Alfred, the St Lucian sophomore at the University of Texas, ran a wind-assisted 10.80 to win the 100m. The 20-year-old Alfred, who ran 10.81, the second fastest time in the world this year, in her preliminary round heat on Saturday, showed it was no fluke with another blazing performance, holding off teammate Kevona Davis of Jamaica, who clocked 10.83 for second place.
Rosemary Chukwuma of Texas Tech was third in 10.88 in the race aided by a wind of 2.4 m/s.
Texas' Kynnedy Flannel won the 200m in a meet record 22.23 over Davis, who ran a personal-best 22.26 for second place. Chukwuma was third in 22.34 while Alfred ran 22.64 for fourth place.
In what could be considered a mild upset, Roswell, a junior at Texas Tech ran a meet record of 12.44 to defeat Baylor sophomore Ackera Nugent (12.45) in a blanket finish. Third place went to Baylor senior, Alexis Duncan who crossed the finish line in 12.93.
Stacey-Ann Williams won the women’s 400m in 50.21 as Texas runners finished 1-2-3. Kennedy Simon was second in 50.68 with Rhasidat Adekele third in 50.70. Baylor’s Kavia Francis finished fourth in 51.15.
Jones, from Barbados, set a new meet record in the men’s event. The Barbadian, who is a junior at Texas clocked 44.43 to win in dominant fashion over Richard Kuykendoll of Oklahoma, who took the silver in 45.25. Not far behind in third was Willington Wright of Texas who clocked 45.34.
However, it was a bittersweet morning session for the Caribbean quarter-milers as Jamaican champion Juvaughn Powell and Dwight St Hillaire of Trinidad and Tobago both crashed out finishing fourth and sixth, respectively in their respective heats. Their times were not good enough to be among the six fastest losers who advance.
With the top three finishers in each heat automatically qualifying for the next round, James, the fastest qualifier from the Caribbean, finished second in 45.29 with Allen in third in 45.61 in the penultimate of the six heats that was won by Botswana’s Boyapo Ndori in a personal best 44.87.
Taylor was also second in his heat, running 45.68, to finish behind gold-medal favourite Michael Norman who cruised to 45.37.
Jones took second in the opening heat won by world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk in 45.18. The Barbadian, who ran impressively during the NCAA season, ran 45.46 to be among the automatic qualifiers.
Also advancing was Mixed Relay gold medallist Lidio Andres Feliz from the Dominican Republic, who was third in the final heat in 45.87.
Caribbean athletes also featured strongly in the men’s event as Kirani James, Johnathan Jones and Christopher Taylor are all in the final eight.
Meanwhile, Rushell Clayton was the lone survivor of the semi-final round of the 400m hurdles. She ran a lifetime best to advance to the finals.
Bahamas’ sprint queen Miller-Uibo, the Tokyo Olympic champion, was the fastest heading into the final after she cruised to a comfortable victory in her heat in a season-best 49.55.
The Dominican Republic champion Paulino was also easily through as the Olympic silver medallist, the second fastest woman in the world this year, clocked 49.98 to win her heat.
McLeod, the Jamaican champion who was fifth in Tokyo, ran a season’s best 50.05 to qualify for the finals that is shaping up to be quite similar to the one that lined up in Tokyo last year with the notable exception being the American Allyson Felix.
McPherson, fourth in Tokyo advanced as one of the fastest losers courtesy of her 50.56 that saw her finish third in her heat behind winner Fiordaliza Cofil of the Dominican Republic, who ran a personal best 50.14 and Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands who uncorked a new national record of 50.18.
The ever-improving Sada Williams of Barbados ran a season’s best 50.12 to also advance to the final.
The line-up is completed by Poland’s Anna Kiebasinska who advanced as one of the fastest losers with a time of 50.65.
Among the men, James was in impressive form winning his semi-final heat in 44.74 but was the fourth-fastest heading into the finals. Americans Michael Norman (44.30) and Champion Allison (44.71) and Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith (44.38) all had faster times.
Jones, who ran 44.78 and Taylor, a season-best 44.97, both also advanced as fastest losers.
Also through to the final, his first in five years, was 400m world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk. The South African clocked 44.75.
The final eight is completed by Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori who advanced with his time of 44.74.
Clayton, who was third at the Jamaican championships at the end of June ran a lifetime best 53.63 to advance to the finals of the 400m hurdles that will feature world record holder Sydney McLaughlin (52.17) and defending champion Dahlillah Mohammad (53.28 SB). Also through is The Netherlands’ star Femke Bol (52.84).
Puerto Rico’s Gianna Woodruff ran an area record of 53.69 to advance along with another US athlete Shamier Little who clocked a season-best 53.61.
The USA’s Britton Wilson also sneaked in with a time of 53.74.
Jamaican champion Janieve Russell (54.66) and runner-up Shian Salmon (54.16), each finished third in their respective heats but were not fast enough to advance to Friday night’s final.
The 24-year-old Williams, the 2022 World Championships bronze medallist, clocked a championship record of 49.90 to complete a commanding performance.
It was the first time a woman was winning the title in under 50 seconds as Williams shattered the previous championship record of 50.10 set by Botswana’s Amantle Montsho at the 2010 Games in India.
