Megan Tapper

The diminutive sprint hurdler, who won national titles in 2016 and again in 2021, had improved significantly during the season when she ran what was then a new lifetime best of 12.63. However, after getting to the final in Doha, she hit the first hurdle and fell.

Speaking on the latest episode of On Point on the SportsMax TV YouTube channel, Tapper elaborated on the emotions she experienced during that moment on the track.

“Just complete and utter devastation. It was unbelievable. I couldn’t believe that the opportunity that I trained so long and hard for ended in such devastation. There’s no other word that can basically describe that moment,” Tapper said.

Tapper says those emotions also stemmed from the fact that she was in great shape and ready for the race.

“I’ve never been ready, up to that moment, for a race, the way I was ready for that final and unfortunately I wasn’t able to finish the race,” she said.

In that moment, according to Tapper, she was unable to contain her emotions.

“The feeling was overwhelming. I wasn’t able to be the composed Megan that most of us know because the emotions were so raw and overwhelming,” said Tapper.

Afterwards, she said, she sought support from those close to her for support. 

“I reached out to the various people who were in my circle at the time and they would say to me 'don’t worry about it, this is just another roadblock. You are still Megan, you are still capable, anything is still possible for you, shake it off and let’s go again. Talking to my support team was how the motivation came back for me,” said Tapper.

The full interview can be seen on the SportsMax TV YouTube channel.

Tapper, who ran a new lifetime best of 12.51 in Brussels last Thursday, ran 12.66 to finish third in the 100m hurdles race won by Commonwealth and World Champion Tobi Amusan in 12.45.

Tia Jones, who was second in Brussels in a lifetime best of 12.38, clocked 12.58 for the runner-up spot.

In the field, Walcott, the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, was also third in the men’s javelin. The Trinidadian threw a modest 79.78m, a mark bettered by Japan’s Roderick Genki Dean (80.69m) and the winner, Germany’s Julian Weber.

Thompson, 29, has been named to the 4x100 relay squad that includes Natasha Morrison, Natalliah Whyte, Remona Burchell, Kasheika Cameron and Shashalee Forbes.

She, Whyte, and Forbes are also down to compete in the 4x200m relay along with Candice McLeod, Tiffany James and Anastasia LeRoy.

Jamaica’s 4x100m team will comprise Powell, Oshane Bailey, Nesta Carter, Julian Forte, Nigel Ellis, Romario Willams and Kadrain Goldson while Goldson, Ellis, Williams, and Michael Bentley will make up the 4x200M team.

Meanwhile, Jackson heads up a women’s 4x400m squad that includes Stephenie-Ann McPherson, Shiann Salmon, Janieve Russell, Rhonda Whyte, Tovea Jenkins, Roneisha McGregor and Christine Day.

The men’s team will have Zadrian Barnes, Troy Whyte, Javon Francis, Terry Thomas, Keeno Burrell, Jamoi Jackson, Demar Murray, and Nathon Allen.

Rasheed Broadbelt, Ronald Levy, Deuce Carter, Janeek Brown, Megan Tapper, and will Jeanine Williams contest the Mixed Shuttle Hurdles.

The team will be managed by Marvin Anderson, who will be assisted by Craig Richards. Paul Francis will be the Technical leader and will have coaches Jerry Holness, Bertland Cameron and Lamar Richards as his support.

Dr Anthony Cox has been named Team Doctor.

Jamaica’s two-time World champion, Danielle Williams, will take on newly crowned World Indoor 60m champion and record holder, Devynne Charlton, as well as 2021 Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper.

World record holder Tobi Amusan and reigning Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn are also set to line up on Saturday along with Americans Alaysha Johnson and Masai Russell.

The field is completed by Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, 2022 World Indoor champion Cyrena Samba-Mayela and China’s Yanni Wu.

Reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment will compete alongside countryman Orlando Bennett in the 110mm hurdles.

Bajan two-time World Championship bronze medallist Sada Williams will line up in the 400m alongside Guyana’s Aliyah Abrams.

Bahamian Anthonique Strachan will take on some of the world’s best in the 200m.

Finally, Jamaica’s World Indoor 60m bronze medallist Ackeem Blake, 2011 World 100m champion Yohan Blake and reigning national 100m champion Rohan Watson will all line up in the 100m against a stacked field including the likes of American world champions Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley.

Running in lane eight, Tapper upset pre-race favourites Britany Anderson and Danielle Williams to take top spot in a season-best 12.68. Yanique Thompson, the Commonwealth Games bronze medalist ran 12.73, a season-best for second place while Anderson was third in 12.75.

