Clayton, who won bronze at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, ran a brilliant 52.68 for fifth while Salmon ran 53.29 in fifth.
American superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set the Stade de France track ablaze with a phenomenal world record 50.37 to successfully defend her Olympic title, breaking the previous mark of 50.65 she set in winning at the US Olympic Trials in June.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s countrywoman, Anna Cockrell, produced a massive personal best 51.87 in second while 2023 World Champion Femke Bol took bronze in 52.15.
The USA's Jasmine Jones ran a personal best 52.29 in fourth. Canada's Savannah Sutherland and France's Louise Maraval were seventh and eighth with 53.88 and 54.53, respectively.
Like she has done all season, Clayton went out hard and relaxed somewhat mid-race, before powering home to win semi-final one in a flat 53.00s. She took American Jasmine Jones (53.83s) into the final with her.
American World Record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone cruised to victory in semi-final two in 52.13s, ahead of Frenchwoman Louise Maraval (53.83s), while Jamaica’s Janieve Russell (54.65s) battled hard for fourth but missed a spot in the final.
Meanwhile, Salmon ran a well-paced race for third in semi-final three. She stopped the clock in a personal best of 53.13s, which was good for one of the two non-automatic qualifying spots.
The race was won by gold medal favorite Femke Bol of the Netherlands in an easy 52.57s. American Anna Cockrell (52.90s) was second, while Canada’s Savannah Sutherland (53.80s) also progressed as a non-automatic qualifier.
The final is scheduled for Thursday, August 8.
Salmon emerged as the fastest Jamaican qualifier, running a solid 53.95 seconds to finish second in her heat. The heat was won by gold medal contender Femke Bol, who clocked an impressive 53.38 seconds.
Clayton also made a strong impression, comfortably winning the opening heat with a time of 54.32 seconds. Clayton’s smooth and confident run positions her well for a possible place on the podium come Tuesday assuming she advances from the semi-finals.
Russell faced a bit more competition but still managed to qualify with ease. She finished third in her heat with a time of 54.67 seconds. The heat was won by the USA’s Anna Cockrell, who crossed the finish line in 53.91 seconds.
In addition to the Jamaicans, the competition will be fierce with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the defending champion and world record holder, who cruised to victory in the final heat with a time of 53.60 seconds. McLaughlin-Levrone remains the strong favourite for the gold medal.
Clayton's solid run of 53.97 earned her the top spot in the opening heat, surpassing former world-record holder Dahlilah Mohammed, who clocked in at 54.21. The German athlete Carolina Kraftik claimed third place with a time of 54.53, followed closely by Viivi Lehikoinen of Finland, who secured the fourth automatic qualifying spot with a time of 54.65.
Russell continued the Jamaican surge, executing a controlled performance that resulted in her winning the second heat in 54.53. She outpaced Anna Cockrell of the USA, who finished in 54.68. Gianna Woodruff of Panama secured the third position with a time of 55.31, while Canada's Savannah Sutherland secured the final automatic spot in the semifinals with a time of 55.85.
Andrenette Knight maintained the Jamaican success, finishing second in her heat behind Kemi Adekoya of Bahrain, who claimed first place with a time of 53.56. Knight's impressive run of 54.21 ensured her progression to the semifinals. Italy's Ayomide Folorunso secured the third qualifying spot with a time of 54.30, while Cathelijn Peeters of the Netherlands clinched the final automatic spot with a time of 54.95.
Meanwhile, the gold medal favorite Femke Bol of the Netherlands showed why she is the fastest woman in the world this year. Determined to make a statement after failing to lead her team to a medal in the Mixed Relays on Saturday, Bol clocked an impressive time of 53.39 in her heat, leaving her competitors trailing in her wake. Vicktoriya Tkachuck of Ukraine secured second place with a time of 55.05, while Hanne Claes of Belgium took third with a time of 55.1. Line Kloster of Norway clinched the final qualifying spot in the heat with a time of 55.23.
