400M Hurdles

Clayton ran a brilliant 52.51, the second fastest time ever by a Jamaican, to add to her national title back in 2019.

Her previous personal best was 52.81 set at last year’s World Championships in Budapest.

Five-time national champion Janieve Russell will be going to her third Olympic Games after running a season’s best 53.33 in second while Shiann Salmon will be heading to her first Olympic Games after running a personal best 53.71 for third.

Clayton's time was just outside of Melaine Walker's national record 52.42 set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

Clayton looked in excellent early season form, running 53.72, a world leading time and her fastest season opener, to take the win ahead of American Anna Cockrell (53.76) and Jamaica’s Shian Salmon (54.57).

Clayton also tried out a new running pattern with 14 steps between hurdles.

“It felt amazing. I tried my best and I know my coach will be happy with that so I look forward to my next race which is next Sunday,” she said after the race.

“These ladies are who I compete against all the time. It’s an amazing feeling to always line up and compete against the best in the world,” Clayton added.

The men’s race saw Malik James-King spring an upset with a personal best 48.39 to win ahead of World Championship silver medallist Kyron McMaster (49.00) and Jaheel Hyde (49.48).

“I have a lot more to work on so I’m just going to be going back to the drawing board and listening to my coach,” James-King said after the race.

“I was surprised with the time, honestly. I expected 48 but I didn’t know an exact time. 48.3 is a really good time,” he added.

Williams, who trains at the MVP Track Club in Jamaica under the tutelage of Stephen Francis, is her country’s biggest medal hopeful for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games having already qualified.

The 26-year-old will contest the women’s 400m event at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex in Bridgetown.

The Bajan national record holder has, so far, had a sub-par 2024 season by her lofty standards, failing to dip below 50 seconds in all five of her 400m races.

Her season’s best 50.71 came at the Oslo Diamond League on May 30.

Williams created history at 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon by winning 400m bronze in a then-personal best and national record 49.75 seconds.

Later that year, Williams became the first woman to run under 50 seconds at the Commonwealth Games with 49.90 to capture gold. She closed out 2022 with a third-place finish at the Diamond League Final in Zurich in 49.98.

She followed up that fantastic season with another bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.

Williams produced a personal best and national record 49.58 in the semi-finals before returning to run slightly slower in the final, 49.60, to claim consecutive bronze medals.

Also confirmed for the Barbados nationals are Olympians Mario Burke and Tristan Evelyn who are expected to contest the men’s and women’s 100m events respectively.

Burke, 27, has a personal best of 9.98 done back in 2019 and was an Olympian in Tokyo in 2021. In 2016, he took home 100m bronze at the World Junior Championships in Poland in 10.26. He has a season's best of 10.22 done at the Last Chance Sprint Series on June 7 in Sherman Oakes, California.

Hurdlers Tia-Adana Belle and Rasheeme Griffith are also among the big names, along with quarter miler Desean Boyce and former CARIFTA sprinters Julian Forde and Kishawna Niles.

Griffith, a senior at the University on Tennessee, established a new 400m hurdles national record of 48.79 in the heats at the SEC Championships on May 9.

CARIFTA Games gold medalist Layla Haynes and Hannah Connell as well as national javelin record holder Kayla Thorpe are also set to compete.

On Thursday, Cuba secured two medals in the women’s 100m Hurdles as Greisys Acevedo took gold in 13.07 and her countrywoman, Kelly Ibanez won bronze in 13.33.

The Dominica Republic’s Fiordaliza Cofil was the star of the day with medals in both the Women’s 200m and 400m.

She won bronze in the 200m in 23.46 then returned to take gold in the 400m in 52.10.

Shalysa Wray of The Cayman Islands was fifth in the 400m in 53.47.

Ariliannis Vargas of Cuba took silver in the Women’s 400m Hurdles in 57.20.

The Caribbean also secured two medals in the Women’s Heptathlon as Marys Cabrera of Cuba took gold with 5663 points ahead of Grenada’s Janair Thomas who took home silver with 5484 points.

Marysabel Senyu of the Dominican Republic won silver in the Women’s High Jump with 1.81 metres.

In the Men’s 400m Leonardo Padilla of Cuba came second in 45.79, behind Luis Ferreiro of Mexico took gold in 45.59.  Gamali Felix of Grenada and Michael Joseph of St. Lucia were fifth and sixth in 46.54 and 46.57 respectively.

