She held a fast-finishing Shericka Jackson, who also produced a lifetime best of 21.82 for the runner-up spot. Elaine Thompson-Herah, the 2016 Olympic champion, finished third in a season-best 22.02.
It was a seminal moment for Fraser-Pryce, who won a silver medal over 200m at the 2012 London Games and gold a year later at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.
“I am excited because, look at me, for everything I have achieved over the years, I’ve never taken it for granted. I always knew what I was capable of and I am glad I never gave up and I stuck to what I believed in and kept close to the persons who believed in me and continued to work hard for that dream and I am glad to finally break the 22-second barrier,” she said.
The improvements this season that allowed her to run lifetime bests of 10.63 and 21.79, she said, was the result of the hard work Coach Reynaldo Walcott put her through during the off-season as well as her own resolve to continue to strive for excellence despite whatever challenges life throws at her.
“The key part of the preparation was just the endurance part in making sure I was strong to manage all the rounds, I think that was very important,” she said.
“I am grateful that I was able to put together the work and I give God thanks because I have had struggles, especially with my toe, but I am a warrior so whatever it is, I am always going to show up and do my best and as long as I do that then I am always satisfied.”
She also praised Coach Walcott, the head coach at Elite Performance, with whom she has enjoyed a harmonious relationship ever since her early days at the MVP track club.
“Mr Walcott has always been a friend. He was part of the MVP track club, we started UTech (University of Technology) at the same time so I have always had that belief in him,” she said, also taking time to praise her former coach Stephen Francis.
“I think what’s also important is that we have always had a foundation as well from Stephen Francis and MVP Track Club so I can’t take that for granted and what he had done to my career so far. So, it’s just a continuation of the hard work and the coaches. I am just glad that I have had two solid coaches.”
Fraser-Pryce said she plans to immediately get back to work to continue to prepare for the Games this summer.
“The Olympics are not that far away so it’s about being very meticulous in the work and being mindful, stay injury free and doing the best I can to stay healthy.”
Rasheed Dwyer won the men's title in season-best 20.17 ahead of Yohan Blake 20.18. Tyquendo Tracey, the 100m champion, was third in 20.34.
In an interview with Athletics Weekly, the former 200m and 400m world record holder offered an interesting new lens to look at the sport, saying we should focus on head-to-head duels rather than fixating on times.
Johnson said that nowadays, track and field is too focused on the times and not focused enough on the rivalry and the storytelling behind the scenes as well, and the women’s 100m rivalry between Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah is a perfect opportunity to showcase that.
“Yeah, I mean I would say that it’s a perfect example of the problem because I don’t think that Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce or Elaine Thompson-Herah get enough credit for what they’ve done in the sport because we’re so focused on times,” said Johnson.
“So, you know right now I can see that you know what’s going to happen most likely with Elaine is, there’s going to continue for the remained of her career unless she breaks the World record in the 100m, a focus now on whether she breaks the world record or not and if she doesn’t, you know there’s a danger that people will be disappointed,” he said.
The 29-year-old Thompson-Herah is a five-time Olympic champion and the 100m and 200m title holder from both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
At 35, Fraser-Pryce has three Olympic gold medals – eight medals in total – including the gold-standard 100m crown won at both Beijing 2008 and London 2012. She is also a nine-time world champion and the reigning world gold medallist at 100m.
“I mean, then the fact that you have at the same time these two women from this very small island, who go head-to-head you know at these championships and they, between the two of them, they’ve won the gold medals in the 100m over the last four Olympic Games,” said Johnson.
The current 100m world record has stood since 1988, Florence Griffith-Joyner, also known as Flo-Jo, became the only woman ever to break the 10.5-second barrier with a run of 10.49 at the US Olympic trials in 1988. Since then, many have deemed the mark impossible to beat – not least because of controversy regarding possible wind assistance at those trials.
Johnson feels instead of focusing on the world record, we should be focused more on these athletes and their ability to deliver when it counts at championships.
“You know that’s incredible and I think that should be celebrated. And if I think if we were focused more on these athletes and their ability to deliver when it counts at championships and win the head-to-head battle as opposed to well this time and what was the wind and you know is it a national record and how close is it to the world record and all of those things, I think we are robbing ourselves and the sport of its greatness,” he said.