Great Britain's Jessie Knight won the final heat, finishing with a time of 54.27 and securing first place. She triumphed over Shamier Little of the USA, who took second place with a time of 54.40. Anna Ryzhykova of Ukraine secured third place with a time of 54.70, while Nikoleta Jichova of the Czech Republic secured the fourth qualifying spot with a time of 55.10.
Russell, the reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallist, produced a season’s best 53.75 to hold off the fast finishing Andrenette Knight (53.78) and Rushell Clayton (53.81) who finished second and third.
For Knight, this serves as redemption. Last year, she missed out on a national title after falling with 100m to go in the final after leading the whole race.
On the men’s side, Roshawn Clarke produced one of the performances of the Championships to win his maiden national senior crown.
Clarke, still only 19, brought the National Stadium crowd into a frenzy with a brilliant, world junior record-equaling 47.85. Clarke’s time also puts him second on Jamaica’s all-time list for the event behind Winthrop Graham’s 47.60 done in 1993.
Commonwealth Games silver medallist and three-time national champion, Jaheel Hyde, was second in a season’s best 48.45 while Assinie Wilson ran a massive personal best 48.50 for third.
Peters, who must now surely be favoured to win the gold medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon next month, threw 90.31m breaking the previous mark of 89.78m set by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen in 2006.
In winning, the Grenadian had to overcome a national record and personal best mark by India’s Neeraj Chopra, 89.94m, which was his opening throw. Julian Weber was third with his fifth-round mark of 89.08m.
After overcoming an injury that kept her out for an entire 2021 season, Clayton qualified for the World Championships when she finished third at Jamaica’s national championships last weekend in a season’s best 54.20. She lowered that time to 53.90 while finishing second in the 400m hurdles to Femke Bol of the Netherlands, who set a new meet record of 52.27, a time that makes her the second fastest in the world behind US champion and newly minted world-record holder Sydney McLaughlin.
Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos stormed to victory in the men’s event in a new meet record 46.80, which was also the fastest time in the world this year. Dos Santos, the bronze medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, dismantled the field over the first 200m and led by almost 10m as they turned into the home stretch.
He eventually won by more than a second over the USA’s CJ Allen who clocked 48.28 for second place and Commonwealth Games champion Kyron McMaster, who was farther back in 48.58, a season’s best.
Danielle Williams also ran a season’s best but just missed out on a podium in the 100m hurdles won by the imperious Jasmine Camacho-Quinn. The Puerto Rican Olympic champion held off a stern challenge from Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan to win in 12.46, the Nigerian clocking 12.50 for second place.
Reigning world champion Nia Ali was third in 12.53 with Williams clocking 12.59 for fourth.
Mondo Du Plantis had another outstanding outing setting a new national record of 6.16m to seal yet another win in the pole vault.
In the men's 110m hurdles, Jamaica's Rasheed Broadbell, the Olympic bronze medalist, and his compatriot Orlando Bennett will face off against the formidable American Olympic champion Grant Holloway. Holloway, a two-time world champion, is known for his explosive speed and technical prowess, but the rising French sensation Sasha Zhoya, who has been making waves on the European circuit, is also in the mix. This highly anticipated race is set to be a highlight of the meet, with Broadbell and Bennett looking to upset the reigning champion.
On the women's side, the 100m hurdles will see a clash of titans as Jamaica's Ackera Nugent, the second-fastest woman in the world this year, takes on a formidable field. Nugent, an Olympic finalist and Jamaican champion, will go up against 2019 World champion Nia Ali, former world record holder Kendra Harrison, and Olympic champion Masai Russell. The stacked lineup guarantees a fierce competition, with Nugent aiming to cement her place among the best.
In the blue-riband 100m dash, Jamaica's sprinting sensation Kishane Thompson, who holds the fastest time in the world this year at 9.77 seconds, will lead a trio of Jamaican sprinters. Thompson will be joined by Rohan Watson and Ackeem Blake as they take on an all-star cast, including Olympic champion Marcell Lamont Jacobs, American Fred Kerley, and African champion Ferdinand Omanyala. Christian Coleman, the former world champion, is also in the lineup, making this race one of the most anticipated events of the day.
