Rai Benjamin

Benjamin, who finished second to Warholm at the 2019 and 2022 World Championships as well as the 2021 Olympics, turned the tables on the Norwegian with a world leading, meet record and diamond league record 46.39 for victory.

Warholm was second in a spectacular 46.53 while Kyron McMaster, who finished second at the World Championships in Budapest last month ahead of Benjamin and behind Warholm, ran 47.31 for third. McMaster also got a win over Warholm at the Zurich Diamond League.

Last Thursday, McMaster secured a significant victory in Slovakia, winning the 400m hurdles in a season's best time of 47.26 seconds. At the P-T-S Meeting, the British Virgin Islands star raced to victory ahead of David Kendziera the USA, who clocked in at 48.95 seconds with Dany Brandt of Switzerland taking third place with a season-best time of 49.25 seconds.

McMaster, a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, joined Evans’ group at the end of last season after spending the previous five years with Jamaican coach Lennox Graham, who is also the Assistant Coach at Clemson University.

Under Graham’s guidance, McMaster won two Commonwealth Games titles and was fourth at the Toyko Olympics in a lifetime best 47.08, a time that would have won the gold medal at every other Olympic Games except for 1992 when Kevin Young won in a then world record of 46.78 and in Tokyo where Karsten Warholm dropped a jaw-dropping 45.94 to win gold.

Two years on, Coach Evans believes the 26-year-old McMaster is now primed to achieve a new lifetime best and a place on the podium of a global championship.

Prior to McMaster’s season-best run in Slovakia, the BVI-born hurdler has been running 48s all season so his performance in Slovakia was somewhat surprising. Regarding McMaster's readiness and recent improvement, Coach Evans stated, "I do believe that he probably should have run 47 a little earlier. But the thing is sometimes when you get a kid from a new coach he has to get used to the program and then you do things a little differently."

In Evans’ training group McMaster trains with the likes of Steven Gardiner, an Olympic and World Champion, Matthew Hudson-Smith, a World Championship bronze medallist as well as Michael Cherry, a 400m standout. Working with them has helped McMaster get settled and improve. He just now needs to focus on the task at hand.

"Kyron studies hard, studies very, very hard and I told him, sometimes you're doing too much studying. You're trying to do my job, the agent's job. I just need you to run," the veteran coach said.

Speaking about the training plan to get McMaster to this stage before the World Championships, Coach Evans explained, "We worked on what we had to work on the track and when we step out on the track, just run... know that I got to run 400 metres but I got 10 sticks. That's one of the 10 items that's going to interrupt me and that's how we look at it now."

In Budapest, McMaster will face Warholm, American champion Rai Benjamin and the world champion, Alison dos Santos, all of whom have run 46 seconds for the 400m hurdles. For McMaster to get onto the podium, he has to be capable to dipping below 47 seconds.

Evans believes he is ready to do just that.

“[I] already told him to get ready to get a new tattoo (of his new personal best). I have a few goals when I'm coaching; two goals, we are going to win a medal and when we step on that track at the end of the season, we going to know we ran our PB."

Regarding McMaster's competitors, Coach Evans noted, "You got the big three; you got Santos back, you got Warholm, and you got Rai Benjamin, somebody's going to choke, somebody's going to make a mistake.

“Somebody's going to take a step back. One of them hurdlers is going to step back and do a 47. You got to be ready to say, ‘Okay, I need to make sure I step forward. It's like I told Matthew Hudson Smith last year when Stevie (Gardiner) stepped out the picture. Matthew Hudson, this is your time to go get your medal.”

Coach Evans further expressed his confidence in McMaster's potential to succeed, saying, "I think we got a good game plan that we're going come up with when we get there. Kyron, it's your time to step in the picture... You got to stay in front of them... Your foot on the gas. You got to be on the gas now."

McMaster races next at the Eddie Murphy Classic in Memphis, Tennessee on August 4. It will be his final race before departing for his medal hunt in Budapest.

“My objective is for him to run in Memphis where it'll be a great. It'll be a great field. You know CJ Allen that ran 47.8 and two other guys. A lot of people are going to use that Memphis race. For our people, that's their last race and then they're going across [to Budapest],” Evans concluded.

