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Millrose Games

“I knew it was in me,” says Devynne Charlton after breaking 60m hurdles world record at Millrose Games

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.

Alfred and Asher-Smith lead 60m field for Millrose Games

The sprinter from St Lucia won the NCAA indoor title last year in a North American record of 6.94, just 0.02 shy of the long-standing world record. She also won the NCAA indoor 200m title in 22.01, which also moved her to second on the world indoor all-time list.

Outdoors, she went undefeated at 100m from April to August. Her first and only loss of the year came in the World Championships final, where she placed fifth. She went one better in the 200m, finishing fourth.

Alfred will take on a strong field that includes 2019 world 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith. The 28-year-old holds British records for 60m, 100m and 200m, and owns eight global medals as well as seven continental medals, four of them gold.

“The Millrose Games is one of the most prestigious and historic indoor competitions in the USA, and I am looking forward to racing there for the first time,” said Asher-Smith, who recently relocated to the US. “I am really enjoying my new training set up in Austin, and I’m looking forward to a big year in 2024.”

USA’s 2016 Olympic 4x100m champion English Gardner, winner of the 60m at the Millrose Games in 2019, will also be in the line-up, so too will Jamaica’s Briana Williams, who won Olympic 4x100m gold in 2021.

World indoor bronze medallist Marybeth Sant-Price, 2023 Millrose runner-up Tamari Davis, 2016 Olympic 4x100m silver medallist Shashalee Forbes and NACAC silver medallist Celera Barnes.

Alfred says transition from college to professional ranks has been smooth; dreams of being St. Lucia’s first Olympic medallist

The 22-year-old St. Lucian standout, fresh off a dominant 2023 collegiate season for the Texas Longhorns that saw her claim the Bowerman award, has started the 2024 indoor season brilliantly.

Alfred, a 100m silver medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, opened her season with a pair of wins at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in Albuquerque from February 2-3.

She first won the 200m on February 2 with a world leading 22.16, the fifth fastest indoor 200m time ever. Alfred also has the second fastest time ever with 22.01 done during her dominant 2023 season at Texas.

A day later, she won her heat of the 60m in 7.15 before returning to run 7.04 to win the final, a world-lead at the time.

At the Millrose Games on February 11, Alfred became the first woman to dip below the 7-second mark this season with a world-leading 6.99 for a dominant victory.

“I feel very pleased. I feel like I could’ve executed better but overall, I feel good. My body feels good and mentally I’m there,” Alfred said in a post-race interview.

She says that despite some difficulty having to adjust to a new routine, her transition from the collegiate ranks to the pro ranks has been smooth.

“Training has been really good. The fall was a bit difficult for me adjusting to having no school and no routine but I’m getting used to it now. I did take some time off and it was really needed so the transition has been really smooth,” she said.

Alfred is also joint-second on the all-time list in the 60m with 6.94, also done in 2023, and, after her performance on Sunday, feels like she is ready to challenge Irina Privalova’s world record 6.92 done all the way back in 1993.

“I feel really good about the performance to be honest and I really felt like I was ready to go after the world record but I’m just going to go out there and keep training and see what I can do at World Indoors,” she said.

The World Indoor Championships are set for March 1-3 in Glasgow and Alfred says that, despite some obvious goals for the upcoming outdoor season, this is all she is focused on right now.

“I’m just thinking about World Indoors and not down the line. When the time comes for that I’ll think about it but for now I’m taking it one race at a time,” she said.

When the time does come to move her focus to the Paris Olympics, Alfred says her goal is to be St. Lucia’s first ever Olympic medallist.

“I don’t have a time in mind at all but I definitely want to medal in Paris. That’s my biggest goal as of now. I’d be happy just to get a medal for my country because my country has never gotten a medal at the Olympics so I would love to be the first,” she said.

Alfred storms to world-leading 6.99 60m dash at Millrose Games, Blake third in men's race

The time also a meet and facility record and further establishes Alfred position as being among the best of the world’s elite women sprinters. She is the first woman under seven seconds this indoor season after breaking the hallowed barrier three times last season during her final NCAA season.

There was daylight between Alfred and the in-form Shashalee Forbes of Jamaica, who was the runner-up in 7.14.