The women's 100m promises to be equally electrifying, with Jamaica's two-time world champion Danielle Williams set to battle for a spot in the final against American Olympic finalist Grace Stark and French Olympic silver medalist Cyrena Samba-Mayela. With the level of talent on display, this race is poised to be a showstopper.
In the field events, Jamaica's Rajindra Campbell, the Olympic bronze medalist in the shot put, will face the ultimate test as he goes up against Olympic champion and world record holder Ryan Crouser. The shot put competition is expected to be intense, with Campbell aiming to challenge the seemingly unbeatable Crouser.
The 400m hurdles will feature Jamaica's Roshawn Clarke and Jaheel Hyde, both Olympic finalists, taking on a strong field that includes Norway's Karsten Warholm, the Olympic silver medalist, and Estonia’s Rasmus Magi. The women's 400m hurdles will see a quartet of Jamaican stars—Rushell Clayton, Shian Salmon, Andrennette Knight, and Janieve Russell—competing against American Olympic silver medalist Anna Cockrell and former world record holder Dalilah Mohammed.
In the triple jump, Jamaica's Olympic silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts and compatriot Ackelia Smith will face a tough challenge from Cuba’s Laidagmis Povea and American Olympic bronze medalist Jasmine Moore.
Barbadian star Sada Williams will represent her country in the 400m, where she will take on an exceptional field that includes Olympic gold medalist Marileidy Paulino, silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser, and USA’s rising star Alexis Holmes. The presence of Irish sensation Rhasidat Adeleke adds further intrigue to this already competitive race.
The meet will close with the women’s 100m dash, featuring Jamaica's Olympic finalists Tia Clayton and Natasha Morrison. They will face off against Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, Ivory Coast’s Marie Jose Ta Lou, and the USA’s Tamari Davis. With so much talent on display, this race promises to be a fitting finale to a day of high-octane athletics.
The field will include a number of the world’s top hurdlers including global medallists including the likes of Rushell Clayton, Shamier Little and Dalilah Muhammad.
Muhammad won Olympic gold back in Rio eight years ago and took silver in Tokyo five years later. Her time in the Tokyo final, 51.58, remains a personal best and makes her the third-fastest woman ever.
At the World Championships, the 34-year-old won gold in 2019 in a then-world record 52.16. She was also among the medals in Moscow in 2013, London in 2017 and Eugene in 2022.
Clayton took bronze at the 2019 World Championships in Doha and had a similar result last year in Budapest with a personal best 52.81.
Little is a two-time World Championship silver medallist. The first came back at the 2015 edition in Beijing and the second came in Budapest last year.
Her personal best 52.39 was done back in 2021 and puts her fifth all-time.
Saturday’s field is completed by two-time Commonwealth Games champion Janieve Russell, Pan Am Games champion Gianna Woodruff, World Championship finalists Andrenette Knight and Anna Cockrell and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Shiann Salmon.
Pryce's incredible run saw her shatter her own national record of 48.89, previously set at the NCAA National Division 1 Championships in June. In a thrilling race, Pryce defeated European champion Natalia Kaczmarek, who also achieved a personal best and set a Polish national record with her time of 48.90. Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands finished third, clocking a personal best of 49.58.
In the men's 400m hurdles, Alison Dos Santos made a strong comeback from his recent defeat in Monaco, winning with a time of 47.18. Jamaica's Roshawn Clarke ran a season's best of 47.63 to secure second place, while Ismail Daudai Abakar of Bahrain finished third with a personal best of 47.72.
The women's 400m hurdles saw Netherlands' Femke Bol, fresh off her new lifetime best of 50.95, a European record, dominate the field. Bol clinched victory with a time of 51.30, while the USA's Shamier Little finished second in 52.78. Jamaica's Rushell Clayton earned third place with a time of 53.24, and her compatriot Andrenette Knight followed closely in fourth, setting a season's best of 53.69.
