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400M

BAAA President hits out at BOC’s decision to deny Lacarthea Cooper Olympic spot

Cooper, a student at New Mexico Junior College, was originally a part of the BAAA’s recommended list of athletes to go to Paris, according to Archer, but was removed by the BOC in favor of Shania Adderley.

The 20-year-old Cooper placed third in the 400m final at the Bahamian National Championships in Nassau on June 28 while Adderley, 16, finished fifth.

The rationale given by BOC President, Romell Knowles, at the team’s naming ceremony on Wednesday was that Adderley was a member of the country’s Mixed 4x400m relay team that qualified for the Olympics through the IAAF World Relays in May.

For Cooper, this is her second time being denied an opportunity to compete on the sport’s highest stage.

She finished third in the 200m at the Bahamian Championships back in 2021 but missed out on an Olympic berth due to COVID-19.

“Lacarthea, who is no stranger to our sport and who placed third at in the nationals, has demonstrated consistent excellence and was previously denied the opportunity to compete in the 2021 Olympics due to Covid-19,” Archer said in a statement on Thursday.

“Denying her a second opportunity, undeservedly, would be unfair and contrary to our selection principles. Despite our efforts to engage in discussions with the BOC and to seek common ground, decisions were made without our full agreement,” he added.

Cooper has since been invited to travel with the team but will not compete.

Back to full health, Olympic champion Steven Gardiner plans to win gold once more at 2024 Paris Games

In one of the more heartbreaking moments of the 2023 World Athletics Championships, the Bahamian star, who won the 400m title in Doha in 2019 and on the rebound from an injury that kept him out of the championships in Oregon in 2022, suffered an injury in his semi-final heat, tragically ending his campaign in Budapest.

Running out lane six in the last of three semi-finals, Gardiner was in complete control when he suddenly collapsed and fell to the track. He later revealed he had suffered a grade-one sprain of the tendon extending into the knee of the right posterior thigh.

His injury opened the door for Jamaica’s Antonio Watson, who advanced to the final with the fastest time of 44.13, to win Jamaica’s first gold medal in the event in 40 years.

However, in an interview with Bahamian media platform Eyewitness News, the soft-spoken Gardiner expressed confidence about his coming campaign to win a second Olympic gold medal.

“I’m back 100 per cent. Between my doctors in Germany and my coach in the US, we all are on one accord to take it slowly at the beginning of the season and then we’ll be ready for Paris 2024,” he said.

Gardiner revealed that there is only one objective for the coming season.

“The gold medal is the main goal. You know, to bring the medal home to Bahamas once more and also to defend the title that I conquered in 2021, so I just want to do it all again.”

Bahamas' Charlton the only Caribbean winner at New Balance Grand Prix as Jackson misses out on 60m final

The 27-year-old Bahamian, who won silver at the 2022 World Indoor Championships, clocked a season-best 7.87 whole holding off the challenge of Sharika Nelvis of the USA (7.93) and Celeste Mucci of Australia, who ran a personal best of 7.95.

Jamaica’s Danielle Williams ran 7.97 for fourth in the keenly contested battle for the minor place.

Meanwhile, 2022 World Indoor 400m champion Jereem Richards was nipped on the line by Noah Williams of the USA in a tight three-way finish.

The Trinidadian led most of the way but tightened up over the last 50m when Williams jumped at the chance to get past him on the inside to take the race by 0.04s.

Both were given the same time of 45.88. However, on closer inspection, Williams clocked 45.876 to Richards’ 45.880.

Vernon Norwood finished third in 45.92.

Jamaican’s Leah Anderson and Janieve Russell finished second and third, respectively, in the Women’s 500m in which Fembke Bol unleashed a new world’s best performance.

The Dutch athlete, who won silver in the 400m hurdles in Oregon in 2022, demonstrated superior speed and strength to pull away from the field and win in 1:05.63 to become the first woman to run faster than 1:06.00 in the event.

It was a new personal best, national record and world record.

Anderson made a late surge to get by Russell in the final stages to establish a new Jamaican national record of 1:08.34.

Russell, the now two-time Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles champion, faded to third in 1:09.18.

The Women’s 60m dash was billed as a clash between World 200m champion Shericka Jackson of Jamaica and World and Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

Somebody forgot about Aleia Hobbs, who just last week ran 6.98 over 60m, tied for the ninth fastest time ever with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah.

