Newly crowned NCAA 60m hurdles champion Ackera Nugent arrived at Arkansas, already the 2021 World U20 100m hurdles champion and the World U20 record holder, but with the improvements she has made so far, and the potential she possesses in the flat sprint, she could be great at both the hurdles and the blue-riband flat sprint.

Johnson, the Associate Head Coach of the Women’s Programme at the University of Arkansas believes Nugent is a special talent that is nowhere close to achieving her full potential.

Early during the just-concluded indoor season, Nugent ran a couple of 60m races and she improved from her previous best of 7.27 in 2022 to 7.20. That improved speed between the hurdles was clearly evident as she upset gold-medal favourite Kentucky’s Masai Russell last weekend.

This is where Coach Johnson believes she has the most room for improvement. In fact, he believes that she will surprise many with how fast she really is.

“I won't let the cat out of the bag but I think you will be very pleased when you see her run 100m. I think everybody is going to be surprised about what she is capable of doing because she is a talent,” he said.
“Obviously, I have been fortunate enough to coach Janeek (Brown) and Dazsay Freeman, so three young ladies from Jamaica, all talented in their own right but this young lady is very special.

“The 60 is a little short for her. I think the 100m will be just right and I think you will be pleasantly surprised at what she will be able to accomplish.”

Does this mean, Jamaica could have its version of the American Olympic champion Gail Devers, who won Olympic gold in the 100m in 1992 and 1996 and 100m hurdles world titles in 1993, 1995, and 1999?

“That’s tall cotton if you will, but I think that provided she can stay healthy and continue to progress, I think Jamaica and the University of Arkansas will be very pleased with where she is going. We have to take care of her and make sure she does the right things,” said Johnson.

Johnson, who is in his 12^th season at Arkansas, began coaching Nugent last fall after the 60m World U20 record holder transferred from Baylor University where she spent her freshman year.

In 2019, Johnson coached Brown to an NCAA championship in the 100m hurdles where she ran what was then the second-fastest time in NCAA history crossing the line in 12.40, which at the time was a Jamaican national record.

Four years later, under his watch, Nugent who turns 21 in April, won the NCAA Division 1 National Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 7.73, just 0.01 off the world-leading and personal best 7.72 she ran in the preliminary round.

The 0.17 improvement in her 60m best came as a result of the improvements she has been making guided by Johnson’s experienced hand. His job is made easier, he said, because the 2021 World U20 champion is a good student of the sport.

“She is an extreme talent but from my position as a coach there were some things that needed to be worked on,” he said.

“We have worked on what she looks like on top of the hurdle, into and off of the hurdle and I think she has done a fantastic job in working on those things. She is a really good student of the hurdles. She has good body awareness and kinaesthetic awareness so when you give her cues, she is really into what you’re giving her.”

Coach Johnson also lauded Nugent for her willingness to embrace change in pursuit of progress.

“I’ve got to give her a lot of credit in terms of being able to change the way she has done things to fit the model that we think that’s going to be best for her. She has lost some pounds, that’s something that as a coach, I required. I think it’s important in her development, not just from the losing weight part of it but in terms of being healthy and being able to train at a very high level and she has been able to a good job of that. So we’re very proud of her progress.”

Notwithstanding the rapid progress Nugent has already made in a short time, Johnson believes there is a lot more to come from her indicating that once she ‘cleans up’ some technical elements she will be a force to be reckoned with provided she can stay healthy and continue to progress.”

Reigning World 100m champion Fred Kerley has described Jamaica’s Usain Bolt as the gold standard of sprinting, saying he and others have been inspired by the iconic Jamaican, who holds the world records in both 100 and 200m.

Kerley returned to the United States recently after a stint in Australia where he clocked a fast 20.32 in a 200m race at the Maurie Plant Meet in February before storming to victory in 44.65 over 400m at the Sydney Track Classic last Saturday.

In a subsequent interview on ABC Radio in Australia, Kerley, who has a wild-card entry to the World Championships in Budapest in August, said he plans to add to the gold medal he won last year in Oregon but ultimately wants to win Olympic gold in Paris in 2024.

His career goal, however, is surpassing Usain Bolt’s accomplishments. The Jamaican is the only man to win the sprint double at three consecutive Olympic Games and holds the Olympic records of 9.63 and 19.30 in the 100m and 200m, respectively.

“He inspired a lot of generations,” Kerley said of Bolt. “We try to duplicate or step foot where he stepped foot on. He is the golden standard for track and field. We all try to achieve all he achieved in his lifetime.”

Though he would love to be able to break the Jamaican’s world records, winning gold medals remains his top priority, Kerley said.

“For us to step in the same journey is all about the gold medals and stuff right now,” he reasoned. “The more gold medals I get, the more I can put in the history book. Records come and go, but golds last forever.”