Nickisha Pryce's record-breaking performance not only cements her status as one of the world's elite sprinters but also sets a formidable tone ahead of the Paris Olympics. As the Games approach, Pryce, along with her fellow Jamaican athletes, is poised to make a significant impact on the global stage.
Jamaican hurdler Ackera Nugent bounced back from the disappointment of not finishing in the final of the 100m hurdles at the 2024 Paris Olympics, capturing victory in the event with a meet record time of 12.29 seconds. Nugent, who came close to matching her personal best and national record of 12.28, showcased her return to top form, having already signaled her intent in the preliminary heats with an impressive 12.30. The USA’s Grace Stark finished second in 12.37, narrowly edging out another Jamaican, Danielle Williams, who clocked 12.38 for third place. Olympic champion Masai Russell of the USA was fourth in 12.40.
Tia Clayton added to Jamaica’s success with a wind-aided 10.83 to win the 100m in a thrilling blanket finish. She finished just ahead of Ivory Coast’s Marie Jose Ta Lou-Smith, who was credited with the same time, while the USA’s Tamari Davis was a close third in 10.84.
Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic continued her winning ways, dominating the 400m with a meet record time of 48.66 seconds. Paulino’s masterclass performance saw her comfortably ahead of Olympic silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser, who finished second in 49.23. Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek claimed third in 49.95. Barbados' Sada Williams, who has had a strong season, finished eighth in 50.82.
Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts claimed victory in the triple jump, leaping out to 14.50m. Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez was second with 14.42m, while Italy’s Dariya Derkach took third with 14.02m. Ricketts' win added to the Caribbean’s tally on a day that saw multiple triumphs for the region.
Romaine Beckford of Jamaica set a lifetime best in the high jump with a clearance of 2.29m, securing second place behind Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi, who won the event with a jump of 2.31m.
In the men’s 110m hurdles, Jamaican Rasheed Broadbell narrowly missed out on victory, finishing second to American Olympic champion Grant Holloway. Holloway clocked 13.04 to Broadbell’s season-best 13.05. Broadbell, however, expressed concern after the race, revealing he might have suffered a groin injury during the event. “I got close but I started to feel my groin,” Broadbell said. “No, it’s not good.” The USA’s Daniel Roberts was third in 13.24, with Jamaica’s Orlando Bennett finishing fifth in 13.35.
Jamaica’s Shian Salmon, Janieve Russell, and Andrennette Knight delivered strong performances in the women’s 400m hurdles, finishing fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively. The event was won by Dutch star Femke Bol, who set a meet record of 52.13.
In the men’s 100m, Olympic bronze medalist Fred Kerley of the USA won in a meet record 9.87, just ahead of Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala (9.88) and Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake, who equaled his lifetime best of 9.89 for third place.
Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson was a notable absentee in the 200m, where Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana set a meet record of 19.82. Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic finished second in a national record and personal best of 19.86.
In a meet filled with exceptional performances, Norway’s Jakob Ingerbrigsten set the only world record of the day, running an astonishing 7:17.55 to win the 3000m.
Mondo Duplantis continued his world-record streak by establishing yet another mark in the pole vault. The remarkable Swede cleared 6.26m to win an other competitive event.
The Silesia Diamond League meeting was a memorable event for Caribbean athletes, who not only claimed victories but also set records, proving once again the region’s strength and talent on the global athletics stage.
In the 110m hurdles delayed by two faulty starts and run into a headwind of 1.3 m/s, Broadbell, the Commonwealth Games champion, used his trademark late surge to defeat World Champion Grant Holloway and set a new meet record of 13.08.
“I am happy about how I performed today. I am pleased to get this win. I managed to get this victory by being focused during the race. My goal this year is to execute well,” said Broadbell, who broke the previous meet record of 13.12 set by David Oliver in 2016.