The 23-year-old began her first full season as a professional athlete with a six-race win streak in the indoor 60m, culminating with her first major global title at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on March 2.
The 2023 Bowerman Award winner then embarked on a spectacular outdoor season which saw her become her country’s first ever Olympic medallist by winning 100m gold in Paris in a national record 10.72 in August before closing out her season by winning the 100m title at the Diamond League final in Brussels in 10.88 in September.
Alfred also won 200m silver at the Olympics in 22.08.
As a result of her exploits on the track, Alfred has been subject of an appropriate week of celebration by her home country St. Lucia since her return on September 24.
Alfred was greeted by a parade of fans upon her arrival to the island, September 27 was formally recognized by the St. Lucian Government as ‘Julien Alfred Day’ going forward, a mural celebrating her was painted at her alma mater Ciceron Primary School and she was named as a Tourism Ambassador for St. Lucia.
With all that being said, Alfred still feels like there is more work to do to solidify her legacy in the sport.
“I don’t feel like I’ve made it yet,” Alfred said on the latest episode of Out d Blocks on the SportsMax TV YouTube Channel.
“That alone keeps me pushing and going for more,” she added.
Most people with her accolades, even after just one year, would get comfortable and feel like they’ve already solidified themselves as a staple in their respective field but not Alfred.
“There are accolades that I still want in my life and my career. Yes, I accomplished an Olympic gold, World Indoors, Diamond League final winner but I don’t have accolades in the World Championships outdoors yet,” Alfred said.
“Even the 200m title at the Olympics. I feel like there’s still more I can chase and go after and just leave my legacy and pay tribute to all those who pour into me and give back to them in such a way,” she added.
After a grueling NCAA season, Alfred competed at the World Championships in Budapest in 2023. She got to the final of the 100m, finishing fifth in 10.93 before narrowly missing out on a medal in the 200m final, running 22.05 for fourth.
If her 2024 form is a precursor, Alfred could be in for a massive World Championships in Tokyo in 2025.
Jackson opened her season in the half lap event on May 19 at the Marrakech Diamond League with 22.82 to win before running 22.97 for fifth in Oslo two days ago.
“I would say it’s an okay year, so far. Have not run my best 200m yet but I’ve been working. I just need to put a good 200m together before the Jamaica trials. Hopefully, I can do that tomorrow,” she said at the pre-meet press conference on Saturday.
Jackson says that her focus is also on getting in good enough shape to get through the Jamaica trials set for June 27-30.
“Once I compete at the trials then everything afterwards matters. Once I get through that, we’ll take it from there,” she said.
Her apparent lack of competition sharpness is coming from running less races up to this point this season than she did last year.
“I think last year I was running a lot more and this year I’ve only run two races, so far. I’m trying to put the pieces together and coach and I have been working so I’m definitely hoping for a better race tomorrow than in Oslo,” she added.
The 29-year-old has no specific time in mind for tomorrow, with her only objective being to execute a good 200m.
“I just want to execute a good 200m. Once I do that a season’s best is possible,” she said.
Jackson’s comments came after opening her 2023 outdoor season with a 53.11 effort to win the 400m ahead of GC Foster College’s Odeisha Nation (55.37) and Christine Cheka (55.78) at the Queen's/Grace Jackson meet at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.
“For me there’s no pressure. I believe my coach and I did a very good job last year and all we have to do now is stay focused, not on other people’s expectations but his and my expectations. Once I’m healthy, I will definitely go super-fast,” Jackson said.
Jackson is coming off a phenomenal 2022 season. At the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, she sped to a personal best of 21.45 to win gold in the 200m, becoming the fastest woman alive in the process.
In addition to her 200m crown, Jackson ran a personal best 10.73 to secure second in the 100m behind teammate Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce.
Prior to last season, Jackson said that one of her goals was to run 10.6 in the 100m, and, according to her, that has not changed.
“Last year I wanted to run 10.6 and I didn’t do that. To finish last year as the sixth-fastest ever and not run 10.6 is a great feeling. I think I have a lot more in the tank for the 100m so I just have to focus on execution and fast times will come,” she said.
Last season, Jackson also made waves on the indoor circuit, finishing sixth at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in a personal best 7.04.
On February 4, she will compete in the event at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston.
“Last year the 60m helped me improve my start. I ran 7.04 and this year I’m hoping I can go faster,” she said.