Ackera Nugent, in her first season with Arkansas after transferring from Baylor University, justified the move on Saturday when she ran the world-leading time in the 60m hurdles and then followed up by winning a national title as the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships in Alburquerque, New Mexico.

After storming to a new personal best of 7.72 to win her preliminary round heat, Nugent sped to victory in 7.73 over former world-leader Masai Russell, the pre-race favourite, who was a close second in a personal best 7.75.

“It wouldn’t be my first time in history but the first time in history at the collegiate level is a really great feeling to see that I was counted out this year and I came out and showed on the day that mattered most,” the World U20 record holder said in an interview afterwards.

Her performance helped Arkansas win the Ladies championship.

St Lucia’s Julien Alfred capped off an incredible season at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships on Saturday when she clocked the second fastest time in history to win gold in the 200m.

It was her second individual gold medal of the season-ending meet held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after winning the 60m dash on Friday.

The 21-year-old Longhorn senior clocked 22.01 while holding off the challenge of favourite LSU’s Favour Ofili, who finished in 22.20. Autum Wilson was third in 22.45.

Aldred’s time was a personal best, national record, championship record, meet and facility record as well as a world lead. Only Merlene Ottey, who ran 21.87 in Italy 30 years ago, has run faster.

The time also shattered the 22.09 run by Kentucky’s Abby Steiner just last year.

It was the perfect ending for Alfred, who ran unbeaten over 60m and clocked three times under seven seconds during the season. She lost only once over 200m.

On Friday, Alfred won the 60m dash in 6.94, a new collegiate, meet and championship record as well as a national record.

 It was the third time this season she covered the distance in under seven seconds and is now the fastest woman over the distance from the Caribbean surpassing Ottey’s 6.96.

Sixteen-year-old Adaejah Hodge raced to a new World U18 and U20 record in the 200m at the New Balance Indoors High School Championships at the Track at New Balance in Boston on Sunday.

Hodge, who starred at the 2022 Carifta Games in Jamaica where she won the coveted Austin Sealy Award, sped to 22.33 in commanding performance. She won by more than 0.5 seconds over Madison Whyte, who won the silver medal in a time of 23.08.

Elise Cooper was third in 23.42.

"I just came off the curve and just let everything on the track," the Montverde High School junior told MileSplit.

Her school coach Gerald Phiri was equally stunned.

"I don't know when we're going to see athletes like this ever again," he told the track and field website. "I think it's going to be a very long time."

Hodge’s splits were mind-numbing. It took her 6.31s to get to 50m, was at the 100m mark in 11.26 and got to 150 in 17.07.

As a 15-year-old Hodge lit up the track in Jamaica last April when she won the 100m in 11.29 and the 200m in 23.42. In between, she claimed long jump gold and was named most outstanding athlete at the 49^th staging of the Games.

With his first and only jump, University of Arkansas freshman Jaydon Hibbert set a new World U20 record on his way to becoming this year's NCAA Division 1 Indoor National triple jump champion on Saturday.

The 18-year-old Hibbert only needed the sole effort to establish a mark of 17.54m, a new personal best for the 2023 SEC Field Athlete of the Year. The mark broke the meet record of 17.37m set by Florida's Marquis Dendy in 2015 as well the championship record of 17.50m established in 2015 by Charleston Southern's Charlie Simpkins in 1986. It was also a new Jamaican record.

Hibbert's closest rival was Salif Mane, a senior at Fairleigh Dickinson, whose best effort of 16.79m won him the silver medal while Owayne Owens, a junior at the University of Virginia leapt 16.69m for third.

Hibbert's Arkansas teammate Carey McLeod, who won the long jump with a national-record-equalling mark of 8.40m on Friday, finished sixth with a leap of 16.35m.

National junior record holder Bouwahjgie Nkrumie ran an easy 10.19 to lead all qualifiers to the final of the Boy’s Under-20 100m on Friday’s day one of the 2023 Carifta Trials at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Kingston College’s Nkrumie, who ran 10.02 to win silver at the 2022 World Under-20 Championships behind Botswanan World junior record holder Letsile Tebogo, easily won the fourth heat ahead of Camperdown’s Jason Lewis who ran 10.57 to also qualify for the final.

Jamaica College’s Hector Benjamin advanced second fastest with a personal best 10.31 to win heat two ahead of defending champion DeAndre Daley of Herbert Morrison who also advanced with 10.56.

Daley’s day was almost disastrous as he was left in the blocks at the start of the heat but, thankfully, recovered to seal his spot in the final.

Manchester High’s Javoon Blair qualified third fastest with a 10.43 effort to win heat one ahead of Steer Town Academy’s Omarion Barrett (10.49).

Also advancing to Saturday’s final were Kingston College’s Yourie Lawrence-Clarke (10.55) and Steer Town Academy’s Tay-Shawn Barnes (10.56).