But while both Jackson and McLaughlin-Levrone failed to make the final finishing fifth in the respective heats, Hobbs dominated the field to take the final in 7.02 ahead of training partner Mikiah Brisco, who ran a season best 7.10.

Celera Barnes ran 7.21 for third in the American sweep.

Noah Lyles edged Trayvon Brommel by the smallest of margins to win the men’s event in a personal best 6.51 (6.507). Brommel 6.51 (6.509) took the runner-up spot.

Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati clocked 6.62 for third.

Bahamian national record holder Keyshawn Strachan advances to first NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships

With the throw, the CARIFTA Under-20 record holder advanced to the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships for the first time.

The 20-year-old finished third in the Wednesday’s competition, with all three of his throws (70.54m, 71.37m, 74.63m) surpassing 70m.

His personal best and Bahamian national record 84.27m was done at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in 2023 at the Mike A. Myers Stadium.

Wanya McCoy, a junior for the University of Florida Gators, moved on to the quarterfinals of the men’s 100 and 200m, winning his heats in 10.29 seconds and 20.34 seconds respectively.

Wanya McCoy made it through to the quarterfinals in both the 100m and 200m.

He finished tied with the sixth fastest time going into the quarters in both events, and will have to finish among the top 12 to move on to the NCAA Championships.

McCoy was a runner-up in both the 100m and 200m at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Gainesville earlier this month.

Also advancing in the 100m were Caymanian two-time Carifta U-20 gold medallist Davonte Howell of Tennessee (10.35), Jamaica’s Jehlani Gordon of Georgia (10.41) and T&T’s Omari Lewis on Liberty (10.39).

Jamaican Florida State Seminoles sophomore Jordan Turner also advanced to the NCAA Championships after jumping 7.74m to finish fourth in the men’s long jump.

Jordan Turner advanced in the long jump.
 

American Championship Conference (ACC) outdoor shot-put champion Courtney Lawrence of Clemson also booked his spot at the NCAA Championships with a throw of 19.61m to finish sixth.

Jamaican LSU sophomore, Jahiem Stern, ran 13.38 to lead all qualifiers to the quarterfinals in the men’s sprint hurdles set for Friday.

Clemson senior and ACC Outdoor champion Tarees Rhoden made it through to the quarterfinals in the men’s 800m with 1:47.89 to win his preliminary.

Jamaica’s Jevaughn Powell of Florida (45.85), D’Andre Anderson of Clemson (45.87), Reheem Hayles of Florida (45.99) made it through to the quarters in the men’s 400m.

The men’s 400m hurdles saw Bajan Tennessee senior Rasheeme Griffith (50.40) and Jamaican South Florida sophomore Devontie Archer (51.13) make progress.

The 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships is set for June 5-8 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Bahamian Olympic 400m champion Steven Gardiner receives prestigious Golden Jubilee Independence Award

The Special Golden Jubilee of Independence Award recognizes citizens for their outstanding contributions to The Bahamas in various spheres of human endeavor encompassing both the pre-Independence and post-Independence periods of Bahamian history.

Gardiner's triumph in the 400m event at the Tokyo Olympics not only secured his status as the 2021 Olympic champion but also etched his name in Bahamian sports history as the first Bahamian man to clinch Olympic gold in any sport. The 28-year-old sprinter, also the 2019 World Champion, has had a stellar career, boasting Olympic bronze and World Championship silver medals.

Known for his blazing speed, Gardiner holds the Bahamas national records for the 400m and 200m, clocking impressive times of 43.48 and 19.75, respectively. Indoors, he has demonstrated his prowess with a national best performance of 31.56 over 300m, setting an area best and world-best performance.

Despite setbacks caused by injuries that sidelined him during the 2022 and 2023 World Championships in Oregon and Budapest, Gardiner remains hopeful for a triumphant return at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Expressing his gratitude for the prestigious award, Gardiner acknowledged the consistent support from God, family, friends, and supporters. In an Instagram post, he shared his anticipation for the upcoming track season and the opportunities to showcase his talent, stating, "I look forward to this upcoming track season and the opportunities to showcase my talent and make my country proud."

Gardiner's achievements add to The Bahamas' proud legacy in track and field, a legacy that includes notable figures like contemporary athletes Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Tonique Williams.

Bahamian star Steven Gardiner out of the 400m in Paris

Gardiner missed the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon with a foot injury and suffered a injury in the semi-finals of the 2023 World Championships in Budapest last year. He was considered the best shot at a medal for the Bahamas at these Olympic Games as Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the islands’ other 400m star, is not in the best of health this season having withdrawn from the Bahamas national championships last month.

