Machel Cedenio

Williams, who missed out on individual representation at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, clocked 12.64 to win the 100m hurdles. Sharika Nelvis of the United States finished second in 12.81 while Evonne Britton third in 12.96.

Earlier, Trinidad’s Cedenio was a comfortable winner in the 400m clocking a modest 45.98. Khallifah Rosser crossed the finish line in second place, stopping the clock in 46.35. Javon Francis, who has suffered a raft of injuries in the past few years was a distant third in 47.84.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Cejhae Greene ran close to his season-best time of 10.00 while finishing third in the 100m won by Marvin Bracy in a fast 9.85. Jerome Blake was second in 10.06 just ahead of Greene’s 10.08.

Jevaughn Minzie, who was fifth in the 100m in 10.15, was on the podium in the 200m after he clocked 20.41 for a second-place finish behind Kyrie King, who won in 20.15. Devon Allen was third in 20.57.

Tynia Gaither of the Bahamas was third in the women’s race won by Dezereah Bryant in 22.78. Brittany Brown was second in 23.05 while Gaither clocked 23.33.

There was another third-place finish for a Caribbean athlete in the Women's 400m that was won by Shamier Little in 50.65 over Jessica Beard, who clocked 50.85. Anastasia LeRoy, who has struggled for form this season, was not even in the same zip code as she was a distant third in 54.15.

The 25-year-old quarter-miler clocked 45.37 to win the 400m beating 2008 400m gold medalist LaShawn Merritt, who ran 45.45 for second place. Alonzo Russell of the Bahamas was third in 46.23.

Cedenio famously ran a personal best 44.01 to finish fourth at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil, and as a result, holds the record for the fastest time ever run for fourth-place.

It was the first time in Olympic history that the top three places came in under 44 seconds.

South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk won in a world record 43.03 while Grenada’s Kirani James was second in 43.76. Merritt ran 43.85 for third.

Back in Clermont, Walters ran 13.53 to win the 110m hurdles over Johnathon Santiago Pagan, who ran 14.16. Israel Nelson was third in 14.33.

There was good news for Jamaica’s Jonielle Smith, who opened her season with a sixth-place finish in the 200m. Smith, a relay gold medalist at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, clocked 24.29 in the race won by the USA’s Candace Hill in 22.99.

Khamica Bingham was second in 23.57 while Candyce MgGrone finished third having run 23.67.

Kortnei Johnson won the 100m in 11.17 over Tiana Bartoletta (11.18) and Bingham (11.42).

Trinidad and Tobago sprinters Kelly-Ann Baptiste ran 11.51 for sixth and Khalifa St. Fort clocked 11.58 for seventh.

The time that was her fastest-ever wind-legal outdoor opener, eclipsed the previous best in the world this year of 22.17 set in Texas by Gabrielle Thomas on March 27 and would have sent shivers down the spines of potential 200m finalists at this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The extraordinary Bahamian was also more than a half-second faster than second-placed Quanera Haynes, who clocked 22.68. Lynna Irby was third in 22.75.

The next fastest Caribbean athlete was Jamaica’s Natalliah Whyte who finished fourth in 23.28, a time slower than the 22.88 she ran in Miami on March 20.

In the men’s event, Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards, the 2019 Pan American Games silver medalist, lost out on a second-place finish by 0.001s to the USA’s Josephus Lyles. Both were given 20.37. However, Lyles was time given a time of 20.361 to Richards’ 20.362.

None of that mattered to Erriyon Knighton, who won the race in 20.31.

Trinidadian quarter-miler Machel Cedenio finished fifth in 20.84 while Antigua and Barbuda’s Cejhae Green was sixth in 20.86.

Meanwhile, Jamaica's Akeem Bloomfield, who opened with a 20.75s run in the 200m last month, ran 45.78 to finish second in the 400m won by Matthew Hudson-Smith in 45.51. Musa Isah was a distant third in 46.68.

In the 110-metre hurdles won by Nicholas Anderson in 13.49, Jamaica’s oft-injured Andrew Riley was second in 13.60 while Wellington ZaZa was third in 13.74.

The Bahamas' Devynne Charlton won the women's sprint hurdles in a wind-aided 13.08.

Gardiner, who is making a return after missing the 2022 World Championships in Oregon with an inflamed tendon, will run the 200m against a line-up that includes Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes and Botswana’s World U20 100m champion Letsile Tebogo.

The USA’s Kenny Bednarek will also compete in the half-lap sprint that is expected to be electric.

Meanwhile, Jackson, the reigning world 200m women’s champion, will take on a crack field in what will be her third 400m run for the season. She will line up against fellow Jamaicans, the Olympic finalist Stephenie-Ann McPherson, Janieve Russell and Charokee Young as well as American 400m hurdler Shamier Little and Aliya Adams.