Yoao Puentes of Cuba won gold in the Men’s 400m Hurdles with 50.91.

In the field, Ronald Zayas of Cuba was second in the Men’s Hammer Throw with 67.23.

On Friday, Juan Villalobos of Costa Rica won gold in the Men’s 1500m in 3:44.10.

Hector Pagan of Puerto Rico secured gold in the Men’s 10,000m in 30:20.48

The Caribbean also took another medal in the Men’s High Jump as Bahamian Kyle Alcine took bronze behind Erick Rodriguez of Mexico who took gold with 2.21 metres.

Rosa Santana of the Dominican Republic won the Women’s Shot Put with a 17.45 metres effort.

Her Caribbean compatriots Laysaelis Hernandez of Cuba, Kelsie Ross of Grenada and Treneese Hamilton of Dominica were fourth, fifth and sixth.

Yiselena Rojas of Cuba secured silver in the Women’s Javelin in 57.14.

Cuba secured another gold medal as Leyanis Hernandez won gold in the Women’s Triple Jump with 14.39 metres.

Chantoba Bright of Guyana finished second with a jump of 13.50 metres.

Thomas, the NCAA National 60m hurdle champion after running a personal best and collegiate-leading 7.51, took his good form outdoors winning the 110m hurdles in a personal best and world-leading 13.22 seconds.

The LSU junior powered away from the field leaving South Dakota freshman Brithon Senior (13.54) and LSU sophomore Erica Edwards Jr (13.56) to battle for the other podium spots.

McKnight won the Women’s 400m hurdles invitational in a creditable 57.27 ahead of Melissa Gonzalez of Colombia who was more than a second behind in the runner-up spot having crossed the line in 58.69.

Alana Yukich, a senior at UTSA, was third in 58.78.

Clayton, who ran 11.09 to win the World Junior title in Nairobi last year, cruised to 11.38 to win the first heat. The Edwin Allen High standout sped to a personal best and national junior record 10.96 to win the Jamaican junior title in June.

Lirangi Tejada of the Dominican Republic finished fourth in heat one in 11.66 to advance as a fastest loser.

Joining her in the semis will be high school teammate Serena Cole, who was equally impressive in heat two, running 11.38 for victory. 

Barbados’ Kishawna Miles ran 11.58 for third in heat three to advance.

In the 400m, Jamaica’s Dejanea Oakley won heat four in 53.70 to advance. Her teammate Rickiann Russell ran 54.63 to finish fifth in heat five and advance as a non-automatic qualifier.

Javonya Valcourt of the Bahamas also advanced as a non-automatic qualifier after finishing fifth in heat three in 55.31.

On the Men’s side, Jamaica’s Delano Kennedy and Shaemar Uter both safely got through to the semi-finals. Kennedy ran a personal best 46.24 for third in heat two while Uter finished second in heat three in 46.66.

Moving to the 400m hurdles, Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands was the second fastest qualifier to the semi-finals after running 58.33 to win the third heat. Jamaica’s Oneika McAnuff will also be in the semi-finals after a third-place finish in heat five in 59.45.

In the field, Jamaica’s Brandon Pottinger cleared 2.08m to advance to the final of the Men’s high jump.

This, as there has been some disruption to training because of restricted access to training facilities as the United States, goes into lockdown to combat the spread of the virus that has to date claimed more than 7000 lives globally.

The 23-year-old McMaster, the 2018 Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles champion, had a successful indoor season, running personal best times in the 300m and 400m, respectively. But, even as there have been disruptions in the form of meets being postponed or cancelled, the BVI star athlete said he and the other elite athletes in his TRS training group are focused on Tokyo.

“As of right now, we are still training, aiming towards the Olympics. (However) one major difficulty I’m having right now is because we train at a university, the school closes the campus, which forces us to step out of our normal schedule or routine to continue working hard,” said McMaster, who just missed out on a medal at the 2019 World Championships in Doha where when he finished fourth.

The lack of meets, he said, has not shaken his confidence as it relates to his preparation.

“It’s not really an issue because I’m a survivor and whether I only get in one race or two races, coach and I will make sure that when Olympics come we’re ready.”

The women combined to run a season’s best 43.39 to win gold ahead of Switzerland (44.06) and Canada (44.60).