The field will be a loaded one, including 400m hurdles World and Olympic Champion and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, World Indoor 60m silver medalist Mikiah Briscoe and World Championship 100m finalist Aleia Hobbs.
“It’s a good field competing so my focus is executing a good 60m,” Jackson said.
On Friday night, Miller-Uibo won the 100m in a new personal best of 10.98 and the 200m in 21.98 – both world-leading times for 2020. The performances now mean she is ranked among the very best female combined sprinters in history.
Among the women, Miller-Uibo is ranked fourth with her new personal best of 10.98 in the 100m, good for 1204 points; 21.74 (1265) and 48.37 (1272). The weekend performances moved her into fourth all-time and bumped Jamaica’s Merlene Ottey out of the top 10 for the first time.
Ottey’s 10.74, 21.64 and 51.12 sees her fall to 11th on the all-time rankings.
The lists of combined sprinters are based on the World Athletics scoring tables and the most recent personal best times of the athletes. The lists use the World Athletics scoring tables, which assign a points value to athletics performances.
Among the men athletes like Usain Bolt, Michael Johnson, and Tyson Gay and the fast-rising Michael Norman, are among those who have run exceptional times at the 100m, 200m and 400m. For example, Bolt leads the list with times of 9.58 (1356 points), 19.19 (1351 points) and 45.28 (1160 points).
Despite falling out of the top 10, Ottey is still the highest-ranked Jamaican woman.
Grace Jackson (11.02, 21.72, 49.57) is ranked 14th while Veronica Campbell Brown (10.76, 21.74 and 52.24 (indoors) is ranked 16th. Sherone Simpson, Shericka Jackson and Kerron Stewart are ranked 21, 22, and 23, respectively.
Pauline Davis of the Bahamas is ranked 18th.
Lyles broke Michael Johnson's long-standing American Record when he sped to 19.31 to win gold in Oregon last year while Jackson ran 21.45 to her first World title, becoming the fastest woman alive in the process.
The World Athletics Tour-Gold meet is happening for the first time since 2019, with the three-year hiatus being attributed to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is with great enthusiasm that I can announce the return of the Racers Grand Prix,” said Racers Track Club President and Head Coach Glen Mills at the official launch of the meet at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday.
“It is a meet you don’t want to miss. Three-and-a-half hours of pulsating action in 12 events,” added Mills who also serves as director for the meet.
The meet will host over 150 athletes from all over the world including the likes of reigning 100m hurdles World Champion and World Record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, Olympic Champion and 400m World Record holder Wayde Van Niekerk of South Africa and British European 200m Champion Zharnel Hughes to name a few.
The future of Jamaican sprinting will also be on display at the National Stadium including the likes of World Championship finalist Oblique Seville, World Junior Champions Tina Clayton and Kerrica Hill as well as National Under-20 100m Record holder Bouwahjgie Nkrumie.
The field events also promise to be exciting for the fans with the likes of 2019 World Championship gold medallist Tajay Gayle and silver medallists Shanieka Ricketts and Fedrick Dacres set to showcase their skills.
“Over the four years of staging the Grand Prix, the standard and quality has been unquestionable and the meet has had some of the greatest athletes in track and field taking part here in Jamaica,” Mills said.
The 12 events set to be contested are the 100m (Men and Women), 200m (Men), 400m (Men and Women), 400m hurdles (Women), 100m hurdles (Women), 110m hurdles (Men), Triple Jump (Women), High Jump (Women), Long Jump (Men) and Discus (Men).
The meet is scheduled to get underway at 6:30pm Jamaica time (7:30pm ECT).
Tickets go on sale in the first week of May. Prices will be announced at a later date.
The 2019 World Championships 400 metres finalist, speaking on Sportsmax TV’s On Point, says that after sustaining an injury in April, he is ready to go.
“It was a really bad injury to my right hamstring. I did an intensive rehab process after I got injured. Even though I shut down my season I was still doing rehab. So, I can say for the most part, right now I’m 100 percent healthy,” he said.
Bloomfield, who holds the Class 1 400m record at the ISSA Boys and Girls' Championships in Jamaica at 44.98, which made him the first Jamaican schoolboy at break 45 second at the championships, will also be going into this season with a new camp after leaving MVP international and joining the Tumbleweed Track Club based in Florida.