The qualifiers for the Under-17 final were led by STETHS’ Tramaine Todd, Calabar’s Khamani Gordon and Jamaica College’s Dontae Watson.

Todd looked extremely impressive, producing 10.59 to win his heat while Gordon and Watson produced times of 10.68 and 10.72 to win their respective heats and advance.

Joining them in the final will be Jamaica College’s Nathaniel Martin (10.69), St. Jago High’s Detarje Morgan (10.72), Herbert Morrison’s Tavaine Stewart (10.82), Calabar’s Jamal Stephenson (10.89) and Kingston College’s Kyle Bodden (10.95).

World Under-20 silver medallist Serena Cole of Edwin Allen led all qualifiers to the final of the girls Under-20 equivalent.

Cole ran a comfortable 11.22 to easily win her heat ahead of St. Catherine High’s Kaycian Johnson who also qualified with 11.91.

Petersfield’s Alexis James also looked in good form, running 11.24 to win her heat ahead of MVP’s Tia Clayton (11.53), Edwin Allen’s Tonie-Ann Forbes (11.59) and William Knibb’s Lavanya Williams (11.61). Clayton, Forbes and Williams all advanced to the final alongside James.

Hydel’s Alana Reid, World Under-20 bronze medallist, won her heat in 11.55 to advance while Wolmers’ Mickayla Gardener (11.65) finished second and made it through.

Natrece East of Wolmers ran 11.70 to lead all qualifiers to the Under-17 final. She will be joined in the final by the Hydel pair Shemonique Hazle (11.80) and Camoy Binger (12.00), Wolmers’ Tiana Marshall (11.77), Immaculate Conception’s Shevi-Anne Shim (11.94), St. Jago’s Adora Campbell (12.02), Excelsior’s Janiela Williams (11.95) and St Mary High’s Shagay Sheppy (12.02).

Jamaicans Tarees Rhoden and Navasky Anderson will both contest the finals of the Men’s 800m after advancing from their respective heats at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday.

Rhoden, a junior at Clemson University who set a national indoor record 1:46.61 earlier this season, ran 1:47.84 to finish third in heat three and advance while Mississippi State senior Anderson, the defending Jamaican national champion, ran 1:49.67 to finish second in heat two and progress.

In the 400m, St. Lucian Kansas junior Michael Joseph ran 45.81 to finish second in heat one and make it through to Saturday’s final.

Jamaican Arkansas senior Carey McLeod is the NCAA Indoor men’s long jump champion after equaling James Beckford’s national indoor record in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday.

McLeod produced a personal best, collegiate leading and facility record 8.40m to win the title ahead of Mississippi State senior Cameron Crump (8.39m) and Florida State junior Jeremiah Davis (8.37m).

McLeod’s Arkansas teammate Wayne Pinnock also achieved a personal best, jumping 8.33m for fourth.

The 24-year-old McLeod produced a consistent series, jumping 8.03m, 8.22m, 7.80m, 8.04m and 7.95m in the first five rounds.

Entering the sixth and final round, the former Kingston College man found himself in fourth place before producing his national record-equalling 8.40m in round six for victory. James Beckford did 8.40 in Madrid in 1996.

On the women’s side, Texas freshman Ackelia Smith produced a personal best 6.88m for second while Florida junior Claire Bryant produced the same distance for third.

The event was won by Bryant’s Florida teammate, Jasmine Moore, with 7.03m. Her jump is a personal best, collegiate record, facility record, world lead and meet record.

Jamaica's Arkansas sophomore Ackera Nugent broke Michelle Freeman’s 25-year-old national indoor 60m hurdles record on her way to becoming the fastest qualifier for the final at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday.

Nugent, 20, ran a spectacular new personal best 7.72 to win heat one, breaking Freeman’s record of 7.74 done in Gainesville in 1998, to set up an exciting clash in Saturday’s final between herself and Kentucky senior Masai Russell, who ran 7.78 to win heat two.

Nugent’s time is also a new collegiate record, world lead and meet record.

 Texas Tech senior, Jamaica's Demisha Roswell also advanced to the final after running a personal best 7.92 to finish third in heat one.

St. Lucian and Texas senior Julien Alfred produced another amazing performance to advance to the final of the Women’s 60m at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday.

The 21-year-old defending champion ran a new personal best and championship record 6.96, the joint-fourth fastest time ever, to win heat one and advance to Saturday’s final as the fastest qualifier.

The Commonwealth Games 100m silver-medallist entered the championships as a massive favorite to retain her title as she is unbeaten in the event this season with winning times of 7.05, 7.02, 7.05, 7.00, 7.03 and 6.97.

Alfred, now the joint-fastest Caribbean woman of all time in the event alongside Jamaican legend Merlene Ottey, will be joined in the final by Jamaican Clemson senior Kiara Grant who wan 7.14 for third in the first heat.