News of Gardiner’s withdrawal comes on the heels of withdrawals of Jamaican star sprinters Shericka Jackson from both the 100m and 200m and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce from the semi-finals of the 100m dash on Saturday.

Bahamians Gardiner and Gaither win 100m races at American Track League meet

Danniel Thomas-Dodd won her second shot put competition on the trot following her victory from the previous weekend.

Gardiner, the 2019 World 400m champion, won his 100m heat in a smart 10.35. He edged Antigua’s Cejhae Green who clocked 10.38 and Devin Quinn 10.41. All three ran in the final heat of four where the times were far superior to those from the previous three heats.

Meanwhile, Gaither won the Women 100m in 11.61 over Madison Flemming 12.51.

Gaither booked her spot in the final by winning her in 11.57 ahead of Jamaican triple jumper Kimberly Williams (12.06) and sprint hurdler Rushelle Burton 12.35.

In the 400m, Chris-Ann Gordon-Powell was fourth in 52.75s. US athletes took the top three spots as Courtney Okolo won in 51.86 ahead of Jessica Beard 52.40 and Shamier Little 52.68.

Following up her 19.18m throw a week ago, Thomas-Dodd, the 2019 World Championship silver medallist set a mark of 18.65m in the shot put.

Barbados CARICOM Ambassador lauds Stephen Francis’s work with Sada Williams: Calls for B'dos to honour Jamaican coaching icon

After her Oregon 400-metre bronze at the 2022 Worlds, Williams finished third again Wednesday in the one-lap event in 49.60 seconds behind the Dominican Republic’s gold medallist Marileidy Paulino (48.76) and Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek (49.57).

“Speaking on behalf of the people of Barbados, (I) would like to acknowledge the tremendous contribution that Jamaica's all-time great coach, Stephen Francis, has made to Sada's success,” Comissiong said.

Williams appeared briefly down the homestretch to be drifting out of medal contention but fought gallantly to become the first Barbadian ever to repeat as a World Championship medallist.

“Stephen Francis is, perhaps, the greatest sprint coach in the entire world, and he has been instrumental in developing Sada into the world class athlete that she is today,” said St Vincent and the Grenadines-born Comissiong.

Williams, 25, trains in Kingston with Francis’s MVP Track Club that produced multiple Olympic and World Champions including Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shericka Jackson, Melaine Walker, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, and Tajay Gayle plus former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell.

Last year in Birmingham, England, Williams created history when she became the first Barbadian woman to win a Commonwealth Games 400m gold medal, clocking a championship record 49.90 seconds.

A devout Pan Africanist, Comissiong, also called for Barbados to arrange a special function to honour Francis’s work with Williams.

“I hope and trust that very soon from now we Barbadians will have the opportunity to say a very personal heart-felt "thank you" to Mr Francis as our special honoured guest at an appropriately designed official function right here in Barbados,” he said, adding: “Long live Caribbean solidarity and brotherhood!”.

Beckford successfully defends NCAA high jump crown; Powell produces big personal best for podium finish in 400m

The 21-year-old cleared a height of 2.26m on his second attempt to add to his gold medal at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March.

The reigning Jamaican national champion also had three unsuccessful attempts at 2.33m, a jump that would’ve secured a personal best and the Olympic qualifying standard.

Nebraska junior Tyus Wilson was second with 2.23m while Arkansas-Pine Bluff senior Caleb Snowden was third with a similar height.

Jamaican USC freshman Racquil Broderick produced 61.77m to finish second in the men’s discus behind South Alabama senior Francois Prinsloo (63.51m).

Kansas junior Dimitrios Pavlidis was third with 60.97m.

The men’s 400m final saw Jamaican Florida senior Jevaughn Powell produce a big personal best 44.54 to finish third behind Georgia sophomore Christopher Morales Williams (44.47) and Alabama freshman Samuel Ogazi (44.52).

Jamaican Clemson senior Tarees Rhoden was also in personal best form with 1:45.70 for fourth in the 800m final behind Virginia senior Shane Cohen (1:44.97), Texas A&M junior Sam Whitmarsh (1:45.10) and Iowa State junior Finley McLear (1:45.66).