Other members of that club include Olympic 200 metres champion, Andre DeGrasse, and former Calabar rival and Olympic 400 metres finalist, Christopher Taylor.
Bloomfield expanded on training alongside Taylor at the club.
“I can say it’s a very good experience, so far. I mean, we had that high school rivalry so now to put that aside and focus now as professional athletes and train in the same group, I’d say it’s good so far. He’s a very good training partner and I can see us building a very good relationship as the season progresses,” he said.
In a trip down memory lane for many fans of the Jamaican High School Track and Field Championships, or “Champs” as it is affectionately called, Bloomfield was asked about his famous showdown with Taylor on the anchor leg in the Boys open 4x400 metres relay in 2016.
When asked if he would have done anything differently looking back, Bloomfield said he wouldn’t change anything.
“I wouldn’t have used a different strategy because I don’t think people really paid attention to how close our personal bests were. At the time his personal best was 45.2 and mine was 44.9. That’s a very close margin so for me to get the baton 15 metres behind, I can’t be the one to go catch him and then sit behind him. I had to try to zoom ahead and try to hold form and unfortunately it did not work out,” he said.
The full interview can be seen on the Sportsmax TV YouTube channel.
Asher-Smith, a proud member of the Jamaican diaspora herself through her father Winston, ran her second-fastest time of the young season, 22.59, to take top spot in the Women’s 200m at the inaugural edition of the meet held at the National Stadium in Kingston.
The 28-year-old, in a post-race interview, said that, regardless of the result, she felt “blessed” to finally compete in Jamaica.
“It’s something that I’ve wanted to do forever and ever. I am a part of the Jamaican diaspora around the world,” she said before pointing out that her parents flew in from London to see her compete.
“I’m just so proud to have come here and, however today would’ve gone, it’s just a blessing to come here and race in Jamaica,” she added.
The 2019 World 200m champion, in another interview after her race with The Inside Lane, expounded on her experience competing in Jamaica.
“I’m just so blessed to be in this country and blessed that they support me on that level,” she said.
“I don’t think I can quite articulate what it means to come to another country and they want you to do well and they’re so happy that you’re here. I think, as an athlete, we all want the medals, we all want the titles, we all want the records but at the same time, it means a lot that people want to see you do well,” she added.
The British record holder in both the 100m and 200m said the support from fans even extended to off the track, mentioning that Jamaican guests at the hotel she stayed at often referred to her as “cousin” based on her Jamaican heritage.
“It’s been amazing. I’ve always known that the Jamaican fans are so supportive but being here and seeing it up close like when you’re in the hotel and people also staying there are like ‘cousin, cousin!’ It means so much because when you’ve got your actual roots celebrating you and they like you for who you are, I can’t even describe the feeling. It’s so amazing.”
Williams, 27, who won the bronze medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2019 World Championships in Doha last October, clocked a fast 23.12 to win the event. The time was well below her previous best of 23.43 set in Birmingham, Alabama on March 9, 2013.
In 2019, Williams a severe ankle sprain hampered her pre-season preparations. This year, things have been much different.
“Background training has been going well. This is the first indoor season in three years that I haven't been injured so I've been able to put in some work and this race is an indication of that,” she told Sportmax.TV Sunday.
Williams, the 2015 World Champion, had an outstanding year in 2019 when she won the Diamond League title and set a new national record of 12.32s in London. She capped off the year winning the bronze medal in Doha.
With all that now behind her, she said she is focussed on her preparation in this Olympic year and enjoying herself.
“Last World's had no bearings on yesterday's race. It was all about competing and having fun in an event I don't get to race often,” she said.
“Any lessons I've taken from the last season in its entirety is to focus on what I can control, drown out the noise and just compete.”
The former national Under-18 100m champion finished second in a personal best 9.95 seconds in a race won by 2019 World Champion Christian Coleman (9.92) of the USA. Coleman’s US teammate Marvin Bracy was third in 10.03.
Blake, whose personal best before this season was 10.35, actually had a 9.92 performance, at the Music City Track Festival earlier this month, overturned after the race because of an apparent false start.
Elsewhere, former Calabar standout Javon Francis ran 45.73 to finish second in the 400m behind the USA’s Tyler Terry (45.70). South Africa’s Derrick Mokaleng was third in 46.55.
