60M Hurdles

The 2022 World Indoor Championships silver medallist produced a stunning 7.67 to win and establish a new world record in the event, breaking the previous mark of 7.68 done back in 2008 by Sweden’s Susanna Kallur in Germany.

“I knew it was in me. I knew the type of numbers I’ve been putting up in practice but it was all about just executing it,” said the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist in a post-race interview.

Charlton, who is currently training in Lexington, Kentucky and being coached by Rolando “Lonnie” Greene, has been in sensational form to start her 2024 indoor season. The 28-year-old produced 7.88 to win at the UK Rod McCrary Memorial on January 13 before, eight days later, running 7.75 for victory at the Corky Classic.

She then produced 7.76 to win at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston on February 4. She credited the race at the Corky Classic as the one that made her know she was in world record shape.

“I think early on we were just trying to see where we were at and get an idea of what was going on,” she said.

“After my second meet when I ran 7.75, I went to my coach and said that was a sloppy race and so I knew once we went back and started working on it, this race would show up. I thought I could’ve got it in Boston but once I didn’t get it so once I went back to practice, the focus was on executing that perfect race,” she added.

 The main difference between her races in Boston and New York, according to Charlton, was being more “locked in.”

“All I was thinking about was just executing the start. I did that and it was just a blur. I knew I crossed the line first,” she said.

“I was anticipating the time and I thought I heard him say world record and didn’t really catch it until everyone got so excited, started to embrace me and started jumping up and down so I thought I must’ve done something special. It didn’t really hit me until they brought me around to the clock and I saw my name and world record,” added Charlton.

She said the thought of breaking the world indoor record has been on her mind for a long time but, after her performance at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, it became her main focus coming into 2024.

She got to the final of the 100m hurdles in Budapest but just missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in 12.52.

“At the World Championships when I finished fourth place, just outside of a medal, it was a really disappointing feeling and one of the first things I said to my coach when I went back to the warm-up area was now I have to break the world record indoor,” she said.

“This has been a goal for a while but that moment was when we really put a plan in place. We went back and looked at everything I did indoor and outdoor last year, focused on my weak points and built on that in practice,” she added.

As for when fans can expect to see Charlton in action again, “we’re going to stick to the plan. Madrid in two weeks and the World Championships in three,” was her response.

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.

In what was the season debut for the 2022 World Championships silver medalist, Anderson ran a fast 7.83 which makes her the fastest Jamaican woman in the world this year.

However, she had to settle for third place after being beaten to the line by Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska who crossed in a meet record 7.79. Finland’s Reetta Hurske finished second in 7.81.

A fast time was always on the cards based on what the women produced during the preliminary round.

Anderson won her heat in 7.86 ahead of Hurske who clocked 7.89. Skrzyszowska easily won her heat in 7.91.

Earlier, Tracey, who made her debut for Jamaica in 2022, clocked 4:30.17 for third-place in the Women’s Mile.

Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, running on her own after the first 800m, won the race in 4:16.16 a personal best and the second-fastest time in history. It was also a meet record.

Weronika Lizakowska of Poland was the runner-up in 4:29.06.

Nugent, who transferred to Arkansas from Baylor before the season, finished comfortably ahead of Leah Phillips of LSU (8.02) and Jayla Hollis of Florida (8.19). Phillips’ time was also a personal best.

Nugent’s 7.88 is the third fastest time in the world this year behind Masai Russell’s 7.75 and Alaysha Johnson’s 7.82.

In the Men’s equivalent, Nugent’s Arkansas teammate and former Jamaica College star Phillip Lemonious was third in the men’s 60m hurdles in 7.73 behind American World Championship 110m hurdles silver medalist Trey Cunningham (7.60 meet record) and Arkansas teammate Matthew Lewis-Banks (7.72).

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.

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.

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.

Charlton stunned the sellout crowd at the Millrose Games with a jaw-dropping time of 7.67 seconds that shattered the previous world record of 7.68 seconds set by Sweden's Susanna Kallur back in 2008.