World championships finalist Oblique Seville is among 22 sprinters listed for the 100m. The Jamaican prospect will take on compatriots Ackeem Blake, Andrew Hudson, Raheem Chambers, Oshane Bailey, and Michael Campbell for a lane in the finals.

Cejhae Green of Antigua and Barbuda, Ian Kerr of the Bahamas and Eric Harrison Jr of Trinidad and Tobago will also be aiming to make it into the finals. American veteran Mike Rodgers and current star Ronnie Baker will also be in contention.

Among the women, Briana Williams returns to her former training ground, hoping to make up for her poor performance over 200m at the recent Velocity Fest meet at the national stadium in Kingston. However, she will have her work cut out for her as she runs her first 100m this season.

A crack field has been assembled that includes the mercurial American Sha’Carri Richardson, compatriots Twanisha Terry, Teahna Daniels, Cambrea Sturgis, Melissa Jefferson and Javianne Oliver as well as Jamaicans Natasha Morrison, Jonielle Smith, Shockoria Wallace and Kashieka Cameron.

The 200m dash for women also promises to be intriguing with the likes of Caribbean stars World Championship 400m bronze medallist Sada Williams lining up against Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas and Jamaica’s Natalliah Whyte.

The race will also include the supremely talented Abby Steiner, Tamari Davis and Kyra Jefferson.

Machel Cedenio lines up in the 400m against Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald and Alonzo Russell of the Bahamas. They will represent Caribbean pride as they do battle with the USA’s Michael Cherry and Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith.

Shafiqua Maloney of St Vincent and the Grenadines will take up the USA’s Ajee Wilson over 800m while Rajay Hamilton goes in the men’s equivalent against Puerto Rico’s Ryan Sanchez.

BVI’s Kyron McMaster will take on Marvin Williams of Jamaica and Andre Colebrook of the Bahamas over the 400m hurdles while Orlando Bennett, Damion Thomas of Jamaica and Shane Brathwaite of Barbados will challenge the might of American Daniel Roberts in the 110m hurdles.

Amoi Brown of Jamaica faces a tough field of Tonea Marshall, Anna Cockrell and Gabby Cunningham in the 100m hurdles that also features Haitian talent Mulern Jean.

In the field events, the long jump for both men and women should provide solid entertainment as 2019 World Champion Tajay Gayle, who has been gradually making a return from a long-term knee injury has been included in a field that also has LaQuan Nairn of the Bahamas and Andwuelle Wright of Trinidad and Tobago.

They will have their hands full facing Japan’s Shoutarou Shiroyama.

The women’s event promises to be an evenly matched affair as Jamaica’s Chanice Porter and Barbados’ Akela Jones will match skills against the USA’s Tiffany Flynn and Taliyah Brooks.

Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Lloydricia Cameron will be aiming for podium spots in the shot put as they take on the likes of Adelaide Aquilla and Khayla Dawson of the USA.

Under the programme, cyclist Nicholas Paul and sprinter Jereem Richards will be the primary beneficiaries as both men are responsible for the three gold medals the country won in Birmingham.

Paul won gold in the keirin, silver in the match sprint and bronze in the 1000m time trials and is set to receive TT$437,500 while Richards, who won the 200m title in a Games record 19.80 and anchored the country’s 4x400m relay to the gold medal is set to receive TT$375,000.

According to the Trinidad Guardian, athletes competing in relay team events will earn $125,000 each for a gold medal, $62,500 for silver and for bronze, $31,250. Individual gold medals get a whopping TT$250,000.

That means Dwight St Hillaire, Asa Guevara and Machel Cedenio will each get $125,000 and the members of the 4x100 metres team - Jerod Elcock, Eric Harrison Jnr, Kion Benjamin and Kyle Greaux - will each get $62,500 for their silver medal run.

Thomas-Dodd who lost the World Championship gold medal to China’s Gong Lijiao in Doha by just 8cm on October 3, 2019, 19.47 to 19.55), uncorked a 19.18m throw to win at the meet held at Life University.

The mark was the fourth-best throw in the world this year.

It was a lopsided affair as he opponent was World Championship 400m silver medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo. The Bahamian produced a best mark of 11.70m.

Meanwhile, Miller-Uibo’s former roommate at the University of Georgia, Chanice Porter jumped 6.35m in the long jump. She was the lone competitor.

In the women’s 200m former Holmwood Technical sprinter, Chrisann Gordon-Powell was second in the 200m in 24.38s. Gordon-Powell was beaten by the USA’s Jessica Beard who clocked 23.52 for the win.

The standout performance of the meet came from 18-year-old Justin Robinson, who outran a talented field to win the 400m in 44.91s. Michael Cherry, 44.98, and Matthew Hudson-Smith 45.58 were second and third, respectively.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Machel Cedenio was fifth in 46.71.