Destiny Smith-Barnett of the USA finished third in 7.16 while Briana Williams was fourth in 7.25.

Meanwhile, Christian Coleman of the USA won the men’s equivalent in 6.51 just managing to hold off Hakim Sani-Brown of Japan (6.54) and Akeem Blake of Jamaica, who overcame a poor start to finish third in 6.55.

Ryiem Forde of Jamaica was fourth in a personal best of 6.60.

Bella Brown U8 sprint sensation at Millrose Games inspired by track icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

The influence of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on Bella's journey is profound.  "She probably saw Shelly Anne run when she was about four years old. She was very excited,” said Bella’s mother Sandra Harris, beaming with pride.

“We watch clips all the time. She watched them run. All the time she looks at their form. She looks at how they relax when they're running even though they're running hard. So yeah, she watches Shelly-Ann Fraser (Pryce) all the time and Veronica (Campbell-Brown) too."

The young prodigy's electrifying win at the Millrose Games showcased her raw talent and dedication, echoing the footsteps of her Jamaican idols. Sandra shared insights into her daughter's excitement and commitment after the triumphant race:

"Bella was excited. She trained very hard for this race, especially her starts. She came in very confident. She said she's gonna win, and all she wanted to do was execute her race properly. So when she did what she sought out to do, she was excited when she finished running."

Bella's affinity for track and field is deeply rooted in her family's athletic legacy. Sandra, whose family is from Westmoreland in Jamaica, is a former 100m and 200m sprinter, and Clarendon-born Barrington Brown, Bella's father, with a background in running and jumping, have passed down their love for the sport. "Bella Brown is from a track family. I ran. I was a 55/200m runner. 11 seconds in the 100m, 23 in the 200m. Her dad was also a runner and a jumper, so I would say it's in her blood," Sandra remarked.

However, Bella's dreams reach beyond mere victories on the track; she aspires to become an Olympian. Sandra expressed, "Bella wants to be an Olympian, yes. I don't know how far she wants to take it if she wants to be the fastest woman in the world one day, but she definitely wants to go to the Olympics."

As for Bella's potential representation on the global stage, Sandra said she is leaving the decision to her daughter: "If she continues on her path that she's currently on, I don't know who she will represent. Not sure she'll represent the USA or Jamaica, but we'll always leave that up to her. We want her to represent Jamaica; that's where we're from."

Blake to clash with Coleman, DeGrasse in 60m at Millrose Games

The 21-year-old Blake had a mixed season in 2023. On one hand, he lowered his 100m personal best to 9.89 at the LA Grand Prix on May 27.

On the other hand, Blake disappointingly failed to secure an individual spot for Jamaica’s 100m team at the World Championships in Budapest after finishing fourth in the 100m final at Jamaica’s national championships in July. He went on to be a part of Jamaica’s bronze medal quartet in the men’s 4x100m in Budapest.

Blake’s 60m personal best, 6.42, was done last season at the National Stadium.

The USA’s Coleman, in addition to his 2019 World Outdoor 100m title, won the World Indoor 60m title in 2018 and was runner-up in 2022.

He is the current world record holder in the event with 6.34 done at the US Indoor Championships in 2018.

Canada’s De Grasse has won a number of medals at the global level, most notably winning 200m gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and being part of Canada’s gold medal 4x100m quartet at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene.

He has a 60m personal best of 6.60 done all the way back in 2015.

Also in the field will be the USA’s 2018 World Indoor bronze medallist Ronnie Baker, Japanese record-holed Abdul Hakim Sani Brown and Puerto Rican record-holder Miles Lewis.

Briana Williams excited to face her idol Felix over 60m on Saturday

 It will be the first time the 17-year-old sprinter will race against the decorated American. The stacked field also includes Jamaica’s Trudy Ann Williamson, the USA’s Morolake Akinuson, Hannah Cunliffe, Teahna Daniels, Javianne Oliver, Deajah Stevens and Germany’s Tatjana Pinto.

 “I'm excited about the line-up. I’ve been looking up to Allyson ever since I started track so this is pretty awesome that I get to race against her. She has accomplished so much, especially at a young age,” said Williams who raced to a fast 7.15-second outdoor run in Kingston last month.