In a post-race interview, Charlton said she wasn’t surprised at the time she ran, indicating that training has been going really well. Rolando ‘Ronnie’ Greene, the Head Track Coach at the University of Kentucky and mastermind behind Charlton's remarkable journey, was also not surprised by the performance revealing that she ran that all-time best while still having the effects of heavy training in her legs.

"It was not a surprise at all. I told her and her training mate, Masai Russell; I said to them, one of you going to break the world record, you have to decide which one is going to do that,” he emphasized, highlighting the rigorous training and unwavering dedication that paved the way for Charlton's historic performance. "Just the things she's been doing in practice; the numbers she's been putting up... I knew the world record was going to fall,” said Greene, who has seen Charlton produce times of 7.88, 7.82, 7.75 and 7.76 heading into New York on Sunday.

“The only thing that we did differently (last week) was I didn't let her pull sled. That's the only thing we did, everything else remain the same. Normally on Mondays we would do some contrast work where we're pulling sleds for four to six times 40 metres with 90 seconds recovery. That's the only thing I took off the plate before this past week before she went to New York. Everything else remained the same, the same amount of volume, the same amount of hurdling.”

He said he made a few tweaks to her technique after her run in Boston the week before she ran on Sunday.

Greene, who has coached Charlton ever since she was standout athlete at Purdue University and who has now given him his first world record, told Sportsmax.TV that she has been racking up scary numbers in training all season.

She's stronger, she's lighter, she's doing things that she's never done. The power to weight ratio in terms of her body weight to what she's cleaning, to what she's squatting is through the ceiling right now. Devynne is five feet, three, 3 1/2 inches. She was 126 lbs last year, she's now 119. She paralleled 325 lbs in a squat and she pulled right at 200 lbs in a clean, so that's almost doubling her body weight. However, you want to put it is much greater, she's never been able to do that before.”

These startling numbers are among the reasons why he feels she will be even faster when she lines up in the 60m hurdles next month.

“We'll do a small taper for Glasgow, I think. People will say, you're not saying this, but I believe she can she can threaten the world record. I think she's got another half a 10th in there or something.”

With the Olympic Games in Paris less than six months away, Greene also believes that this is the year when Charlton should be among the medals, if not at the very top of the podium. She was seventh at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and seventh at the World Championships in Oregon a year later.

In Budapest in 2023, she came closest to a place on the podium when she finished fourth. This time, things are likely to be a lot different. "I truly believe that she is going to be a major factor going forward. She is at that right age of 27/28 when I think athletes hit their peak, their prime, she is at that point,” Greene opined.

“In life, there is a timing that God releases in our lives to accomplish things when we stay the course and I think this is that timing.”

He revealed that when she finished fourth in Budapest last year, in her disappointment, she told him she wished she hadn’t come so close. “She said I wish I was sixth and I said ‘no, baby girl, the devil is alive. You got fourth it just wasn’t your time and when that time arrives, no one can stop it. Nothing or no one can stop it.”

Charlton will race next in Madrid before returning to her training base for a few days of training before they depart for Glasgow.

The 28-year-old Charlton lowered her own world-record, which she set when she ran 7.67 in New York in New York on February 11, when she ran 7.65 to win her first global title in the Scottish capital.

She finished clear of France’s defending champion Cyrena Samba-Mayela. Charlton took silver behind the French athlete in Belgrade two years before.

Charlton handed over her Glasgow top to World Athletics President Sebastian Coe at the official press conference staged infield at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau.

"Charlton’s near faultless final in Glasgow was one of two world records during a standout evening session," said Coe.

"On behalf of the Museum of World Athletics, I gratefully thank Charlton for her generous donation, which perfectly embodies her exceptional indoor season.

"In an Olympic year, it is worth reflecting that Charlton’s singlet joins an artefact of a sprint hurdling legend in the MOWA. Our museum’s collection holds the embroidered ‘Nederland’ badge which Fanny Blankers-Koen wore when winning the Olympic 80m hurdles gold, one of four victories achieved by ‘The Flying Dutchwoman’ at the London 1948 Olympic Games."

Charlton expressed joy and excitement at the donation.

"I am very happy to present my world indoor championship winning singlet and bib to the Museum of World Athletics. I will be excited to see them displayed online in 3D and exhibited around the world. I hope they help inspire future athletes and fans about the excitement of athletics,” she said.