“I would like to thank the crowd here for being supportive and fantastic. I am getting ready for the world championship by staying healthy and in good shape.”
Holloway equaled the previous record 13.12 while finishing second. Olympic champion Hansle Parchment was third in 13.24 edging Devon Allen who was fourth in 13.25.
Jackson, the reigning 200m world champion and the second-fastest woman of all time over the distance, recovered from a sluggish start to set a new meet record of 21.98. Finishing second was Bahamian Anthonique Strachan, who ran a lifetime best of 22.15. American Tamari Davis also ran a lifetime best of 22.30 for third.
Stephen Gardiner ran an easy 44.70 to win the 400m ahead of Vernon Norwood, who ran 45.11 for second place. Rusheen McDonald surged late to finish third in 45.55.
In the opening race, the Women’s 400m hurdles Shamier Little ran a season 53.95 with three Jamaicans in her wake. Rushell Clayton, who led heading into the seventh hurdle, was not far behind in 54.15 while Shian Salmon, who seemed to stumble over the 10th and final hurdle, recovered to finish strong in 54.42m for third.
Janieve Russell finished fourth in 55.41.
Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Fernandez established a world-leading 14.84m to win the triple jump. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk took second place with her best jump of 14.65m with two-time world championship silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts finishing third with her season-best effort of 14.53m.
In what was a season-ending competition for several of the Caribbean athletes competing at the meet, Clayton ran a meet record 53.89 to win the 400m hurdles in a comfortable fashion over Viktoriya Tkachuk, who ran 54.97.
An obviously leg-weary Janieve Russell, the 2022 Commonwealth Games champion, was third in 55.04.
Clayton wasn’t even aware that she had broken the 54.14 meet record set by Diami Pernia set 22 years ago.
“I actually did not know what the meeting record was,” said Clayton, who just missed out on a medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
“I just wanted to run my last race and to get a good race and I did just that.
“The weather did not affect me, really, because I was in a zone and I just wanted to come out here and compete, it is my last one.”
Cofil, who broke 50 seconds in her last two races, didn’t need to in order to claim victory in the 400m.
The Dominican Republic runner clocked 50.73 to finish almost a full second ahead of Jamaica’s Candice McLeod, who ran 51.53 for second place.
Sada Williams, the Commonwealth Games champion, was third in 51.70 while Stephenie-Ann McPherson was fourth in 51.91.
Meanwhile, there was also a Caribbean 2-3 in the 100m hurdles won by Tonea Marshall of the USA who clocked 12.74 to defeat Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas (12.86) and Jamaica’s Megan Tapper (13.03).
Tajay Gayle jumped 7.99m to finish fourth in the long jump.
The final was filled with incredible performances, as McLaughlin-Levrone's teammate Anna Cockrell ran a massive personal best of 51.87 to claim the silver medal. Meanwhile, the Netherlands' Femke Bol, who had been expected to challenge for the gold, finished third in 52.15, leaving Clayton just outside the medal positions.
Mere days following the race, Clayton took to Instagram to share her emotions, revealing that she shed tears of disappointment after coming up short in her quest for an Olympic medal. "It would be a lie to say that I am not sad walking away from the Olympic Games without a medal. (Mi bawl fi couple days)," Clayton admitted, expressing the depth of her feelings after the race.
Despite the disappointment, Clayton expressed gratitude for her performance and the journey she has been on this season. "I’m extremely grateful and thankful that I was able to run three solid races which is inclusive of my second and third fastest times ever. I ran that final with pure confidence and a big heart yet I fell short," she said.
Clayton reflected on how this year has been the best of her career, even as she dealt with the heartbreak of missing out on an Olympic podium finish. "It’s kinda crazy because I’ve been having the best year of my career," she wrote. "It was my utmost pleasure representing team Jamaica on the biggest stage ever."
However, she remains optimistic and determined to push forward, noting that with the hurt will also come happiness, and that she will continue to trust in the journey ahead. "If the hurt comes, so will happiness. I will forever exercise patience knowing that the Lord has my back always," she declared.