 She opened her 2020 season with a personal best 7.25 seconds at the Clemson University's Orange & Purple Elite Invitational on January 4,

 In contrast to Williams’ excitement about racing her idol, Coach Ato Boldon sees this as just another 60m race in William's 2020 preparation.

 "Training has been exceptional so I expect another PR from Briana this weekend. She has run against the two Olympic 100m champions on multiple occasions...she won't be overwhelmed by the spotlight."

Briana Williams relishing 60m challenge at Saturday's Millrose Games

The 19-year-old Williams will face the likes of Aleia Hobbs and Mikiah Brisco both of whom defeated her in Louisiana, a fortnight ago. Also in the line-up is two-time Olympian English Gardner and Tokyo Olympics 200m bronze medalist Gabby Thomas.

The 2018 World U20 champion, who has been working on her speed these past two weeks, said she is relishing the challenge.

“I feel excited and ready because I've been doing well in training and I’ve focused more on speed work this week to gear up for this meet. The 60m field is loaded so I can’t wait to see how I do,” said the talented teen who is hardly ever daunted by the occasion.

Meanwhile, her coach Ato Boldon sees this as another opportunity for Williams to get more accustomed to competing at the senior level.

“The line-up for the Millrose Games will be a great challenge for Briana as she works through being calm under pressure, which is critical for senior-level competition,” he said.

Williams is one of track and field’s most promising young athletes. She was a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where she became the youngest Jamaican ever to win an Olympic gold medal.

Charlton can go even faster than her world record, says coach. "I think she's got another half a 10th in there or something.”

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.

Charlton storms to 60m hurdles world record at Millrose Games in NY

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.

Following 'breakthrough' Travis Williams targets spot in Jamaican team to World Championships

However, after his 6.59s run that eventually placed him second to world-record holder Christian Coleman, the 19-year-old University of Albany sophomore has now been thrust into the spotlight as perhaps the next big sprinter from Jamaica.

Coleman won the race in a season-best 6.47 with 200m World Champion Noah Lyles finishing second in 6.53, just shy of his personal best. However, he was disqualified for a false start, resulting in Williams being promoted to second.

At the time, the 6.59 made him the fastest Jamaican in the world over the distance this season.

The son of Winston Rowe and Averil Leweing, Travis grew up in St. Ann, Jamaica and attended York Castle High School. He said he competed at the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships in 2017 and 2018 but emphasized that he wasn’t very good.

“I ran like 11.1 in Jamaica, nothing spectacular,” he said.

He migrated to New York in 2018 and enrolled at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx where he lettered all four years in track & field and was team captain as a senior.

While at Cardinal Hayes he was the 2021 4x200m national champion, the 2020 New Balance All-American as well as the 2021 Catholic High School Athletics Association (CHSAA) MVP.

He signed to attend the University at Albany in the fall of 2021 but hampered by injury, his freshman year anything but spectacular.

“Last season, there was a lot of ups and downs, I was hurt. I broke seven seconds in the 60m, one time. Then I ran 6.98, that was nothing spectacular,” Travis said.

However, Assistant Sprint Coach Junior Burnett recognized the potential in the young sprinter.

“Travis came to college running 6.95 in the 60m dash. (He) never knew how to execute the phases of sprinting. He learned how to develop the correct drive-phase angles, got stronger during the summer and the rest is history,” he said.

History took some amount of work, though, and it seems to be paying off for the emerging sprinter.

“Coming into this season, I had the right off-season training. It (the Millrose time) was no shock. I always told myself I was going to fast but I didn’t know it was going to be 6.59 fast,” said an excited Williams, who spoke with Sportsmax.TV earlier this week.

The first signs of what was to come began to emerge on December 2, 2022 when Travis ran 6.67 for second place in the 60m final at the Crowell Open.

A week later, he ran 6.67 again to win the dash at the Joe Donahue Games Opener having run 6.75 in the preliminaries.

He didn’t race again until January 21, 2023, when once again, he clocked 6.67 to win at the Boston University Battle in Beantown before a 6.70 run for another win at the Dr Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge.

“This is a breakthrough season for me, to be honest. My teammate, Shakur Williams, ran 6.66 and I ran 6.67 behind him. I said, ‘Hold on! I just opened my season with a 6.67 then we had a four-week break and came from the same place I left off so I was like, ‘alright, I’m consistent so at one of these meets my time will drop, I was just looking for that drop.