Jordan Scott did a season-best 16.69 for third in the triple jump behind Americans Donald Scott (16.81) and Will Claye (16.75).
On the women’s side, Bahamian Tynia Gaither ran 22.66 for third in the 200m behind the American pair of Sha’Carri Richardson (22.38) and Tamara Clark (22.62).
Shiann Salmon ran 55.28 for third in the 400m hurdles behind Panama’s Gianna Woodruff (54.35) and Colombia’s Melissa Gonzalez (54.98).
2019 World Championships silver medalist Danniel Thomas-Dodd was second in the shot put, with 18.40m, behind the USA’s Jessica Ramsey (18.90m). Ramsey’s countrywoman Raven Saunders threw 17.92m for third.
In a release Friday, World Athletics said Nugent achieved her world U20 indoor 60m hurdles record when winning at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville on March 13, 2021.
Other performances that were faster than the previous ratified world record of 8.00 set by Klaudia Siciarz in Torun on February 18, 2017 – including Nugent’s own 7.91 earlier in 2021 – did not fulfil all the criteria for ratification.
Nugent’s 7.92 does meet the criteria, so becomes the world U20 record.
Meanwhile, Knighton achieved his world U20 200m record at the US Championships on 26 June, running 19.69 to improve on his own previous ratified record of 19.84, also set at Hayward Field in Eugene on June 27, 2021.
Knighton had opened his season with a time of 19.49 in Baton Rouge, but that mark could not be ratified as a world U20 record because specific anti-doping testing requirements were not met.
Elsewhere, the world 10km record of 29:14 set by Yalemzerf Yehualaw in Castellon on February 27 has also been ratified.
In Castellon, Yehualaw became the first woman in history to dip under the 29:30 and 29:20 barriers on the roads, running 29:14 to improve the ratified record of 29:43 set by Joyciline Jepkosgei in Prague on 9 September 2017 and the mark of 29:38 achieved on 3 October 2021 by Bahrain’s Kalkidan Gezahegne in Geneva.
In a race held under ideal weather conditions, and with pacing assistance from Dutch distance runner Richard Douma, Yehualaw set off at a swift pace. They covered the opening kilometre in 2:51 and by 3km, reached in 8:36, Yehualaw was on target for a sub-29-minute finish.
She went through halfway in 14:28 – one of the fastest 5km clockings in history – and was still inside 29-minute pace. The Ethiopian slowed a bit during the second half, but a final kilometre of 2:52 (and a second half of 14:46) was enough to carry her to a 29:14 finish.
“I knew I had the world record in my legs and wanted to produce a challenging performance for any athletes who may attempt the record in the near future,” she said.
In March this year, Mokoka ran 2:40:13 at the Nedbank Runified 50km in Gqeberha to improve on the inaugural world 50km record of 2:42:07 that had been set by Ethiopia’s Ketema Negasa at the same event last year.
Mokoka is now the official world 50km record-holder, although CJ Albertson clocked 2:38:43 in San Francisco on 8 October, and that performance has also been submitted for record ratification.
The 17-year-old standout, set to embark on her journey at the University of Georgia in the fall, left an indelible mark on her high school track legacy. Her exceptional career at the Montverde Academy, where she was named the Georgia High School Track and Field Athlete of the Year in 2022, reached new heights at the national event leading her school to the Girls Championship title.
In her first event, the 60m dash, she secured a silver medal with a swift time of 7.22 seconds. Despite her impressive performance, she finished just behind the outstanding Briana Selby, who set a lightning-fast pace of 7.19 seconds, both athletes eclipsing the previous meet record of 7.26 set the previous year by Shawnti Jackson. Keira Beaumont claimed the third spot with a time of 7.42.
However, Hodge's day was far from over. She continued her dominance in the 200m, storming to victory with a blistering time of 22.96 seconds to successfully defend her title as national champion. Teammate Dasia Reed secured the second position with a time of 23.67, while Sade Gray claimed third place in 23.82.
The crowning glory came as Hodge anchored the Montverde Academy's 4x400m team, running the lead-off leg that propelled them to a gold-medal triumph and a new championship record of 3:38.18. Hodge's split time of 55.84 set the tone for a stellar performance, showcasing her versatility and strength.