“It was like experiencing a miracle right in front of my face,” she said after realizing she had crossed the line first. “I expected it but it is a different feeling when it actually happens.”

Tapper was not in the best of form coming in having run times ranging from 12.87-13.72 in eight races heading into the championships. However, in the semi-finals, she ran a season-best 12.86 for second place in her semifinal that was won by Anderson in 12.65.

She revealed afterwards that patience was the key to her success and understanding what works for her.

“I just had to understand that it takes a while to get into the groove, getting into running to get my mindset right,” she explained afterwards.

“I was patient, my coach and my husband were patient with me and they kept me motivated and at the end of the day I asked God to show up for me and he did and I am grateful.”

She believes running in the outside lane actually helped her avoid the intense battle for places that was unfolding in the lanes inside her.

“I was on the end. I was in lane eight and I guess that worked in my favour,” she said.

“Before I went out, my coach and husband told me to stay focused and to just execute. Once I executed a proper race I would have been close to the top or at the top and that’s what I did.”

Now that she has secured a place on the team to Tokyo Tapper says she knows she has work to do to be ready for competition in Japan.

“I need to remain focused and realize that the job isn’t finished and it is going to take a little than what I had today,” she said.

The meet ended in controversy after Akeem Blake clearly false started in the men’s 100m final but the electronic timing system reportedly shut down and the race was not called back or re-run. Blake was subsequently disqualified and the race awarded to Zharnel Hughes in a hand time of 9.9. Kadrian Goldon and Julian Forte were second and third, respectively with both being awarded a time of 10.0.

The system worked fine for the women’s final minutes earlier as MVP’s Jackson, the 2022 World 200m gold medalist and at 21.45 the second fastest woman of all time over the half-sprint sprint, gave an indication that she will be hard to beat in the blue-ribbon sprint this year.

The 28-year-old star, who has a personal best of 10.71, ran a smart 10.82 (-0.1m/s) while still pulling away from Natasha Morrison, who was second in 11.09 while Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas was third in 11.11.

Jackson had given fair-warning during the preliminary round that something special was coming when she sleep-walked 11.06 to win her heat at a canter. Morrison ran 11.08 to win her heat.

Briana Williams, who ran 11.34 while finishing second in Morrison’s heat, withdrew from the final citing “tightness” while Elaine Thompson-Herah, who had been listed as a starter for the event, was a no-show.

Jonielle Smith of MVP International won the ‘B’ in 11.35 during what was a close finish with Shockoria Wallace, who was awarded the same time. Krystal Sloley was third in a personal best 11.46.

Adrian Kerr ran a personal best 10.26 to win the Men’s ‘B’ final with Odaine McPherson of GC Foster College and MVP’s Michael Campbell finishing in his wake in 10.34 and 10.36, respectively.

Kuron Griffith of Barbados and the Racers Track Club won the ‘C’ final in a season-best 10.42. Mazinho Barrett of the University of the West Indies clocked a personal best 10.47 for second while McKish Compton of St Vincent and the Grenadines and GC Foster College was third in a season-best 10.48 in what was a close race.

World Championship bronze medallist Sada Williams was an impressive winner in the ‘A’ final of the Women’s 400m clocking 51.84 while finishing ahead of Janieve Russell, who ran a season-best time of 52.41. Tovea Jenkins ran 52.66 for third place.

The 'A' final of the Men's 400m offered up a thrilling finish between Jamaica's national record holder Rusheen McDonald and Zandrian Barnes. The two were on lock-step for the final few metres of the race that ended with Barnes falling across the line in a time of 45.41, the same time as McDonald. The two were separated by a mere 0.07s. Demish Gaye, back from a long-term injury was third in a season-best 46.07.

Tyler Mason ran his fastest time in almost a decade to equal his personal best of 13.32 defeating Commonwealth Games finalist Orlando Bennett who ran 13.47 for second place. Odario Phillips of Pelicans Track Club was third in 13.60.

The last time Mason ran as fast was in 2015.

There was a spectacular finish in the Women’s 100m hurdles in which newly minted professional Kerrica Diamond Hill ran a new meet record 12.75 for victory. Seemingly left for dead by Megan Tapper after the first five flights, Hill, who turned 18 in March, stormed back to blow past the Olympic bronze medallist and claim a comfortable victory.

Tapper had to settle for second in 12.99 while Asharria Ulett of St Catherine High finished third in 13.99.

