British Virgin Islands’ rising track star Michelle Smith made an emphatic start to her outdoor season with a dominant victory in the women’s 400m hurdles at the Black and Gold Invitational, held at the UCF Track & Field/Soccer Complex in Orlando, Florida, on Friday.

Competing for the University of Georgia, the 18-year-old Smith showcased her strength and endurance as she powered away from the field to clock a winning time of 55.98 seconds. Her performance left no doubt about her form, as she comfortably held off Jamaica’s Jody-Ann Dixon of Clemson University, who crossed the line in 59.25 seconds. The third spot went to Emmi Scales of the University of Kentucky, who finished in 59.64 seconds.

In the men’s 400m hurdles, Maryland’s Isaiah Chapman took top honours with a solid run of 51.64 seconds. Jamaica’s Jayden Brown, representing Clemson University, put in a strong performance to finish second in 52.53 seconds, while Joziah Johnson of George Mason secured third with a time of 52.68.

There was also Caribbean representation in the women’s 200m, where Kentucky’s Sharmelle Holmes finished second with a time of 23.32 seconds, running with a slight tailwind of +0.1 m/s. Her teammate, Jamaican sprinter Oneika McAnnuff, was close behind in third, clocking 23.41. Clemson's Aleksandra Stoilova was just edged out, finishing fourth in 23.44 seconds.

Smith’s victory marks a promising start to her campaign as she builds toward major international competitions later this year. With this performance, she solidifies her reputation as one of the top young hurdlers in the region, continuing the tradition of elite Caribbean athletes excelling on the global stage.