"It is a great honour to have my achievements recognised in the museum alongside those of many all-time greats, whose careers I dream to emulate as I fulfil my track ambitions," she added.

Charlton’s World Athletics Indoor Championships winning kit will also sit with the shoes and clothing of two other world indoor 60m hurdles champions in the Heritage Collection of the MOWA.

Olympic champions Gail Devers of USA and Sally Pearson of Australia, respectively world indoor 60m hurdles champions in Birmingham 2003 and Istanbul 2012, donated their singlets, bib numbers and running spikes to the MOWA from their 2004 (60m gold, 60m hurdles silver) and 2014 (60m hurdles silver) world indoor campaigns.

Charlton, who also took 100m hurdles silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, won ahead of Americans Tia Jones (7.80) and Masai Russell (7.88).

She also took the 60m hurdles at the UK Rod McCravy Memorial in Louisville in 7.88 on January 13.

Elsewhere on the track, Jamaican Texas Tech sophomore and former Wolmer’s Boys and Kingston College standout Shaemar Uter ran 46.04 for second in the men’s 400m behind Oklahoma senior Zarik Brown (46.03). Dubem Nwachukwu, running unattached, was third in 46.30.

In the field, Kentucky junior Luke Brown jumped 16.80m to win the men’s triple jump ahead of Miami’s Russell Robinson (16.59m) and Texas Tech’s Garison Breeding (15.82m).

Ralford Mullings threw 18.58m for top spot in the men’s shot put ahead of Baylor’s Gary Moore (18.20m) and Miami’s Milton Ingraham (18.07m).

Racing against a stacked field that included world champion Danielle Williams and former world leader Tia Jones and last season’s NCAA 100m hurdles champion Ackera Nugent, Charlton exploded from the blocks and surged to the lead early. She flashed across the line in an astonishing 7.67 a new world record and national record. She broke the previous record of 7.68 held by Sweden's Susanna Kallur since 2008.

Williams, whose focus is on the Paris Olympics this summer, ran a season-best 7.79 for second place with Jones clocking the same time for third.

Nugent also ran a season-best 7.80 for fourth place in the keenly contested event.

Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper was seventh in a personal best 7.98.

The 22-year-old former Alpha standout’s time was also a new ACC record, shattering Tonya Carter’s record of 7.15 seconds, which had stood for 23 years. She is also now the joint eighth-fastest Jamaican in the event.

American Marybeth Sant-Price, the World Indoor bronze medalist from last year, was second in 7.18 with Sedrickia Wynn of Texas State taking third place with a time of 7.35.

Elsewhere, Jamaican Texas Tech sprint hurdler Demisha Roswell produced a time of 7.98 seconds to finish second in the 60m hurdles.

The 25-year-old Vere Technical alum, who lowered her 100m hurdles personal best to 12.44 last season, was beaten by Kentucky’s Masai Russell who ran a collegiate record 7.75 for victory.

LSU’s Leah Phillips was third in 8.14.

Charlton, who took 60m hurdles silver at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in 2022, won the event in 7.88 on Saturday ahead of Masai Russell (7.89) and UCF senior Rayniah Jones (8.09).

This was after she produced times of 7.99 in the heats and 7.98 in the semi-finals.

Charlton, who also won 100m hurdles silver at the 2022 Commonwealth games in Birmingham, also ran one heat of the 60m, running 7.38 to win heat eight.

In a race where the first six athletes ran personal bests, Thomas, the 2018 World U20 110m hurdles champion, now a senior at LSU, took the win in a close finish over Iowa’s Jamal Britt, who was timed in 7.52.

Trey Cunningham of Florida State claimed the bronze in 7.53, just 0.02 seconds separating the three medalists. Former Jamaica College athlete Phillip Lemonius, who is now a sophomore at Arkansas, just missed out on a medal clocking 7.54 for fourth.

In the men’s triple jump, University of Tennessee’s Carey McLeod was upset by Oregon’s Emmanuel Ihemeje, who produced a new personal best and collegiate-leading 17.27m for the win.