As she looks ahead to the rest of the season, Clayton expressed her appreciation for the support she has received from her fans and vowed to keep striving towards her goals. "Shout out to all y’all who sent me encouragement and love, it was felt and appreciated. I still got a hella races before the season ends and crazy goals to achieve. See you in a few days."
Clayton is now set to compete at the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne on August 22, where she will look to continue her impressive season and potentially add another highlight to what has already been a remarkable year.
Clayton, who just missed out on a medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England on August 6, has been on the podium in two of her last three meets.
The Elite Performance athlete was in medal position in Lausanne, Switzerland on August 26 when she fell.
She had better luck on Tuesday when she pulled off a comfortable victory, winning in 53.75.
She was more than a second clear of Viktoriya Tkachuk of Ukraine ran 54.77 to finish in second place. Panama’s Gianna Woodruff was third in 55.12.
Clayton’s compatriot, Junelle Bromfield finished in second place in the 400m.
The MVP quarter-miler ran 51.86 to be runner-up to the USA’s Kaylin Whitney, who crossed the finish line in a season-best 51.12.
Susan Walli of Australia was third in 52.10.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s national record holder Rusheen McDonald was third in the men’s 400m clocking 45.63 to finish behind Alex Haydock-Wilson of Great Britain (45.50) and the USA’s Michael Cherry who claimed victory in 45.27.
Clayton, who impressed with a personal best of 52.81 to claim bronze at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, kicked off her season with a lifetime best performance, clocking 51.81 in the 400m at Gainesville, Florida, in early April.
When Clayton won the bronze medal in Doha in 2019, Dalilah Mohammad won in a world-record time of 52.16. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the silver medal in a time of 52.20. Since then, McLaughlin-Levrone has gone on to dominate the event while lowering the world record to a seemingly impossible time of 50.68 at the 2022 championships in Eugene, Oregon.
During that time, Clayton was busy rebounding from injury and has been on a pathway of improvement ever since. She was sixth in Eugene in 54.36.
Reflecting on her journey and setbacks, Clayton, who has never made an Olympic final, expressed determination to surpass her previous achievements and target even faster times. "Yes, I have a new goal. Getting into the finals and getting onto the podium, you will have to run fast," Clayton affirmed. "I am more focused on placements than time. I know it may take 51 to get on that podium (in Paris) and I will be ready to run that but I don’t want to focus so much on time because a lot of times when you focus on times you forget about every other thing."
Acknowledging her growth and progress, Clayton emphasized her physical and technical improvements over the past seasons. "I think over the last two seasons, I've got faster, got stronger," Clayton remarked confidently. "I used to be strong but I think I am way stronger now and I have been doing a lot of speed work. When you do speed work, it doesn’t come right away but I am starting to feel like I am getting faster because of my stride patterns now and how I am able to distribute around the track. My training is focused on all aspects needed to run fast."
Clayton's dedication to enhancing her performance includes strategic adjustments to her stride patterns and race tactics. "I have changed my stride pattern between the hurdles," she revealed. "A few people have asked me if I was running a particular stride pattern. The two fastest ladies in the world (McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol), they’re doing 14 strides and I had to try it out and so far it has been doing good. I am learning stride patterns. I am learning more about the event and I am super-excited about my new race pace."
Looking ahead to the national championships in June, Clayton outlined her strategy of preparing through targeted race participation. "I am feeling good. I don’t normally open my season this late but then I remember I ran all the way to September (last year) and I had a PB in my first run (this season)," Clayton shared optimistically.
"I think I am on the same schedule as I did last season. We ran a certain number of hurdle races before trials and that was maybe four so I leaning towards that. There are not a lot of four-hurdle races around the globe and when you line up it’s like a World Championship final so we pick the races; my team and I, we sit down and decide we’re going to run three or four races and we’re leaning towards about four hurdle races before trials and it kicks off at the Jamaica Athletic Invitational."