200m bronze medallist Shanoya Douglas ran the first leg before handing off to Alliah Baker. Baker ran a solid leg before handing off to Briana Campbell who then gave the baton to individual 100m champion Alana Reid who then brought it home.

The men’s race was as exciting as they come with Deandre Daley producing a brilliant anchor leg to secure gold for Jamaica in 39.18 ahead of Great Britain (39.20) and Thailand (39.39).

Jamaica were on the back foot early after the opening leg from Jace Witter before the second and third legs from Gary Card and Nyrone Wade, respectively, meant that Daley got the baton in fourth and in striking distance of the top three.

Similar to what he did at the 2023 Carifta Games in Nassau, Daley then produced an excellent anchor leg comeback to secure the gold for Jamaica.

Elsewhere, Jamaica’s Shaiquan Dunn threw 59.79m for seventh in the final of the men’s discus. The USA’s Bryce Ruland took gold with a personal best 62.59m ahead of The Netherlands’ Jarno Van Daalen (62.22m) and Finland’s Mico Lampinen (62.20).

The USVI’s Michelle Smith narrowly missed out on a medal in the women’s 400m hurdles final, finishing fourth in 57.21. France’s Meta Tumba took gold in a national under-20 record 55.59. Poland’s Wiktoria Gadajska ran a national under-20 record 56.87 in second while South Africa’s Hannah Van Niekerk was third in a personal best 56.98.

Following her victory, the 24-year-old Salmon, revealed that while she was not pleased with the winning time of 55.10, was elated at the fact that this was her third win from five races so far this season.

“My season is going awesome. The conditions weren’t what I expected but who cares about times when you’re winning,” said Salmon, who went into Saturday’s race off a 54.42 third-place finish at the Diamond League in Rabat, Morocco on May 28.

“I came out here to win and did just that so I am happy with my performance.”

The time might not have been important on Saturday, but it will be as the season unfolds for Hydel High alum who ran a personal best of 53.82 on that same track during Jamaica’s National Championships in 2022.

 “If I am being really honest, I am just trying to get back to my personal best and go beyond that; anything I get I will be grateful,” said the 2018 World U20 400m hurdles silver medallist, who believes a new personal best will assure her a ticket to the World Championships in Budapest in August.

“There are three spots available at trials and I am aiming to get one of them. Whatever time gets me into the top three I will be happy with that.”

Having beaten all the contenders for those three available spots, Salmon revealed, has boosted her confidence that she will be able to do so once again once the championships begin in July.

“But of course (I am confident). I don’t want people to be beating me left and right so whenever I get the chance to beat them, I beat them.”

For her next race, most likely in Europe, Salmon hopes to take a crack at her personal best that will further empower her to return to Jamaica knowing that only good things can come from it.

“Hopefully, the conditions will be right and I can get close to my personal best but I am just aiming to perfect my execution and I will be okay.”

The star of the day, however, was reigning Olympic 400m champion, Steven Gardiner.

The Bahamian, unbeaten since 2017, produced a world-leading 43.74, the second-fastest time of his career, to win ahead of Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald and American Vernon Norwood.

McDonald ran a massive season’s best 44.03 in second while Norwood’s time in third was 44.63.

In the women’s equivalent, Commonwealth champion Sada Williams ran a season’s best-equaling 50.34 to take the win ahead of Romania’s Andrea Miklos (50.80) and Austria’s Susanne Gogl-Walli (50.87). Charokee Young was sixth in 51.35.

Moving to the 100m where NCAA champion Julien Alfred, on her professional debut, got her usual good start and held her nerve to maintain her unbeaten record this season with a 10.89 effort. The former Texas star handed Sha’Carri Richardson (10.97) her first loss of the season while Tamari Davis was third with 11.02.

It was a Jamaican sweep in the men’s equivalent, with Yohan Blake producing his second consecutive good performance since a disappointing Jamaican Championships last week.

The 2011 World Champion ran 10.04 to win ahead of Ackeem Blake (10.09) while Rohan Watson, Jamaica’s national champion, was third in 10.10.

Defending World Champion and fastest woman alive in the 200m, Shericka Jackson, bounced back from a 100m defeat at the Silesia Diamond League on Sunday to run 22.03 to take the 200m ahead of Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke (22.36) and Bahamian Anthonique Strachan (22.45).

The men’s equivalent produced an upset as the Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando ran 19.99 to take the event ahead of American teenage sensation, Erriyon Knighton (20.05) and Jamaican national champion, Andrew Hudson, who ran 20.36 in third. Julian Forte was fourth in 20.41.