“So I ran 6.67 three times. I was a little upset with that but it was just setting me up for a big drop.”

The week before the Millrose Games, Travis ran 6.68 in the preliminaries and then 6.64 to win the 60m final at the Clemson Elite track meet. That performance got him invited to Millrose where the big drop finally came.

Coach Burnett believes he can go even faster but it will take time.

“Travis has the potential to run 6.49 in the 60m, but it is going to take him some time to learn the things required. (I am) hoping for 10.00/9.95 come summer,” he said.

Travis is also looking forward to the summer when Jamaica will host its national championships to select a team to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Travis intends to be in Jamaica to take a shot at qualifying.

I am definitely targeting competing at the Jamaican trials and booking a spot on the team to Worlds. That was always on my agenda. No matter what, I am going to trials this year,” he said.

“This (the 6.59) definitely sets me up for a great season outdoors. I will definitely be going to trials.”

The summer is a long way off so for now, Travis will lock in on what is immediately ahead.

“I am targetting 10.1 but I could go faster but for right now that’s my target. My focus now is on indoor and indoor nationals, but I will definitely be there for trials.”

Jamaica's Anderson, Taylor score wins at Millrose Games

In fact, it was a Caribbean 1-2 in the Women’s 60m Hurdles with Anderson running a personal best 7.91 to win ahead of Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas who ran 7.95 for second.  Tonea Marshall of the USA was third in 7.99.

Former Calabar standout and Olympic 400m finalist Taylor ran 46.38 to win the Men’s 400m ahead of the USA’s Vernon Norwood in 46.45 and American 800m record holder Donovan Brazier in 46.55.

2020 Olympic 110m Hurdles bronze medallist Devon Allen won the Men’s 60m Hurdles, adding to his wins in the 2018 and 2019 Millrose Games, in a world-leading 7.53 ahead of Daniel Roberts who ran 7.56 for second while Shane Brathwaite from Barbados was third in 7.67.

Aleia Hobbs of the USA won the Women’s 60m with 7.11 ahead of teammate Mikiah Briscoe who ran 7.15. 16-year-old American Shawnti Jackson ran a US high-school record 7.18 for third while Jamaica’s Briana Williams was fourth in 7.22.

2019 100m World Champion Christian Coleman made a winning return to the track, after a 2-year suspension, with a time of 6.49 to win the Men’s 60m.

Trayvon Bromell finished second in 6.50 while Ronnie Baker was third in 6.54.

Jamaica’s former Olympic and World champion in the 110m Hurdles, Omar McLeod, was sixth in 6.70.

Jamaica’s Tovea Jenkins and Roniesha McGregor were third and fourth in the Women’s 400m in 54.14 and 54.24, respectively.

The event was won by Wadeline Jonathas of the USA in 52.51.

Jamaica’s Olympic 800m finalist Natoya Goule was second in the Women’s 800m 2:02.14 behind the USA’s Ajee Wilson who ran 2:01.38 for victory.

Jamaican government settles outstanding medical bills for Olympian Kemoy Campbell

Campbell, who has since retired from track and field, suffered a near death experience at the Millrose Games in February 2019. The now 29-year-old collapsed after stepping off the track in New York where he was the pace-setter for the men’s 3000m at the indoor meet.

He was rushed to the nearby Intensive Care Unit at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Hospital. He was eventually fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator and later with a pacemaker after suffering another scare a year later.

His medical bills amounted to hundreds of thousands of US dollars. He had managed to pay a portion of the bill but a substantial balance had remained.

That balance has now been settled by the Jamaican government.

Minister Olivia Grange announced on Wednesday that the outstanding amount of just under USD$71,000 had been paid off.

According to a statement from the ministry, the Jamaica Athletes Insurance Plan paid USD$ 31,677 towards the settlement of his medical bill while Campbell also paid an amount through his personal insurance but there was still an outstanding balance.

“The Ministry felt duty bound to assist Kemoy,” Minister Grange said.

“He has performed well for Jamaica and in fact, as we know, he fell ill on the track. And so, the least we could do to show appreciation and gratitude to him was to assist in his time of need.”