McMaster a two-time Commonwealth Games champion, was always favoured to right the wrongs on this occasion, and that he did in, making no mistakes at the National Athletic Stadium in the Central European country.

He clocked 47.34s, behind Norway’s stalwart Karsten Warholm (46.89s), who added the World Championships crown to his Olympic title, while American Rai Benjamin (47.56s) was third.

Jamaica’s 19-year-old Roshawn Clarke (48.07s) ran an impressive race to finish fourth behind the proverbial big guns. In fact, he finished ahead of now dethroned champion Alison Dos Santos (48.10s) of Brazil.

Running from lanes five and eight respectively, the 26-year-old McMaster and Clarke went out well, keeping pace with Dos Santos for the first 200m.

However, when Warholm and Benjamin made their move, Clarke had no response to their injection, while McMaster was seemingly fading into bronze, but produced a late rally to get by the American in the closing stages to win the battle for second.

You can catch live action of the 2023 World Athletic Championships by downloading the Sportsmax App.

McMaster, who has endured a topsy-turvy season, placed fifth in a season’s best 47.79s, while Clarke, who was up with the front runners at one point, lost his form, clipped obstacles in the closing stages, and failed to finish.

Still, there was some Caribbean connection on the podium, as American gold medal winner Rai Benjamin is the son of former West Indies stalwart Winston Benjamin. The younger Benjamin, who represented Antigua and Barbuda at the youth level, won in a season’s best 46.46s.

He upstaged Norwegian World Record holder Karsten Warholm (47.06s), while Brazil’s Alison dos Santos (47.26s) closed fast to claim bronze.

The 35-year-old five-time World 100m champion donated the singlet worn in the 100m final at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July.

Hers is among the 32 artefacts donated by 21 athletes from 16 countries and five areas to have contributed to the museum.

According to World Athletics, much of the clothing, shoes, equipment, and trophies entering MOWA, were donated to the World Athletics Heritage Collection during 2022 and were exhibited in MOWA Heritage exhibitions in Muscat, Belgrade, Portland, and Eugene this year.

Currently, the new additions are on show at the World Athletics offices in Monaco and will be exhibited next year in a five-month-long exhibition in Budapest, ahead of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 (19-27 August 2023).

Also making contributions this year were USA’s discus thrower Valarie Allman, who donated singlet and briefs and a pair of throwing shoes, Rai Benjamin, the 400m hurdler who donated a pair of spikes and Norway’s Jakob Ingerbrigsten, whose contribution was a bodysuit and name bib.

Jackson, who won silver in the 100m in a personal best 10.73 on Sunday, looked magnificent in semi-final 1, cruising to 21.67 to win and advance to the final.

100m bronze medallist and double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah finished third in semi-final 2 in a season’s best 21.97 to advance to the final as a fastest loser. The USA’s Tamara Clark ran 21.95 to win while defending world champion Dina Asher-Smith ran a season’s best 21.96 for second.

Newly-crowned 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was also impressive in semi-final 3, running a season’s best 21.82 to win ahead of US champion Abby Steiner (22.15).

Dominican Republic Mixed Relay gold-medallist Alexander Ogando continued his brilliant world championships so far with a personal best and national record 19.91 to win semi-final 1 of the men’s 200m.

Trinidadian 2017 World Championship bronze medallist Jereem Richards of Trinidad & Tobago finished third in semi-final 2 in a brilliant 19.86 to advance to the final as a fastest loser. American defending champion Noah Lyles ran a brilliant 19.62 to win the race while Olympic silver medallist Kenny Bednarek, also of the USA, ran a season’s best 19.84 for second.

In the women’s 400m hurdles, Jamaican champion Janieve Russell ran 54.42 to win heat 2 and advance to the semi-finals.

Panama’s Gianna Woodruff ran 55.21 to finish third in semi-final 3 and progress. Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon produced 54.01 in heat 4 to finish second and advance while her teammate, 2019 World Championship bronze medallist Rushell Clayton finished fourth in heat 5 in 54.99 to advance.