Reigning Olympic 110m hurdles champion, Hansle Parchment, was narrowly beaten by American Daniel Roberts in the men’s sprint hurdles.

Roberts’ winning time was 13.12, just .02 seconds faster than Parchment in second and Tyler Mason in third.

Andrenette Knight led a Jamaican 1-2-3-4 sweep in the women’s 400m hurdles.

Knight, who lost to Janieve Russell at the Jamaican National Championships last week, turned the tables this time around with a near flawless race to win in a new personal best 53.26.

Russell ran a season’s best 53.72 in second while Rushell Clayton, who will also be on Jamaica’s team in Budapest, ran a season’s best 53.79 for third. Shiann Salmon ensured that Jamaicans occupied the first four places with 55.04 in fourth.

In the field, 2019 World Champion and Jamaica’s national record holder, Tajay Gayle, finished second in the long jump.

Gayle’s best distance, 8.24m, had him in the lead until the final round when Greek Olympic Champion, Miltiadis Tentoglu, produced a winning jump of 8.29m. The USA’s Jarrion Lawson was third with 7.97m.

The former Vere Technical star, who also has 400m bronze medals from the 2016 Olympics, 2015, and 2019 World Championships, finished ahead of double Olympic Champion Elaine Thompson-Herah who ran a season’s best of her own with 22.25. 2019 World 200m Champion Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain also ran a season’s best of 22.27 to finish third.

Puerto Rican Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn maintained the stellar form she's shown so far this season by running a meet record and new world-leading 12.37 to win the Women’s 100m hurdles. Jamaican Britany Anderson was right there with Camacho-Quinn up until clipping the final hurdle and stumbling over the line to run 12.50 for second while American 2019 World Champion Nia Ali was third in 12.71.

Grenadian 2011 World and 2012 Olympic 400m Champion Kirani James was also in winning form, running 44.54 to prevail in the Men’s 400m ahead of the USA’s Vernon Norwood (44.81) and Michael Cherry (45.24).

Olympic and World Championship finalist Janieve Russell ran 54.18 for second in the Women’s 400m hurdles behind Dutch Olympic bronze medallist Femke Bol’s season’s best 53.02. Ukraine’s Anna Ryzhykova was third in 54.50.

Jackson got her season off to a winning start with a 200m victory in Marrakech in 22.82 to maintain a winning streak of 16 finals that dates back to June 2022.

Having won Diamond Trophies in both the 100m and 200m last year, she’ll look to build on that opener in Oslo, where she will face USA’s Jenna Prandini, Anavia Battle and Brittany Brown, plus Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith and Daryll Neita, who won the 200m in Suzhou and 100m in Doha.

Dominican Republic’s world champion Marileidy Paulino will race against world bronze medallist Sada Williams and world indoor silver medallist Lieke Klaver in the 400m, while the men’s event features Grenada’s multiple Olympic and world medallist Kirani James, world silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith and home favourite Havard Bentdal Ingvaldsen.

Jamaica’s world bronze medallist Rushell Clayton leads the entries for the women’s 400m hurdles.

The men’s event will a treat for the fans as the three-time world champion Karsten Warholm contests the 400m hurdles for the first time since finishing second in the Diamond League final in Eugene in September.

He’s got some fierce competition as he faces Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, the world and Diamond League champion in 2022, who opened his own 400m hurdles season with a 46.86 win in Doha. Looking to challenge them both will be world silver medallist Kyron McMaster.

After setting a world record of 74.35m in Ramona in April, Mykolas Alekna won the discus clash in Marrakech, surpassing 70 metres again with a 70.70m throw to beat Australian record-holder Matthew Denny and Sweden’s Olympic and world champion Daniel Stahl.

That trio clash again in Oslo as part of a stacked field – one which also includes 2022 world gold medallist Kristjan Ceh, Andrius Gudzius, Fedrick Dacres and Lukas Weisshaidinger.

Jackson, who won silver in the 100m in a personal best 10.73 on Sunday, looked magnificent in semi-final 1, cruising to 21.67 to win and advance to the final.

100m bronze medallist and double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah finished third in semi-final 2 in a season’s best 21.97 to advance to the final as a fastest loser. The USA’s Tamara Clark ran 21.95 to win while defending world champion Dina Asher-Smith ran a season’s best 21.96 for second.