Blake runs season's best 10.05 for second at Ostrava Golden Spike

The race was won by Great Britain’s Reece Prescod in a personal best 9.93 while fellow British teammate and former Kingston College sprinter Zharnel Hughes was third in the same time as Blake.

Jamaican Tokoyo Olympic finalist Candice McLeod ran a season’s best 50.38 for second in the Women’s 400m behind Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek who ran a personal best 50.16. Another Polish athlete, Anna Kielbasinska, was third in 50.38, equaling her own personal best.

Puerto Rican Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn sped to 12.56 for victory in the Women’s 100m hurdles ahead of Poland’s Pia Skrzyszwoska who ran a personal best 12.65 and the USA’s Nia Ali (12.69).

It was a Caribbean 1-2 in the Men’s Javelin as Grenadian 2019 World Champion Anderson Peters continued his fine form this season with a throw of 87.88m to win ahead of Trinidadian 2012 Olympic Champion Keshorn Walcott (84.77m). Germany’s Julian Weber was third with 83.92m.

Cuba’s Maykel Masso won the Men’s Long Jump with 8.14m ahead of the Czech Republic’s Radek Juska (8.11m) and France’s Augustin Bey (8.00m).

Blake takes 60m bronze in Glasgow as Coleman turns tables on Lyles to win gold

Blake, Jamaica’s national record holder in the event with 6.42 done in 2023, produced 6.46, narrowly outside of his season’s best 6.45 done on February 4 in Boston, to take his first individual major championship medal.

In a keenly anticipated contest between Americans Christian Coleman and Noah Lyles, Coleman ended up taking the win in a world leading 6.41 while Lyles ran 6.44 in second.

Lyles famously got his first ever win against Coleman over 60m at the US Championships last month.

Elsewhere, Jamaica’s national record holder in the 400m outdoors, Rusheen McDonald, successfully advanced to the final of the men’s 400m by running a personal best 46.02 to finish second in his semi-final behind Norwegian world 400m hurdles record holder Karsten Warholm (45.86).

Brianna Lyston signals intent with collegiate-leading 7.07 to dominate 60m at Razorback Invitational

The 19-year-old, who entered the meet with a personal best of 7.29 done last season, first produced an easy 7.14 in qualifying before returning to run her new personal best in the final to win comfortably ahead of Georgia’s Kaila Jackson (7.20) and Florida’s Grace Stark (7.21).

Lyston’s time is the third-fastest in the world this year, fourth-fastest in collegiate history and equals the LSU school record done back in 2018 by Aleia Hobbs.

The men's equivalent saw USC's Travis Williams run 6.63 for third behind LSU's Myles Thomas (6.62) and USC's JC Stevenson (6.61).

Jamaican World Championship 4x400m relay medallist Stacey Ann Williams ran 51.86 to win the women’s open 400m ahead of Americans Kendall Ellis (52.12) and Bailey Lear (52.49). World Championships 400m hurdles finalist Andrenette Knight ran 52.53 for fifth.

Arkansas Junior and reigning Jamaican National champion Nickisha Pryce ran 51.58 for third in the college women’s 400m behind schoolmate Amber Anning (50.56) and Georgia’s Aaliyah Butler (51.34).

Pryce was a semi-finalist in the 400m at the World Championships in Budapest last August.

Florida Senior Jevaughn Powell ran 46.28 for third in the college men’s 400m behind USC’s William Jones (45.24) and Texas A&M’s Auhmad Robinson (46.15).

2023 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion and World Championship 100m hurdles finalist Ackera Nugent ran 7.94 for second in the women’s open 60m hurdles won by the USA’s Tia Jones in 7.85. Christina Clemons ran 7.95 for third.

Jamaica’s Phillip Lemonious, who won the NCAA Outdoor title competing for the University of Arkansas last season, ran 7.68 for third in the men’s 60m hurdles. Interestingly, the top two finishers in the race, Texas A&M’s Connor Schulman and Jaqualon Scott, also ran 7.68. Their times when rounded up to the thousandths were 7.672, 7.673 and 7.675.

St. Vincent's Shafiqua Maloney ran 2:02.29 to take top spot in the women's 800m ahead of Sanu Jallow of Arkansas (2:02.60) and Gabija Galvydyte (2:02.82).

In the field, Arkansas high jumper Romaine Beckford, the defending NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion, improved his indoor career best to 2.27m with his victory on Friday evening.

The winning height moves Beckford to No. 4 on the UA all-time list and No. 3 on the Jamaican all-time indoor list with the equal No. 4 performance.