Later, Alfred also ran 22.38 to advance to the final of the 200m. LSU's Favor Ofili was the fastest qualifier with a spectacular 22.11, the third fastest time ever behind Merlene Ottey's 21.87 and Abby Steiner's 22.09.

Elsewhere, Jamaican Arkansas sophomore Joanne Reid ran 51.98 to advance to the final of the Women’s 400m.

Arkansas freshman Jaydon Hibbert has been selected as the SEC Indoor Freshman Field Athlete of the Year.

Hibbert produced a winning leap of 17.10m to win the triple jump at the SEC Indoor Championships and was the only freshman to claim a field event victory. His winning mark leads the NCAA for the 2023 season and is the 14^th-best mark in collegiate history.

The teenaged Jamaican becomes the third Razorback to receive the accolade indoors, joining Nkosinza Balumbu (2006) and Andrew Irwin (2012), since the award was first presented in 2004.

Arkansas has also had three individuals receive SEC Freshman Runner of the Year – Chris Bilbrew (2008), Patrick Rono (2012), and Omar McLeod (2014).

Hibbert, the 2022 World U20 champion, recently became the youngest athlete to surpass 17m indoors as an 18-year-old and moved to No. 3 on the World U20 all-time list while improving his Jamaican indoor national U20 record.

Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) will host the third staging of their Labor of Love Fundraising Luncheon on Sunday, 16 April 2023, at the Crest Hollow Country Club, 8325 Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury, NY 11797.

Under the patronage of Jamaica’s Consul General to New York, the Honourable Alsion Wilson, O.D., Labor of Love will be a combination of “Celebrating Our Athletes, Our Ambassadors,” highlighting TJB’s community partnerships, saying thanks to Patricia Chin of VP Records for her Pioneering Role in Reggae Music and her steadfast support of TJB’s initiatives of Music and Sports.

The TJB Exemplary Leader in Athletics Award will be bestowed on Olympian Aleen Bailey. Bailey represented Jamaica at the 2004 Olympics in Athens Greece and 2008 Games in Beijing, China, where she was a member of Jamaica’s gold-medal winning 4x100m relay team.

Considered “The Reliable Warrior”, Bailey is known for always instilling a fighting spirit that resonated well with her team.

TJB has also revealed that for 2023 Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) will not have its signature “TJB Tent”.

Doors open at 11:30 AM and the Cocktail Hour begins at 12:00 PM sharp followed by the Program, Lunch and Dancing to follow. A surprise Guest Artiste will entertain to thrill guests. Last year the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Kamina Johnson-Smith joined in the revelry and performance by Romain Virgo.

Their new home will be the Palestra, home of the University of Pennsylvania’s basketball teams. Located in the Carnival Village, the iconic and recently bestowed City Landmark Arena will host athletes and officials from Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Coming off a very successful return to the Penn Relays last year, one that included the officially honoured guest Prime Minister Andrew Holness, efforts are underway for TJB 29.

This year TJB will celebrate female student athletes as they take center stage on the Saturday at the Relays. They also welcome back in full support Caribbean Foods Delight, their partner who celebrates 45 years in business.

 As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded in 1994, TJB provides a wide range of services in the development and care of the athletes and coaches at the Penn Relays through their Hospitality Initiative Program - providing meals, physical therapy, chiropractic care, mentorship, medical services, and ground transportation; as well as being forefront in negotiating subsidized hotel rates for the athletes and coaches.

Team Jamaica Bickle’s Founder and CEO Irwine Clare shares that “in excess of US$150,000 has to be raised” to assure our athletes, our ambassadors are treated well.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Devin Augustine and Jamaica’s Ashanti Moore were among the winners at the 2023 Longhorn Invitational at the Mike A. Myers Stadium in Texas on Saturday.

Augustine, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Minnesota, ran a personal best 10.26 to win the Men’s equivalent ahead of teammate Carlon Hosten (10.28) and Texas’ Nolton Shelvin (10.28). Augustine’s time is also a new Minnesota school record.

The Trinidadian was also victorious in the 200m with 20.60, which would have been a new personal best if not for the 2.2m/s wind. Another Trinidadian Minnesota athlete, 22-year-old junior Kion Benjamin, was second in 20.70 while Shelvin, like in the 100m, was third in 20.75.

Moore, the 22-year-old former Hydel star, ran 11.27 to win the Women’s 100m ahead of Americans Anavia Battle (11.31) and Lynna Irby (11.33). The same three made up the podium places in the 200m as well with Moore finishing third this time in 23.01 behind Irby (22.65) and Battle (22.93).

In the field, 26-year-old former Jamaica College star O’Brien Wasome jumped 16.72m for victory in the Men’s triple jump ahead of the UTSA pair of Jemuel Miller (16.02m), and Jacob Jenkins (15.77m).