Newly-crowned 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was also impressive in semi-final 3, running a season’s best 21.82 to win ahead of US champion Abby Steiner (22.15).

Dominican Republic Mixed Relay gold-medallist Alexander Ogando continued his brilliant world championships so far with a personal best and national record 19.91 to win semi-final 1 of the men’s 200m.

Trinidadian 2017 World Championship bronze medallist Jereem Richards of Trinidad & Tobago finished third in semi-final 2 in a brilliant 19.86 to advance to the final as a fastest loser. American defending champion Noah Lyles ran a brilliant 19.62 to win the race while Olympic silver medallist Kenny Bednarek, also of the USA, ran a season’s best 19.84 for second.

In the women’s 400m hurdles, Jamaican champion Janieve Russell ran 54.42 to win heat 2 and advance to the semi-finals.

Panama’s Gianna Woodruff ran 55.21 to finish third in semi-final 3 and progress. Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon produced 54.01 in heat 4 to finish second and advance while her teammate, 2019 World Championship bronze medallist Rushell Clayton finished fourth in heat 5 in 54.99 to advance.

Jaheel Hyde ran a new personal best 48.03 for sixth in the men’s 400m hurdles final. Brazilian world leader Alison Dos Santos dominated to win gold in a championship record 46.29 while Americans Rai Benjamin (46.89) and Trevor Bassitt (47.39) were second and third.

 In winning Jamaica’s first gold medal of the games, Hyde clocked 49.19 for a comfortable victory over Brazil’s Matheus Lima, who won the silver medal in a time of 49.69. Cuba’s Yoao Illas was close behind in third in 49.74.

To date, Jamaica has so far won five medals at the games – one gold and four bronze medals – at the games.

In the U17 Girls 400m hurdles, Nastassia Fletcher of Jamaica secured her second gold medal of the games with a time of 1:00.10. Despite strong competition from Darvinique Dean of the Bahamas, who finished in second place with a time of 1:00.66, and Jenna-Marie Thomas of Trinidad and Tobago, who claimed the bronze with a time of 1:01.03, Fletcher's determined effort propelled her to a commanding victory.

Meanwhile, in the U20 Girls 400m hurdles, Michelle Smith delivered a dominant performance, clocking an impressive time of 56.28 seconds. Her swift and commanding run left spectators in awe as she crossed the finish line ahead of her competitors. Kelly Ann Carr of Jamaica secured the silver medal with a time of 57.02 seconds, while Aaliyah Mullings, also from Jamaica, claimed the bronze with a time of 59.80 seconds.

In the Under 17 Boys 400m hurdles, Robert Miller of Jamaica made history with a remarkable performance, setting a new championship record with a time of 52.19 seconds. His electrifying run, saw him finish well ahead of Akanye Samuel-Francis of St. Kitts and Nevis, who finished in second place with a time of 52.88 seconds, and Fransico Williams of Jamaica, who secured the bronze with a time of 53.19 seconds.

While Jamaica's dominance was evident in three of the races, the Boys 400m Hurdles Under 20 saw a fierce battle between Jamaican athletes. Shamer Blake emerged victorious with a time of 51.21 seconds, closely followed by his compatriot Princewell Martin, who finished just behind with a time of 51.34 seconds. Dorian Charles of Trinidad and Tobago also delivered a commendable performance, securing the bronze medal with a time of 52.70 seconds.

The day concluded with Brenden Vanderpool of the Bahamas successfully defending his pole vault title in a new Carifta record of 5.06m while holding off the challenge of Tedre O'Neil (4.60m) of St Vincent and the Grenadines, who claimed the silver medal. Tyler Cash of the Bahamas won the bronze medal with his clearance of 4.45m.

Heading into Monday's final day, Jamaica leads the medal standings with 42 medals - 23 gold, 13 silver and six bronze medals. The hosts, Bahamas, have 26 medals - five gold, eight silver and 13 bronze medals. The number exceeds the 17 medals they won in Kingston in 2022. Third is Trinidad and Tobago with 12 medals - two gold, four silver and six bronze medals while Guyana have seven medals - two gold, two silver and three bronze medals. Barbados rounds out the top five with four medals - two gold and two silver.