Having won the competition, Beckford opted for the Olympic standard of 2.33m as his next height and had three attempts with his last try coming closest to clearing.

Mississippi State’s Sherman Hawkins and USC’s Elias Gerald both cleared 2.17m for second and third, respectively.

Elsewhere in the field, Jamaican Oklahoma Junior Nikaoli Williams produced 7.86m for second in the men’s long jump behind Florida’s Malcolm Clemons (8.06m). Clemons’ teammate Caleb Foster jumped 7.68m for third.

Broadbell, Clayton, Pryce among winners at Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville

Perhaps the best performance on the day came from 2022 Commonwealth 110m hurdles champion Rasheed Broadbell.

The 23-year-old produced a personal best 7.56 to take the men’s 60m hurdles ahead of countryman Tyler Mason who ran a personal best 7.65 in second. LSU Sophomore Matthew Sophia was third in 7.67, also a personal best.

The women’s 60m Open saw a Caribbean top three as Tina Clayton won ahead of twin sister Tia with Bahamian Anthonique Strachan finishing third. Tina’s winning time was a season’s best 7.25 while Tia’s time in second was 7.28 and Strachan’s in third was 7.30.

The men’s equivalent saw reigning Jamaican National 100m champion Rohan Watson run 6.76 to finish as runner up behind American Lawrence Johnson who ran 6.70. Another American, Tony Brown, ran a personal best 6.78 in third while Jamaica’s Michael Campbell ran 6.80 in fourth.

The College men’s 60m saw Bahamian Florida Sophomore Wanya McCoy produce a personal best 6.65 to finish second behind LSU Sophomore Myles Thomas (6.62). Thomas’s teammate, Godson Oghenebrume, also ran 6.65 in third.

The women’s College 400m saw Jamaican National champion Nickisha Pryce produce a personal best 51.04 to take the win. Her time also puts her #3 on the all-time Jamaican indoor list.

The Arkansas Junior finished ahead of her schoolmate Kaylyn Brown who ran a personal best 51.49 for second while Rosey Effiong completed the Arkansas 1-2-3 with 51.65 in third.

The women’s Open 400m saw Lanae-Tava Thomas and Stacey Ann Williams run 51.88 and 52.33 for second and third, respectively. American Alexis Holmes won in a meet record 50.80. Another Jamaican, Andrenette Knight, ran 52.68 in fourth.

In the field, 2019 World champion and national record holder, Tajay Gayle, opened his season with 8.15m to finish second in the men’s long jump. Gayle, who also took bronze at the World Championships in Budapest last year, also produced a 7.99m effort in his series on Friday.

The event was won by Florida Senior Malcolm Clemons with 8.17m while Bahamian Laquan Nairn produced 7.93m for third.

BVI’s McMaster opens season with 48.73 for 400m hurdles win at LSU Alumni Gold

The British Virgin Islands ran his fastest season opener since 2021 to win ahead of Texas A&M’s Bryce McCray (50.29) and Florida State’s James Rivera (50.37).

The time puts McMaster fourth on the current world list behind Rai Benjamin (47.74), Caleb Dean (48.47) and Chris Robinson (48.66).

Texas A&M senior Lamara Distin opened her 2023 outdoor season with an impressive 1.95m effort to win the Women’s high jump.

The Commonwealth champion, who also won her second consecutive NCAA Indoor title in March, won ahead of Minnesota’s Nyalaam Jok (1.80m) and LSU’s Morgan Smalls (1.75m).

Distin, the Jamaican record holder with 1.97m, cleared 1.95 on her third attempt before failing three times to clear 2.00m.

Puma’s Charokee Young and Andrenette Knight were second and third in the Women’s 400m in 51.43 and 52.20, respectively, behind Mackenzie Dunmore of Empire Athletics (50.35).

Camacho-Quinn runs 'shocking' 200, Malone leaps seven metres at Florida Invitational

The 24-year-old Puerto Rican, the 2018 NCAA National 100m hurdles champion, was one of three Caribbean athletes to achieve victory in their respective events at the meet held at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar.

Chantel Malone and Asa Guevara were also winners in the long jump and 400m, respectively.

Camacho-Quinn ran 22.60 to win the half-lap sprint in what she said was her fastest opener ever in March. She opened with a 22.45 in July last year.

She won by some distance as second place went to Lina Nielsen in 23.13 while Darryl Nieta was third in 23.28.