England won the other two medals on offer as Victoria Ohuruogu ran a personal best 50.72 for the silver while her compatriot Jodie Williams ran a season-best 51.26 to claim the bronze medal.
Williams’ gold, was the second medal for Barbados in the 400m as Johnathan Jones ran 44.89 to take the bronze medal in the men’s race that was won by Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga, who produced an electrifying run over the final 120m which saw him zip by England’s Matthew Hudson-Smith with less than 15m to go.
The Zambian clocked a personal best of 44.66 with Hudson-Smith the World Championships bronze medalist finishing in 44.81.
Meanwhile, Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas won the silver medal in the 100m hurdles final. The Bahamian clocked 12.58 to finish runner-up to World Champion Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, who recovered from an average start to storm to a new championship record of 12.30, to follow up on her world record of 12.12 set at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon last month.
She shaved 0.35 off Brigitte Foster-Hylton’s championship record of 12.65.
England’s Cindy Sember ran 12.59 for the bronze medal.
In the field, Bermuda won their second medal of these Games when Jah-Nhai Perinchief jumped 16.92m to claim the bronze medal in the triple jump.
India’s Eldhose Paul won the gold medal with his jump of 17.03m while his compatriot Abdulla Aboobacker Naragolintevid won the silver with his effort of 17.02m.
Adidas professional Salmon, the 2022 NACAC champion, ran 55.83 to easily take the 400m hurdles over University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) junior Alana Yukich, who finished second in 57.74. Texas Longhorn junior Brooke Jaworski was third in 58.78.
Smith, meanwhile, soared out to a mark of 6.69 to win the long jump. Indiana senior Paola Fernandez-Sola finished second after jumping 6.42m with Samiyah Samuels taking third with a jump of 6.32m.
Gabby Thomas of New Balance won the Women’s 200m in a smart time of 22.21. Texas senior Lanae Thomas and Texas junior Rhasidat Adeleke were second and third in 22.38 and 22.47, respectively. Moore was a close fourth in a personal best 22.49.
Moore’s Adidas camp mates Anavia Battle and Lynna Irby-Jackson, were fifth and sixth respectively in 22.62 and 22.69.
Barbados’ Johnathan Jones finished third in the Men’s 200m in 21.48. UTSA’s Dennis Phillips won the half-lap sprint in 20.82 with his teammate Logan Masters taking the runner-up spot in 21.20.
The meet concludes on Saturday.
Young, who had mixed results running indoors, has been a lot more assured outdoors as a week after running a 48.98 relay split at the Texas Relays, the 21-year-old Texas A&M sophomore stormed to victory in 50.00, obliterating Williams’ meet record of 51.34 set last year. It also moved her closer to Athing Mu’s facility record of 49.68 also set last year.
It was also a significant improvement over her previous best of 50.85 set last year May.
A fast time was clearly on the cards when Young took control mid-race surging past Texas’ Kennedy Simon to take the lead. Williams, the Texas Junior, responded to Young’s move and stormed past her teammate to challenge Young for the lead.
However, the former Hydel High 800m star never looked likely to yield and pulled away to win in the world-leading time.
Williams broke her own meet record clocking 50.56, the second-fastest time in the world for 2022 while Simon was third in a personal-best 50.68.
Young moves up to number two all-time on the Texas A&M Aggies women’s 400m list and jumped to number five among the collegiate performers on the all-time chart.
Johnathan Jones won the men’s race in a conference-leading and meet record 45.07. The Barbadian quarter-miler broke his own meet record of 45.82 that was set last year.
Texas A&M’s Emmanuel Bamidele finished second in 45.25 with Jones’ teammate Willington Wright taking third in 45.64.
Meanwhile, in the Women’s 100m, St Lucia’s Julien Alfred ran a personal best of 11.07 to take the victory over teammates Kynnedy Flannel 11.34 and Kevona Davis 11.37. Alfred’s time was a new meet record eclipsing Flannel’s record of 11.23 set last year.
Alfred was third in the 200m in 23.10. The race was won by A&M’s Laila Owens in a personal best and conference-leading 22.57. However, she just managed to hold off Texas’ Rhasidat Adeleke, who was second in 22.59.
In one of the more epic clashes of the day, former Texas A&M multi-sport star Tyra Gittens, now a senior at Texas equalled her personal best of 1.95m to win the high jump over former teammate, the in-form Lamara Distin (1.93).
Distin, who defeated Gittens at last month’s NCAA Indoor Nationals, led when she cleared 1.91m but a fired-up Gittens cleared 1.93 at her first attempt, snatching the lead from her former teammate. Distin managed to clear 1.93 on her third attempt.
However, the Trinidadian Olympian cleared 1.95m, a new meet and facility record, to secure victory after Distin failed all three attempts at that height.
Marleen Guerrero was third with her best clearance of 1.80m.
Gittens enjoyed further success on the day as she soared out to 6.58 to be second on the long jump won by Deborah Acquah of A&M with a new personal best, conference-leading and meet record 6.89m.
Ackelia Smith jumped 6.46m for third.
