes and have them take advantage of the world-class amenities including the FTX Mondo Olympic track at Ansin Sports Complex. We look forward to hosting more international track and field competitions in 2022,” said Davis.
Over his 40-year career, Watson has completed major works in Guatemala, China, Jamaica, and the U.S. Some of his major commissions include “Ring of Life” in London, “Martin Luther King” in Atlanta and “Cradle-The Future in our Hands” in Fulton County, Georgia.
Olympic champion Hansle Parchment dedicates World Champs silver to long-time coach Fitz Coleman: "He deserves this as much as I do"
In yet another example of why Hansle Parchment continues to be a fan favourite who continues to perform at the highest level, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics champion has dedicated the silver medal he won at the 2023 World Athletics Championships to his long-time coach Fitz Coleman.
Parchment, 33, who won his first Diamond League trophy last month in a lifetime best and world-leading 12.93s run, was the runner-up to the now three-time world champion Grant Holloway of the USA, in Budapest in August. On Monday, he shared on social media that that silver medal holds special meaning.
“This year’s world championship in Budapest was special as I received a second medal for my coach,” he said. “Mr. Fitz Coleman has been my coach for 14 years and counting. He has been a friend and a mentor. He’s been a guiding force in all my achievements and I want to send a heartfelt thanks as he deserves this medal as much as I do.”
Parchment will attempt to defending his Olympic title in Paris next summer. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Parchment stunned the world by upstaging Holloway, the gold medal favorite, winning his first Olympic title in 13.04.
On This Day in 2019: Dina Asher-Smith wins gold at World Athletics Championships
Dina Asher-Smith became the first British female to win a world sprint title when she took gold in the 200 metres final at the World Athletics Championships in Doha on this day in 2019.
Asher-Smith, then 23, set a British record with a time of 21.88 seconds that was enough to beat American Brittany Brown, upgrading the silver she had taken in the 100m final earlier in the meeting.
“I know I was tired and woke up today knowing this was the last individual chance and this was the moment I did all my work for,” Asher-Smith said after the race.
“This is what we knew we could achieve if the season went well, and the tiredness just disappeared when I needed it to.
“It means so much. There’s so many British fans here. I know lots of Brits live in Doha but lots have travelled and for my mum to be here, my dad, John and his wife and my physios… it means so much.”
Asher-Smith had been elevated to favourite in the race after a number of rivals pulled out of the event, with then Olympic champion Elaine Thompson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Marie-Josee Ta Lou and Dafne Schippers all missing.
Asher-Smith’s performances in Doha boosted hopes that she could contend for a medal at the Tokyo Olympics as she had broken her own British record in the 100m final.
After the postponement of the Games by 12 months amid the coronavirus pandemic, Asher-Smith was selected to race in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.
However, she failed to get through qualifying in the 100m and later revealed she had suffered a hamstring injury, forcing her to pull out of the 200m.
Nevertheless, Asher-Smith was able to compete in the 4x100m relay and helped Great Britain win bronze.
Shericka Jackson on the verge of becoming the greatest women combined sprinter of all time
Two-time world 200m champion Shericka Jackson is now the second-best female combined sprinter of all time and could soon to become the greatest of all time if she runs faster in the 100m, 200m or 400m in the coming season.
As at the end of the 2022/2023 season when she won her second 200m world title in championship record time of 21.41 at the World Championships, Jackson now boasts personal best time of 10.65 in the 200m, 21.41 in the 200m and 49.47 in the 400m.
The super-talented Jamaican, who is also the only athlete to win global medals in all three events, has amassed ranking points of 1277 for her lifetime best of 10.65 in the 100m, 1301 for her national record time of 21.41 in the 200m and 1227 for her personal best 49.47 in the 400m for a tally of 3805 points.
Only one woman has more points and that is Germany’s Marita Koch, who ran times of 10.83 for the 100m, 21.71 for the 200m and a remarkable 47.60, the world record, for the 400m for a total of 3809 points.
It was not that long ago that Jackson was further down the list behind the likes of Florence Griffith-Joyner (3), Marion Jones (4), Shaunae Miller-Uibo (5), Allyson Felix (6), Gwen Torrence (7) and Marie Jose Perec, (8) all of whom are ranked among the top 10 best combined sprinters in history.
She is the highest-ranked Jamaican with the iconic Merlene Ottey (10.74/21.64/51.12) ranked 13th, Grace Jackson (11.08/21.72/49.57) ranked 16th and Veronica Campbell-Brown (10.76/21.74/52.24) ranked 22nd.
In fact, in 2021, Jackson was 21st in the list before her outstanding performances over the last three seasons saw her rocket up the list to the number two slot. In 2021, Jackson has lifetimes bests of 10.76/21.81/49.47 for the 100m, 200m and 400m, respectively.
Breaking the world record of 21.34 in the 200m, a goal that is well within her reach, dipping under 10.60 for the 100m or running 48 seconds over the 400m and she will take her rightful place of Greatest Of All Time among women combined sprinters.
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