“I shocked myself today. Tuesdays and Thursdays I’m hurdling only so today truly shocked me with this opener,” she said on Instagram afterwards. “Now it’s back to work.”

Meanwhile, British Virgin Islands Malone’s 7.08m was just enough to win the long jump competition over Daria Klashina, who uncorked 7.05m.

Akela Jones of Barbados was third with her best effort of the day, 6.58m.

Malone’s mark was the second-best jump in the world this year behind Tara Davis’ world-leading mark and personal best 7.14m set at the Texas Relays that concluded on Saturday.

However, Klashina’s mark was a wind-legal jump as it was aided by a trailing wind of 2.7m/s.

In the men’s 400m, Guevara of Trinidad and Tobago fought to hold off Bahrain’s Musa Isah to win in 47.13. Isah was timed in 47.16.

Ashton Schwartzman was not too far behind in 47.24.

Candice McLeod fifth as Cynthia Bolingo storms to 400m victory over Klaver, Little in Brussels

Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands and Shamier Little of the USA, as well as McLeod, battled for the lead over the first 300m with the American taking the lead coming off the curve into the home straight. She seemed headed for victory before Bolingo unleashed a stirring run to take victory in 50.02.

Klaver managed to edge ahead of Little to take second place in 50.16 with the American fading to third in 50.58.

Great Britain’s Victoria Ohurugou managed to out-lean McLeod at the line to take fourth in 50.81.

Candice McLeod puts successful track season down to rest and proper eating habits

Speaking on Sportsmax TV’s On Point published on YouTube last Friday, McLeod, who recently graduated from the University of the West Indies with a degree in accounting, said doing classes online gave her extra time to rest during the days.

“Normally, I’m the type to go to every class when it’s face-to-face, so to be present at class is different from when you have it online. I can watch it later on so I’d normally take those two hours or three hours that the class would’ve (taken) from me going face-to-face and rest and catch up on school in the night,” said McLeod, while also mentioning an improvement in her eating habits.

“I started eating properly. I put myself in the position to eat properly this season.”

While also acknowledging her training as a factor, she said it wasn’t the main contributing factor to her improvement.

“Training is the same to me.  I train hard and work hard at the gym. I think it’s definitely within the rest,” she said.

Notwithstanding getting more rest and eating well, the Olympic bronze medalist said she was surprised by her times during the past season when she ran six personal bests over the 400m.

“Every week. The thing is, I know my coach expected it because he’s the coach and he knows what I’m doing in training because when I go to training, it’s not about the time. I just train and when I’m finished coach would analyse," she said. "

Every single week I was saying, 'What’s going on because I’m just running? Then I can’t wait to go back again and again just to run and see what’s coming. I definitely surprised myself a lot.”

McLeod broke 50 seconds for the first time when she ran 49.91 to finish second in the final of the 400m at the Jamaican National Championships in June. She also ran under 50 twice at the Olympics in Tokyo, running a lifetime best of 49.51 to finish in second place in her semi-final then returning two days later to run 49.87 in the final, finishing fifth.

You can watch the full interview with Candice McLeod on the Sportsmax YouTube channel.

Caribbean athletes dominate women's 400m field at Thursday's Diamond League final in Zurich

Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino, silver medallist at the World Championships behind Bahamian superstar Shaunae Miller-Uibo, will be present having won at the Doha, Rabat and Lausanne legs of the Diamond League circuit.

Her countrywoman Fiordaliza Cofil will also be in the field. The 21-year-old finished third at the Lausanne event before running a big personal best of 49.80 to win in Brussels.

Bajan World Championships silver and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sada Williams will also be looking to add to her stellar season that has seen her lower her country’s national record to 49.75. She finished second in Rabat, Lausanne and Brussels and third in Monaco.

Jamaican World Championship finalists Stephenie Ann McPherson and Candice McLeod are the other Caribbean women in the field while it is rounded out by Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek, Anna Kielbasinska and The Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver.

In other events, Trinidadian Commonwealth Champion Jereem Richards as well as the Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando will go in the men’s 200m while Jamaican World Championship finalist Natoya Goule will contest the women’s 800m.

Caribbean athletes put on a show as World Championships come to an end in Eugene

The region took home 17 medals in total including five golds, nine silvers and three bronzes with Jamaica leading the Caribbean medal count with 10 ahead of Grenada and the Dominican Republic who got two each while the Bahamas, Barbados and Puerto Rico all took home one apiece.