Jaheel Hyde ran a new personal best 48.03 for sixth in the men’s 400m hurdles final. Brazilian world leader Alison Dos Santos dominated to win gold in a championship record 46.29 while Americans Rai Benjamin (46.89) and Trevor Bassitt (47.39) were second and third.

BVI’s McMaster, who finished fourth at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, will have an opportunity to win his first Olympic medal after running 48.15 to win the second semifinal ahead of Estonia’s Rasmus Magi (48.16), now a finalist for the third successive Olympics.

Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba also made it through to the final out of that semi with 48.20 in third.

Jamaica’s Malik James-King looked set to finish in the top two in that semifinal before clipping the last hurdle and stumbling to seventh in 48.85.

Clarke ran comfortably on his way to 48.34 for second in the third semifinal behind American Rai Benjamin who won in 47.85.

Reigning Olympic champion and world record holder Karsten Warholm (47.67), France’s Clement Ducos (47.85) and 2023 World champion Alison Dos Santos (47.95) qualified from the first semifinal.

Jaheel Hyde ran 50.03 to finish seventh in that first semifinal.

The final is set for Friday at 2:45pm Jamaica Time (3:45pm ECT).

James-King, who posted a personal best of 47.42 to win the Jamaican national championships in June, delivered a smooth performance in the heats. He clocked 48.21 to comfortably win the last of five heats, securing his place as an automatic qualifier.

Clarke, who finished second to James-King at the Jamaican trial won Heat Four in a time of 48.17, ensuring his advancement to the semi-finals.

Hyde, competing in the opening heat against gold medal favorite Rai Benjamin, crossed the finish line in second place with a time of 49.08. Benjamin took the heat in an effortless 48.82. McMaster followed closely, securing third place in 49.24 to move on to the next round.

Among the other medal favorites, Norway’s Karsten Warholm emerged as the fastest qualifier for the semi-finals, winning Heat Two in an impressive 47.57. Frenchman Clement Docus achieved a lifetime best of 47.69 to take second place, while Abderrahman Samba of Qatar finished third in 48.85.

In another heat, Estonia’s Rasmus Magi led the pack with a winning time of 48.62, followed by the USA’s CJ Allen, who clocked 48.64. Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, another strong contender for a medal, secured his semi-final spot with a time of 48.85.

 Reflecting on her race, Alfred shared, "I was specially prepared today not to make a mistake and to just focus on myself and my own race. I felt great during the race but now my legs hurt a bit because I did a heavy training. Of course, I cannot complain right now, as I am taking home the Diamond League win. I am getting better with each race, I run more relaxed as well. I feel confident. I know that all I need to do is to trust my coach and to trust myself. The coach knows what is best for me. I really love this Monaco crowd and the introduction of the event with the lights. I will get back to practice and just focus for my preparations for Paris."

 Alfred's victory is a clear indication of her growing form and confidence as she heads towards the Olympic Games. Her ability to perform under pressure and continue improving with each race makes her a strong contender for the podium in Paris.

 Cuba's Leyanis Perez Hernandez emerged victorious in the women's triple jump with a leap of 14.96m. She edged out Dominica's Thea LaFond, who jumped 14.87m, and Ukraine's Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, who recorded 14.81m. Notably, Jamaican athletes Shanieka Ricketts and Ackelia Smith finished fourth and fifth with jumps of 14.67m and 14.30m, respectively.

 Botswana's Letsile Tebogo dominated the men's 200m, winning in 19.87 seconds. Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic finished second in 20.02 seconds, while Uganda's Gracious Tarsis Orogot took third in 20.32 seconds. Matthew Hudson placed fourth with a time of 20.43 seconds.

 In an epic showdown in the men's 400m hurdles, USA's Rai Benjamin triumphed over Olympic champion Karsten Warholm, clocking a blazing 46.67 seconds. Warholm finished a close second in 46.73 seconds, with Brazil's Alison dos Santos taking third in 47.18 seconds. Jamaica's Malik James-King also impressed, running a fast 47.73 seconds despite hitting hurdles nine and 10, which slowed his momentum.

 USA's Quincy Hall delivered a world-leading and lifetime best performance in the men's 400m, winning in a commanding 43.80 seconds. Fellow American Vernon Norwood finished second with a season's best 44.34 seconds, while South Africa's Lythe Pillay took third in 44.58 seconds.