Assinie Wilson of Titans International ran a new personal best of 49.15 to win the 400m hurdles ahead of training partner Malik Kymani James-King, who clocked 50.29 for second. Zachary Chamberlain finished third in a pedestrian 55.18.

Jodean Williams of Racers Track Club won the 200m in a season- best 23.56 over Olympic 400m finalist Candace McLeod, who ran 24.05 for second place. Tricha Walker of Camperdown High School was third in a new personal best of 25.16.

Tissanna Hickling of Ricketts Performance was the only woman past six metres in the long jump with a season-best 6.56m. Jodian Stewart of MVP jumped a season-best 5.91m while Aaliyah Foster of Mt Alvernia High set a mark of 5.89m for third.

Tajay Gayle won the men’s long jump that had sub-par performances from the podium finishers. Gayle jumped 7.90m to take the win ahead of Shawn ‘D Thompson (7.42m) and Aubrey Allen (7.39m).

Meanwhile, Fedrick Dacres won the men’s discus with a throw of 65.66m. Traves Smikle was second with 64.30m with Chad Wright third with a season-best of 63.35m.

The 30-year-old two-time world champion cruised to victory in the 100m hurdles in an easy 12.71. She was well clear of Australia’s Michelle Jenneke, who clocked 12.89 for the runner-up spot. In third was the USA’s Amber Hughes, who crossed the line in 12.98.

The news was not so good for the other Jamaican in the race. Olympic silver medallist Megan Tapper did not complete the event.

However, Williams was not the only Caribbean winner in Berlin on Sunday. Olympic bronze medallist Ronald Levy, who has been making his way back to form after long-term injuries, won the 110m hurdles in 13.45, a season’s best.

Levy got the nod over Just Kwaou-Matthey of France, who was timed in 13.46 in a blanket finish. Italy’s Ndele Simonelli Lorenzo was not far behind in 13.50.

Bahamian star runner Shaune Miller Uibo did not finish her 400m race that was won by Norway’s Henriette Jaeger in a new national record of 51.03.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Jonielle Smith was third in the 100m. She ran a time of 11.33 in the race won by the USA’s Jenna Prandini in 11.24 with Belgium’s Rani Rosius finishing just ahead of the Jamaican in 11.32.

It was a meet that several Caribbean athletes used as a tune-up before their expected departures to Tokyo, Japan for the Olympic Games that begin later this week.

Blake, who is contesting both 100m and 200m at the Olympics ran 20.22 in a blanket finish with Rasheed Dwyer, who defeated him at the national championships in Kingston last month. Dwyer was given the same time.

Jevaughn Minzie was third in 20.29 while the ever-improving Jazeel Murphy ran 20.49 for fourth.

Minzie had earlier won the 100m in 10.09 in slightly windy conditions. The wind registered at 2.3m/s just above the allowable limit.

It was a race where the top four places were separated by 0.02 seconds. Chris Royster of the United States was given the same time as Minzie while Travis Collins finished third in 10.10. Tyquendo Tracey was fourth in 10.11.

Murphy was sixth in 10.15. The former Bridgeport High School star ran a lifetime best of 10.17 during the preliminary round.

Candice Hill won the women’s 200m in 22.30, a time aided by a trailing wind of 3.3m/s. Anastasia Le-Roy, who missed out on the chance to make Jamaica’s team to Tokyo, was second in 22.79. Cassondra Hall of the USA was third in 22.97.

Hill won the 100m in 10.99 (2.5m/s) ahead of Tristan Evelyn of Barbados (11.23) and Jamaica’s Remona Burchell (11.24).

Tapper, the newly minted national 100m hurdles champion, clocked 12.48 to win her event in commanding fashion ahead of Evonne Britton, who ran 12.72 and Yanique Thompson (12.75). The time would have been a massive lifetime best for Tapper had it not been for a heavy tailwind of 3.6m/s.

Ronda Whyte ran 55.57 to win the 400m hurdles defeating Puerto Rico’s Grace Claxton, who ran 56.26. Canada’s Noelle Montcalm ran 56.37 for third place.

The flat 400m was won by Tovea Jenkins in 51.53 after holding off the challenge of Jaide Stepter of the USA who ran 51.87. Le-Roy was third in 51.98.

Khallifah Rosser won the men’s event in 45.74 ahead of Nathon Allen, who clocked 45.89. South Africa’s Derrick Mokaleng was third in 46.04, the same time that was given to Demish Gaye, who was fourth.