Campbell was overwhelmed by the gesture from the government.

“My family and I would like to sincerely thank Minister Grange for helping me with my medical bills, he said.

“After my second incident in March 2020, the minister reached out to me and told me that I shouldn’t worry about the bills as she was willing to help me pay for my medical expenses following my surgery.

“This meant so much to me because my hospital stay and surgery were very expensive. Knowing that the minister and Jamaica were there for me during this tough time helped me get through the months following. I really appreciate everything that the minister and Jamaica have done for me and will always be grateful.”

Meantime, Minister Grange used the opportunity to encourage other athletes to sign up for the insurance scheme.

“I am happy that through the JAIP and the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) we were able to give Kemoy the level of assistance that concluded the settlement of his medical bills and that he is doing well,” she said.

“I continue to encourage athletes to sign up for the JAIP and maintain contact with the  Sport Division of the Ministry to ensure that their health and welfare matters are in order.”

 

McLeod withdraws from Millrose Games with suspected injury

McLeod, who is looking to defend his Olympic title in Tokyo, Japan, this summer, was among several star athletes down to compete but the athlete revealed his decision to withdraw on Thursday.

“In an Olympic year especially, you have to look at the big picture, and sometimes that means you have to listen to your body and be extra careful,” he said.”

I love competing but I know that I have to do everything to be at my best when it matters most. So for that reason, with great regret, my coach and I have decided to withdraw from the Millrose Games. It was a tough decision but I know in the end it was the right decision.”

McLeod was beset by injuries in 2019 when he also changed coaches twice having left Elrick Floreal for Tony Evans and then to Rana Rieder at the Tumbleweed Track Club in Jacksonville, Florida.

At the World Championships in Doha, McLeod fell mid-race and was dethroned by Grant Halloway.

Richards and Charlton score impressive wins at Millrose Games in New York

Richards, Trinidad and Tobago’s reigning world indoor champion, rebounded from his narrow loss at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix last week when he ran 45.88, to win in a season-best 45.84.

The Trinidadian was in command from the gun and created daylight between himself and the USA’s Noah Williams, who was second in 46.20.

It was the American who edged Richards over 400m in Boston last week.

Third was the USA’s Bryce Deadmon who ran 46.34.

The Bahamian champion Charlton’s good form this season, continued Saturday in New York where she ran 7.91 to win a close race with the USA duo of Tonea Marshall, who clocked a season best 7.94 and veteran Sharika Nelvis, who finished third in 7.96.

Following his mediocre season last year after his two-year suspension for whereabouts rules violations, 60 world-record holder Christian Coleman signaled a return to form winning the 60m dash in 6.47.

It was supposed to be a clash between him and Noah Lyles who ran a personal best 6.51 in Boston last week. However, the latter was disqualified for a false start and that opened the door for Jamaica’s Traves Williams of the University at Albany, who ran a lifetime best of 6.59 for second.

Josephus Lyles was given the same time but awarded third.

Aleia Hobbs, meanwhile, notched another win on her belt with a 7.04 run to win the women’s race ahead of Tamari Davis (7.08) and Mary Beth Sant-Price (7.11).

Two-time World champion Danielle Williams headlines star-studded 60m hurdles field for Millrose Games in New York

Williams shocked the world by winning her second World title last August with a 12.43 effort in Budapest.

She will be joined by countrywoman Ackera Nugent and fellow Caribbean star Devynne Charlton in the eight-woman field.

Nugent, who finished fifth at the World Championships in Budapest, dominated both the indoor and outdoor NCAA circuits last season.

She claimed the 60m hurdles title at the NCAA Indoor Championships in New Mexico in March with a brilliant 7.73 second effort, this after running a national record 7.72 in the semi-finals.

She followed that up with 100m hurdles gold at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Texas in June with a wind-aided 12.25.

Charlton is also well-credentialed both indoors and outdoors. She was a finalist in the 100m hurdles at the World Championships in Budapest, finishing sixth.

In 2022, she won silver in the 60m hurdles at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. That same year, she also took silver in the 100m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Also in the mix will be former World 100m hurdles record holder Keni Harrison, two-time World Indoor champion Nia Ali as well as Tia Jones, Alaysha Johnson and Masai Russell.