There were a number of standout performances throughout the 10 days starting with Jamaicans Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson.

Fraser-Pryce produced a championship record 10.67 to defend her 100m title and win her fifth in total. Fraser-Pryce also won her second 200m medal in her World Championships career, a silver in a season’s best 22.81.

Jackson ran a personal best 10.73 for silver in the 100m behind Fraser-Pryce and followed that up with one of the performances of the championships in the 200m. She produced a time of 21.45 to win her first global title and become the fastest woman alive over the distance.

Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah came third in the 100m in 10.81 to complete Jamaica's second consecutive 100m clean sweep at a major championship.

Fraser-Pryce, Jackson and Thompson-Herah then teamed up with Kemba Nelson to win silver in the 4x100m in 41.18 behind the USA (41.14).

We now move to the 400m where the Caribbean women swept the medals. Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo became the first female to complete the world event cycle (gold medals at the World Youth Championships, World Junior Championships, World Indoor Championships, World Championships and Olympics) by finally winning her maiden world title with a world-leading 49.11.

The Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino, the world leader coming into the Championships, followed up her silver medal in Tokyo last year with 49.60 to claim silver once more.

Barbados’ Sada Williams produced a brilliant personal best and national record 49.75 to take home bronze, becoming the first Barbadian woman to win a World Championship medal.

In the men’s equivalent, Grenadian superstar Kirani James ran 44.48 for silver behind American Michael Norman (44.30). This was James’ third World Championships medal and first since 2015 when he won bronze.

Paulino was also part of the brilliant quartet that took the Dominican Republic to gold in the Mixed Relay. Paulino combined with Fiordaliza Cofil, Lidio Andres Feliz and Alexander Ogando to run 3:09.82 for gold.

Staying on the track, Jamaica’s Britany Anderson followed up on the promise she’s shown all season to secure a silver medal in the 100m hurdles.

Anderson ran a new national record 12.31 in the semi-finals before running a wind-aided 12.23 to secure the silver medal behind Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan who clocked an astounding 12.06 for victory after running a legal world record 12.12 earlier in the semis.

Puerto Rican Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn ran the same time as Anderson to take home bronze.

Jamaica picked up silver medals in both the men's and women's 4x400m relays. The men comprising of Ackeem Bloomfield, Nathon Allen, Jevaughn Powell and Christopher Taylor registered 2:58.58 to finish behind the USA (2:56.17) while the women with Candice McLeod, Janieve Russell, Stephenie Ann McPherson and Charokee Young produced 3:20.74 to finish behind the Americans (3:17.79).

In the field, Grenada’s Anderson Peters became only the second man to defend his javelin world title.

The 2022 world leader produced a best throw of 90.54m to successfully defend his title from Doha three years ago, replicating a feat only matched by Czech world record holder Jan Zelezny who won consecutive world titles in 1993 and 1995 before returning to top spot in 2001.

Peters produced an amazing series, registering 90.21m, 90.46m, 87.21m, 88.11m, 85.83m and 90.54m in his six rounds.

Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts produced a season’s best 14.89m to take silver in the women’s triple jump behind Venezuelan world record holder and Olympic champion Yulimar Rojas (15.47m).

Ricketts produced jumps of 14.89m, 14.86m, 14.37m, 14.40m, 14.62m and 14.80m for one of her best series of her career.

The region will be hoping for an even better showing at the 2023 World Championships scheduled for August 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary.

Champs 200m gold medallist Amal Glasgow heading to LSU

The 19-year-old former Kingston College standout had the best season of his young career in 2024.

He secured a pair of medals at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships in March, winning silver in the Class One 400m in 46.85 before going one better in the 200m with 21.22, a personal best.

At the JAAA Olympic French Foray #3 on June 15, Glasgow established a new personal best 46.13 in the 400m.

Glasgow, who is also a two-time 400m bronze medallist at the CARIFTA Games, will join a number of Caribbean athletes at LSU including the likes on NCAA Indoor 60m champion Brianna Lyston, CARIFTA Games 100m silver medallist Jaiden Reid and NCAA Championship 110m hurdles semi-finalist Jaheim Stern.

“But with God, all things are possible,” Glasgow said on Instagram.

“Without God, the past three years that have been filled with many experiences and journeys would not have happened. A humble beginning from Kingstown to Kingston and now to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As one purple chapter ends, another begins. LSU here I come. Let’s go Tigers,” he added.