The team's talented athletes, including Michelle Smith from the US Virgin Islands, contributed significantly to the record-setting feat. Smith clocked 52.81 in the second leg, followed by Alivia Williams with 54.13 in the third leg, and Dasia Reed anchoring with 55.42.
The gold-medal-winning effort not only secured a momentous victory for Montverde Academy but also shattered their own previous record of 3:45.69, set just a year ago. Bullis claimed the silver medal with a time of 3:41.58, also inside the previous record, while Union Catholic TC secured the third position in 3:47.59.
Hodge's outstanding performance at the New Balance Indoor Nationals serves as a fitting tribute to her high school indoor track career, setting the stage for her outdoor season and ultimately, a promising future at the University of Georgia.
The lifetime best 200m time also moved her above Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas as the best active combination sprinter in history by virtue of her times of 10.76 in the 100m, 21.55 and 49.47 in the 400m.
Only East Germany’s Marita Koch (10.83/21.71/47.60), Griffith-Joyner (10.49/21.34/50.89) and Marion Jones (10.65/21.62/49.59) are ranked higher than the affable Jamaica sprinter, who revealed that the jaw-dropping run on Sunday that left Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah (22.05) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (22.140 trailing in her wake, was the result of a lot of hard work.
“I have been working really hard on running the curve. I wanted to do that and I know that once I ran that curve and execute properly, just to relax down the home stretch, I knew I would have run fast but this fast I never expected it but I am grateful,” she said afterwards.
The bad news for the rest of the world is that Jackson believes she has even more speed in those powerful legs of hers, the speed that the world is likely to see at the World Athletics Championships that begin in Eugene, Oregon on July 15.
“The curve is one of the things I want to master. I think I did pretty good tonight. So many mistakes made so I know definitely coach will correct them,” she said.
“I never wanted to put any pressure on myself. People out there will put pressure but listening to my coach, execute properly, I know I can go faster.”
“We proudly welcome our newest addition to the AMP Global Sports Family! Give a warm welcome to Alana Reid, a phenomenal athlete with a personal best of 10.92! Get ready to witness her unstoppable determination as she takes on new heights with us! Welcome aboard, Alana!” the post said.
She joins the likes of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Akeem Bloomfield and Kenny Bednarek as a part of Auctus Global Sports.
Reid, who originally committed to competing on the NCAA circuit for the University of Oregon next season, has decided to turn professional after a remarkable 2023 season thus far.
The 18-year-old won the Class 1 sprint double at the ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships in March, including her sensational 10.92 effort in the 100m. She ran 23.08 to win the 200m crown.
From there, Reid dominated with 11.17 to win Under-20 100m gold at the 50th Carifta Games in Nassau, The Bahamas in April.
In her first outing against pros, Reid ran 11.08 for third in the 100m final at the USATF LA Grand Prix on May 27.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games 100m silver medallist, who ran 6.97, a new personal best and NCAA and national record, to win the 60m earlier on Saturday, showed the same awesome form to set a new meet record in the 200m as well.
The 21-year-old ran 22.26, another personal best, to win comfortably ahead of teammate Lanae Thomas (22.63) and Texas tech’s Rosemary Chukwuma (22.68).
Jamaican Texas sophomore Kevona Davis was fourth in 22.76.
She established a new personal best and St. Lucian national record 21.86 in finishing second behind American Gabby Thomas who ran a meet record 21.82 to win.
After narrowly missing out on medals in both the 100m and 200m at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, the 23-year-old looks set to leave Paris with at least one medal based on her excellent form this season.
In an interview with Trackstaa after her race in London, Alfred spoke about what it means to represent her country on the world stage.
“I feel honoured to be an ambassador for my tiny island every day I step on the track,” Alfred said.
“We’re small but we’re mighty and we have amazing talent in St. Lucia just waiting to come out,” added the former University of Texas standout.
The 2023 Bowerman Award winner went undefeated indoors at the beginning of the year, culminating in her first World Indoor Championship 60m title in Glasgow in March, before switching her focus outdoors in the build up to the Olympics.
In four 100m races this season, Alfred has produced times of 11.15 at the Texas Invitational on April 27, 10.93 at the Prefontaine Classic on May 25, a personal best 10.78 at the Racers Grand Prix on June 1 and 10.85 at the Monaco Diamond League on July 12, the last two races resulting in wins.