Earlier,  Jamaica won three of the four 4x100m relays and should have won all four had it not been a poor second exchange on the Boys U17 4x100m that opened the door for the Bahamas, who obliged by winning in 41.46 ahead of the Jamaicans, who clocked 41.63.

Grenada finished third in 41.95.

Prior to that race, Jamaica’s U17 Girls comfortably ran away with the gold medal in 45.36s, finishing ahead of the team from Trinidad and Tobago that clocked 46.18 for the silver medal. Bahamas, the home team, picked up the bronze when they finished in 46.43.

Jamaica’s U20 girls got things back on track with a dominating performance to win in 44.01 more than a second clear of Trinidad and Tobago, who took silver in 45.35 while the Bahamas ran 45.55 for the bronze medal.

The Bahamas team that featured the silver and bronze medallists in the 100m dash on Saturday were serious contenders to dethrone the Jamaicans and everything seemed to be going according to form for the home team until the final exchange.

Bahamian anchorman Carlos Brown got the baton with a three-metre lead on Jamaica’s anchor Deandre Daley, who driven by his disqualification in the semi-finals of the 100m and the injury to teammate Bouwahgjie Nkrumie, unleashed his blistering speed down the home stretch to catch and storm by Brown to the finish line.

Jamaica’s winning time was 39.68. The Bahamas took silver in 39.78 while Trinidad and Tobago finished third in 40.83.

They might have dominated proceedings in the sprint relays but Jamaica didn’t have things their own way in the 400m hurdles.

Jamaica’s Jody-Ann Daley won the Girls U17 event in 1:01.05 ahead of Darvinique Dean of the Bahamas who ran 1:02.50 for the silver medal. Daley’s compatriot was third in 1:02.61 to claim the bronze medal. It was a different story in the U20 event that saw a dominating performance from Michelle Smith from the Virgin Islands.

Smith, who won the U17 event in Jamaica in 2022, ran strong race from start to finishing, winning in 57.69 well clear of the Jamaican pair of Tonyan Beckford and Alliah Baker who ran 58.94 and 59.55 for second and third, respectively.

St Kitts and Nevis’ Akanye Samuel Francis upset the Jamaican pair of Deandre Gayle and Demario Bennett to win gold in the U17 Boys 400m hurdles in 54.14. Gayle ran 55.10 for the silver medal with Bennett clocking 55.27 for the bronze medal.

Jamaica got back to winning ways in the Boys U20 in the form of Roshawn Clarke who produced a dominant performance to win in 49.92 ahead of teammate Antonio Forbes, who clocked 51.72. Shimar Bain of the Bahamas ran 52.48 for the bronze medal.

Bahamas comprehensively won the inaugural staging of the mixed 4x400m relay, running away from the field to clock 3:24.92. In their wake was Grenada 3:27.22 and Jamaica 3:29.35.

Kaydean Johnson took gold in the 3000m steeplechase in commanding fashion powering away from the field in the final 200m to win in 10:41.11 leaving silver medalist Attoya Harvey of Guyana (10:45.74) in her wake.

Akaya Lightbourne of the Bahamas won the bronze medal with her time of 10:47.01.

Demetrie Meyer of Belize, who won gold in the 1500m on Saturday, added the 3000m gold to his collection on Sunday with a winning time of 9:08.56. Ejay George of Grenada won the silver medal in 9:36.82 with Love Joseph of the Turks and Caicos Islands winning bronze in a time of 9:37.46.

Ronaldo Anderson won another gold medal for Jamaica in the U17 Boys Shot Put. He set a mark of 15.52m to just get the better of Denzel Phillips of St Lucia who threw 15.17m Rueben Bain of the Bahamas threw 13.78m to claim the bronze medal.

Jamaica also won the Boys U17 triple jump as Euan Young soared out to 14.32m to claim the gold medal. Aaron Massiah of Barbados won the silver with a 13.93m effort while Ezekiel Saul of Guyana claimed the bronze with his jump of 13.53m.

Gerilin Barnes won gold for Antigua in the U17 Girls long jump. She soared out to a mark of 5.60m, a mere three centimetres clear of Jamaica's Sashana Johnson's 5.57m. The bronze medal was won by Hilaire Oceane Saint of Guadeloupe (5.54m).

Dominica’s Addison Alickson James threw 60.16m to win gold in the U17 Boys javelin. Antigua’s Maliek Francis hurled the implement 50.45m for the silver medal with Guadeloupe’s Tristan Carias winning bronze with his throw of 49.48m.