 Rhasidat Adeleke of Ireland was a dominant winner in the women's 400m, clocking 49.17 seconds. Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands finished second with a lifetime best of 49.64 seconds, and Kendall Ellis of the USA took third in 50.39 seconds.

 The Monaco Diamond League meeting showcased some of the world's best athletic talents, setting the stage for an exciting build-up to the Olympic Games in Paris. With performances like Julien Alfred's and others, the anticipation for the upcoming Olympics continues to grow.

McMaster, the two-time Commonwealth Games champion, won the second of the five heats in 48.47 ahead of Estonia’s Rasmus Magi (48.58) and the USA’s Trevor Bassit, who clocked in at 48.74. Kenya’s Wiseman Were Mukhobe was the final automatic qualifier from the heat when he finished fourth in 49.10.

Clarke, 19, who equaled the World U20 record of 47.85 at Jamaican national championships in July, was the fastest of the Caribbean men to advance, clocking 48.39 while finishing third in Heat 4 of the preliminary round.

The heat was won by Germany’s Joshua Abuaku in 48.47 ahead of Estonia’s Rasmus Magi (48.58) and the USA’s Trevor Bassit, who clocked in at 48.74. Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel was fourth in a personal best of 48.47.

Hyde finished second in his heat, the last of the five, in 48.63. Rai Benjamin of the USA won the heat in 48.35 with Japan’s Kazuki Kurokawa third in 48.71, a season’s best. Costa Rica’s Gerald Drummond was the other automatic qualifier in 48.73.

Also through were medal favourites Karsten Warholm, the Olympic champion and world record holder and Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos, who clocked 48.76 and 48.12, respectively.

Olympic champion Rai Benjamin is tapping into his Antiguan roots to prepare for the upcoming 2025 Track and Field season.

The American 2024 Olympic 400m hurdles gold medallist and son of former West Indies fast bowler Winston Benjamin is currently training at the Yasco Sports Complex in St. John’s Antigua & Barbuda as part of a week-long camp under the guidance of coach Joanna Hayes, a 2004 Olympic champion in the sprint hurdles.

Parchment’s time was second fastest in qualifying behind American defending World Champion Grant Holloway’s 13.14.

Also advancing to the semi-finals were Jamaicans Rasheed Broadbell (13.36) and Orlando Bennett (13.55) as well as Barbados’ Shane Brathwaite (13.47).

The Men’s 400m hurdles saw four Caribbean athletes progress to the semi-finals.

Jamaica’s Kemar Mowatt ran 49.44 to finish second in his heat behind Olympic bronze medallist and 2022 world leader Alison Dos Santos of Brazil (49.41).

Mowatt’s Jamaican teammate Jaheel Hyde finished third in his heat in 50.03 behind Norewgian Olympic Champion and world record holder Karsten Warholm (49.34) and Belgium’s Julien Watrin (49.83).

Jamaica's Shawn Rowe finished sixth in heat four but his time of 49.51 was good enough to see him advance.

Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands also advanced safely after a 49.98 effort for fourth in his heat behind the USA’s Khalifah Rosser (48.62), Ramsey Angela of the Netherlands (49.62) and Sweden’s Carl Bengstrom (49.64). American Olympic silver medallist Rai Benjamin ran 49.06 to in his heat and also safely advance.

In the field, Shanieka Ricketts, Kimberley Williams and Ackelia Smith all advanced to the final of the Women’s triple jump.

Ricketts jumped 14.45m to advance with the fifth furthest jump in qualifying while Smith was eighth furthest with a personal best 14.36m. Williams was the 12^th furthest jumper in qualifying with 14.27m.

Ana Lucia Jose Tima of the Dominican Republic had the third farthest jump in qualifying with a new national record 14.52m while Dominica’s Thea Lafond (14.39m) and Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez (14.30m) will also be in Monday’s final. Venezuelan world record holder Yulimar Rojas led all qualifiers with 14.73m.

Jamaicans Lamara Distin and Kimberly Williamson both jumped 1.90m to advance to the final of the Women’s high jump.