In her two 200m races before Saturday, she ran 22.58 at the Mt. Sac Relays on April 20 and 22.16 at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial on July 9.
Alfred, who currently lives and trains in Texas, plans to return home to St. Lucia at the end of her season.
“Oh Definitely. I haven’t been home to actually relax. It’s always been a quick in and out, especially this year in April, so I’ll get a chance to just go home, get back to my roots and go have fun and be with my people. That’s all I want,” she said.
“I miss the food, the people and the environment. Just being around family, being on the beach. It’s an absolutely amazing place,” she added.
The 2023 Bowerman Award winner first produced 22.58 to win the 200m ahead of training partners Rhasidat Adeleke (22.61) and 2019 World champion Dina Asher-Smith (22.80).
Alfred then returned to team up with Adeleke, Asher-Smith and Lanae Tava-Thomas and win the women’s elite 4x100m relay in 42.03 ahead of Formula Kersee (Keni Harrison, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Jenna Prandini, Morolake Akinosun) who ran 42.93 and the Ivory Coast who ran 43.17.
In the field, Jamaican Ralford Mullings threw 64.43m to win the men’s discus ahead of Turner Washington (63.64m) and Jordan Roach (61.45m).
The 22-year-old St. Lucian standout, fresh off a dominant 2023 collegiate season for the Texas Longhorns that saw her claim the Bowerman award, has started the 2024 indoor season brilliantly.
Alfred, a 100m silver medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, opened her season with a pair of wins at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in Albuquerque from February 2-3.
She first won the 200m on February 2 with a world leading 22.16, the fifth fastest indoor 200m time ever. Alfred also has the second fastest time ever with 22.01 done during her dominant 2023 season at Texas.
A day later, she won her heat of the 60m in 7.15 before returning to run 7.04 to win the final, a world-lead at the time.
At the Millrose Games on February 11, Alfred became the first woman to dip below the 7-second mark this season with a world-leading 6.99 for a dominant victory.
“I feel very pleased. I feel like I could’ve executed better but overall, I feel good. My body feels good and mentally I’m there,” Alfred said in a post-race interview.
She says that despite some difficulty having to adjust to a new routine, her transition from the collegiate ranks to the pro ranks has been smooth.
“Training has been really good. The fall was a bit difficult for me adjusting to having no school and no routine but I’m getting used to it now. I did take some time off and it was really needed so the transition has been really smooth,” she said.
Alfred is also joint-second on the all-time list in the 60m with 6.94, also done in 2023, and, after her performance on Sunday, feels like she is ready to challenge Irina Privalova’s world record 6.92 done all the way back in 1993.
“I feel really good about the performance to be honest and I really felt like I was ready to go after the world record but I’m just going to go out there and keep training and see what I can do at World Indoors,” she said.
The World Indoor Championships are set for March 1-3 in Glasgow and Alfred says that, despite some obvious goals for the upcoming outdoor season, this is all she is focused on right now.
“I’m just thinking about World Indoors and not down the line. When the time comes for that I’ll think about it but for now I’m taking it one race at a time,” she said.
When the time does come to move her focus to the Paris Olympics, Alfred says her goal is to be St. Lucia’s first ever Olympic medallist.
“I don’t have a time in mind at all but I definitely want to medal in Paris. That’s my biggest goal as of now. I’d be happy just to get a medal for my country because my country has never gotten a medal at the Olympics so I would love to be the first,” she said.
The St. Lucian 2023 Bowerman Award winner ran a solid first 100m in lane seven, a lane outside two-time World 200m champion Shericka Jackson.
What seemed to be a titanic clash between the two to see who would come out on top ended drastically as, with about 30m left in the race, Jackson pulled up with what appeared to be a cramp, paving the way for an easy win for Alfred in 22.16.
Great Britain’s Daryll Neita ran a season’s best 22.36 in second while Jamaican Lanae-Tava Thomas ran 22.54 in third.
In the Men’s one lap event Gardiner ran his usual evenly paced race to take top spot in a time of 44.50.
Jamaican National Championships runner-up Sean Bailey ran a season’s best 44.64 in second while South African Lythe Pillay ran 45.24 for third.
In the field, Jamaica's Ackelia Smith produced 6.83m for second in the Women's long jump behind Colombia's Natalia Linares who jumped 6.87m. American Quanesha Burks was third with 6.76m.