The development comes after World Athletics has taken the decision to strip Russia’s Natalya Antyukh of her gold medal for doping.

Antyuh won ahead of the USA’s Lashinda Demus and the Czech Republic’s Zuzana Hejnová. Spencer, now 35, finished fourth. As it stands, Demus would be upgraded to the gold medal, Hejnova the silver and Spencer the bronze, her first individual global medal.

While cognizant of the circumstances, expressed joy at the news.

“I would be extremely elated if I'm deemed the Olympic bronze medalist,” the 2014 Commonwealth Games champion told Sportsmax.TV Monday.

“I totally believe in FairPlay and by no means am I celebrating another athlete’s downfall, but being an Olympic medalist has always been a great dream of mine; though not in the fashion I would have wanted it to be, I would be over the moon. Wow, 10 years later! This has to be God!

Antyukh was already serving a four-year ban in a previous case judged by the Court or Arbitration for Sport last year that stripped her results from 2013 to 2015.

The new ruling based on historical evidence recovered from a Moscow testing laboratory database further disqualified Antyukh in all of her events from July 15, 2012 through June 29, 2013, track and field’s Athletics Integrity Unit said.

Spencer, a two-time national champion and the 2014 Continental Cup winner, returned to the MVP Track Club last season after the birth of her son. However, she suffered an injury which kept her out of most of the remainder of the season. She is expected to return to training soon.

The team, who is in a rebuilding phase after dominating men’s track and field for almost a decade, finished in a three-way tie for fifth on the table with 20 points. Eight points are accumulated for first place and a point for eighth.

Hosts USA, thanks to standout performances from the likes of Noah Lyles, Michael Norman and Fred Kerley to name a few, absolutely dominated the Championships and finished at the top of the table with 118 points.

The rest of the top ten was rounded out by Kenya (46), Great Britain (28), Canada (24), Jamaica (20), Ethiopia (20), Uganda (20), Norway (17), Spain (17) and South Africa (12).

Jamaica’s only medal came in the 4x400m where the team of Akeem Bloomfield, Jevaughn Powell, Nathon Allen and Christopher Taylor ran 2:58.58 for silver behind the USA.

They also finished just outside the medals in the 4x100m where Akeem Blake, Oblique Seville, Yohan Blake and Jelani Walker combined to run 38.06 to finish behind Canada (37.48), USA (37.55) and Great Britain (37.83).

Individually, Seville had the best performance finishing fourth in the 100m in 9.97 behind the American trio of Fred Kerley (9.86), Marvin Bracy (9.88) and Trayvon Bromell (9.88).

Jamaica’s other two individual finalists to place in the top eight were Jaheel Hyde who finished sixth in the 400m Hurdles and Christopher Taylor who finished seventh in the 400m.

BVI’s McMaster, who finished fourth at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, will have an opportunity to win his first Olympic medal after running 48.15 to win the second semifinal ahead of Estonia’s Rasmus Magi (48.16), now a finalist for the third successive Olympics.

Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba also made it through to the final out of that semi with 48.20 in third.

Jamaica’s Malik James-King looked set to finish in the top two in that semifinal before clipping the last hurdle and stumbling to seventh in 48.85.

Clarke ran comfortably on his way to 48.34 for second in the third semifinal behind American Rai Benjamin who won in 47.85.

Reigning Olympic champion and world record holder Karsten Warholm (47.67), France’s Clement Ducos (47.85) and 2023 World champion Alison Dos Santos (47.95) qualified from the first semifinal.

Jaheel Hyde ran 50.03 to finish seventh in that first semifinal.

The final is set for Friday at 2:45pm Jamaica Time (3:45pm ECT).

Clayton, who won bronze at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, ran a brilliant 52.68 for fifth while Salmon ran 53.29 in fifth.

American superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set the Stade de France track ablaze with a phenomenal world record 50.37 to successfully defend her Olympic title, breaking the previous mark of 50.65 she set in winning at the US Olympic Trials in June.

McLaughlin-Levrone’s countrywoman, Anna Cockrell, produced a massive personal best 51.87 in second while 2023 World Champion Femke Bol took bronze in 52.15.

The USA's Jasmine Jones ran a personal best 52.29 in fourth. Canada's Savannah Sutherland and France's Louise Maraval were seventh and eighth with 53.88 and 54.53, respectively.