McLeod, the former Kingston College star only managed 16.93m for third. Going into the competition, McLeod held the collegiate-best mark of 17.17m set at the SEC Championships two weeks ago.

The silver medal was won by TCU’s Chengetayi Mapaya, who got a personal best 16.95m.

Later today, four Caribbean women – Joella Lloyd, Kemba Nelson, Kiara Grant and Halle Hazzard – will contest the women’s 60m final while Charokee Young of Texas A&M will go in the 400m finals.

The time also eclipses the 7.81 set by Kendra Harrison at Clemson on January 14.

The 2015 100m hurdles world champion gave a preview of what was to come when she cruised to a 7.86 clocking to win her heat earlier in the day.

Paula Salmon of North Carolina A&T ran a fast 7.83 for second place, tying Williams’ previous best which was also the second-fastest time in the world this year.

Masai Russell of Kentucky also went below eight seconds, crossing the finish line in 7.93.

Meanwhile, St Lucia’s sprint queen and Texas Longhorn Julien Alfred won the 60m dash in 7.26 ahead of North Carolina A&T’s Symone Darius who was a close second in 7.27. Alfred’s teammate Kevona Davis took the third podium spot in 7.35.

The final session on Sunday witnessed an explosive showdown between Charlton and the 2022 champion, Cyrena Samba-Mayela. Fueled by the intense competition, Charlton stormed across the finish line in a remarkable 7.65 seconds, not only securing the gold but also eclipsing her previous world record of 7.67 set at the Millrose Games in February.

Samba-Mayela, the French sensation, pushed herself to the limit with a personal best of 7.73 in the semi-finals but was just shy of Charlton's electrifying pace, forcing her to settle for the silver medal with a time of 7.74 seconds.

Poland's Pia Skrzyszowka added to the drama, running a fast 7.79 seconds to claim the bronze medal in the tightly contested race. Meanwhile, Charlton's teammate Charisma Taylor, despite a strong effort, secured the sixth position with a time of 7.92 seconds.

Devynne Charlton's emphatic victory not only secured her a well-deserved gold but also ensured that the Bahamas would leave the World Indoor Championships with a single gold medal. This achievement puts the Bahamas on par with St Lucia and the Commonwealth of Dominica, where Julien Alfred and Thea LaFond claimed gold in the 60m and triple jump events, respectively.

However, the same cannot be said for Jamaica, which experienced a disappointing outing in the 4x400m relay. Despite having three bronze medals in their tally, the defending champions failed to finish the race as the third-leg runner, Charokee Young, dropped the baton, extinguishing any hopes of adding to their medal count.

The Bowerman is an award given to the year’s best student-athlete in American collegiate track & field.

There was also a pre-NCAA Indoor Championships list revealed earlier in March that included Alfred and Distin.

St. Lucian Texas senior Alfred capped off a spectacular indoor season with a personal best and collegiate record 6.94 to defend her NCAA Indoor title. Her time made her the fastest Caribbean woman ever in the event and put her joint-second all-time behind Irina Privalova’s 6.92.

The 21-year-old also won gold in the 200m in 22.01, another collegiate record and the second fastest time ever behind Jamaican Merlene Ottey’s 21.87 done 30 years ago in Lille.

Arkansas sophomore Nugent, who was absent from the list released before the championships, earned her way on to the new one when she won gold in the 60m hurdles in 7.73.

On day one of the meet, Nugent, 20, set a new collegiate and Jamaican national record when she ran 7.72 in the prelims. That time puts her fourth on the all-time list for the event.

23-year-old Texas A&M senior Distin completed another unbeaten indoor season with a 1.91m clearance to win the high jump. In February, Distin cleared 1.97m to equal her own Jamaican record.

The other seven athletes on the watch list are Florida’s Jasmine Moore and Talitha Diggs, Kentucky’s Masai Russell, NC State’s Kaetlyn Tuohy, Oregon’s Jorinde Van Klinken, Stanford’s Roisin Willis and Arkansas’s Britton Wilson.

The 25-year-old former Vere Technical athlete impressed on Friday, January 20, when she ran 7.98 over 60m to finish second to Masai Russell at the Red Raider Open in Lubbock, Texas.

Kentucky’s Russell won in a world-leading 7.75 but Roswell’s time made her the fastest Jamaican woman in the world this year after eclipsing the 8.00 run by Arkansas’ Ackera Nugent in Fayetteville, Arkansas on January 13.

It was a welcome return to form from injury for Roswell, who defeated Nugent to win the Big 12 Championships last May, running an outdoor personal best 12.44 for the 100m hurdles.

However, her celebrations were short-lived as an injury slowed her significantly for the remainder of the season. She was seventh at the NCAA Division I Championships in a pedestrian 12.94 and just missed out on a place on Jamaica’s team to the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, when she finished fourth at the Jamaican championships in 12.83.

Since then, the work she has put in to get healthy again has been  paying off but it wasn’t easy.

“The background work was somewhat tough for me because I was struggling with my injury plus my mentals, but it paying off little by little,” she said.

“It (rehab) went well even though I hate it but my coach and trainer were very tough on me to get me back where I’m supposed to be.

“The time didn’t surprise me at all, to be honest. I’m confident about this season so I’m hoping I keep healthy.”

Roswell also revealed that she is approaching the new season with a different mindset. She is more focused and committed to being successful this season as she intends to leave her mark in her final year in the NCAA.

“I want more this year and I want my name to be remembered,” she said.

The latest came on Saturday at the American Track League meeting in Louisville, Kentucky where she clocked 7.82 to win the 60m hurdles. The time follows in the wake of her 7.88 run for second place behind Danielle Williams at the New Balance Grand Prix in New York on February 6, and the 7.91 she ran at the Millrose Games on January 29.

Anderson’s time on Saturday makes her the second-fastest Jamaican in the world this year and fourth-fastest in the world. Only world leader Williams (7.75), Kendra Harrison (7.81) and Alia Armstrong (7.81) have run faster.

Encouraged by another top-class performance, Anderson let her feelings known on Instagram where under a video of her race, she posted “Three weekends in a row!! Another PB 7.82. Y’all go see God works shine through me.”

It was a fantastic weekend for Jamaica’s female sprint hurdlers as along with Anderson’s lifetime best and Danielle Williams running a world-leading 7.75 at the Tiger Paw Invitational on Friday night, Baylor sophomore Ackera Nugent ran a new personal best and school record 7.89 at the Texas Tech Shoot Out on Friday.

Guyana's Lloyd McCurdy and Jamaican Sadiki Marsh were among the winners on the men’s side.

The 23-year-old McCurdy, competing unattached, jumped a personal best 16.04m to take the win ahead of Jamaicans Shemar Miller, who did 15.27m, and Rajaun Ricketts who did 14.99m. Both Miller and Ricketts attend Benedict College.

Marsh, also a student at Benedict College, won the 800m in 1:55.86 ahead of the Wingate University pair of Ben Aris (1:57.53) and Jakob Rettschlag (1:57.80).

Trinidadian Limestone College senior Che’ Lara ran a personal best 47.68 for second in the 400m behind South Carolina’s William Spencer Jr who ran 47.38 for the win. South Carolina’s Edward Richardson was third in 48.37 while Jamaican St. Augustine’s sophomore Sean Kalawan was fifth 48.96.

Lara’s Limestone College teammate, Grenadian Kurt Modeste, ran 21.33 for third in the 200m behind South Carolina’s Evan Miller (20.95) and Lenoir-Rhyne’s Trent Davis (21.23).

On the women’s side, Haiti’s Mulern Jean sped to 8.27 to win the 60m hurdles. Barbados’ Tia-Adana Belle was second in 8.40 while Jamaican Charleston Southern senior Chaneal Harris was third in 8.55.

Belle also enjoyed a top-three finish in the 200m, finishing third in 24.38 behind 17-year-old American sensation Shawnti Jackson (22.91) and Charleston Southern’s Lauryn James (24.16).

Dominica’s Mariah Toussaint was also a winner on the day, jumping 6.20m to comfortably win the long jump ahead of the University of West Georgia’s Pashience Collier (5.71m) and William Carey’s Zaniyah Wilson (5.68m).