With a renewed focus on podium placements and faster times, Clayton seems poised to elevate her performance to new heights and make a compelling bid for Olympic success in Paris this summer.
The race was won by the imperious Dutch athlete Femke Bol in a new meet record of 52.65.
The third Jamaican in the race, Rushell Clayton, fell late and did not finish.
Bol, who won the rare 400m hurdles/400m double at the recent European championships in Germany proved too strong for the field pulling away over the last 120m for a comfortable victory. Russell, the 2022 Commonwealth Games champion, clocked 53.92 for second place.
Knight, who missed out on the 2022 World Championships in Oregon after she fell at the Jamaica national championships in June, finished third in 54.33.
Speaking afterwards, Russell said she was disappointed with the time.
“The race was okay but, honestly, I wanted to go faster. I felt that with such fast competitors in the field I could have put together a better race,” she said.
“I shuffled between a few hurdles and did not execute my technique correctly at times. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the result because it’s been a long season and I have run a lot. I love running and it’s part of the job that I do (to also do some 4x400ms for Jamaica), so even though my body is tired I´m happy to be racing. I look forward to coming back to Switzerland for the finals in Zurich.”
Meanwhile, Knight, who had not raced since she ran 53.85 at Marietta, Georgia on July 2, was happy with her run from lane one.
“Very pleased with my race,” she said, “I felt I executed my plans well this evening, especially since I had not competed in the last two months. I hope to continue improving and doing a PB this year. It will be great if I can make it to the Diamond League final.”
Russell, who won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August, has a season’s best of 53.63 done at the Jamaican National Championships in June. She has three second-placed finishes on the Diamond League circuit this season in Rome, Monaco and Lausanne.
Clayton ran a personal best 53.33 to win at the Monaco Diamond League event and also finished second in Stockholm. Panama’s Woodruff finished third in Monaco and fifth in Lausanne.
2019 World Champion and former world record holder Dalilah Muhammad and two-time World Championship silver medallist and European 400m and 400m hurdles champion Femke Bol will also be present while the field is completed by Italy’s Ayomide Folorunso, Ukraine’s Anna Ryzhkova and Viktoriya Tkachuk.
Bol started calmly before using her unreal strength to pull away from the rest of the field in the last 100m to come home in a meet record 52.11.
Russell, a two-time Commonwealth Champion and a finalist at the recently concluded World Championships in Budapest, was second in 53.80 while Clayton, who took bronze at those World Championships, was third in 54.10.
Andrenette Knight, who was also a finalist in Budapest, led the field after the first half of the race but faded into sixth in 54.75.
Russell, who finished fourth at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, was the fastest qualifier in Thursday’s semi-finals with 54.00 to win her heat ahead of Knight (54.09).
Clayton, the fastest Jamaican in the world this year and a bronze medallist at the last two World Championships, won her heat in 54.54.
The other finalists include 2017 National champion Ronda Whyte (55.77), 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Shiann Salmon (56.49), Ole Miss sophomore Gabrielle Matthews (56.95), Lashanna Graham (57.20) and Edwin Allen High’s Tonyan Beckford (57.74).
The final is scheduled for Friday.
Jackson, who stomped her feet in joy after the race, finished ahead of NCAA Championships 100m silver medalist Kemba Nelson who ran a personal best 10.88 for second while defending double Olympic Champion Elaine Thompson-Herah was third in 10.89.
Meanwhile, 2011 World 100m Champion Yohan Blake turned back the clock to secure the Men’s title in a time of 9.85, his fastest time since 2012.
Pre-meet favorite Oblique Seville ran 9.88 for second while Ackeem Blake was third in a new personal best 9.93.
Elsewhere, Jaheel Hyde successfully defended his title as national 400m hurdles champion with a 48.51 effort to narrowly finish ahead of Kemar Mowatt (48.53) while Shawn Rowe ran 49.66 for third.
The Women’s equivalent was won by Janieve Russell in 53.63 ahead of Shiann Salmon who ran a personal best 53.82 for second. 2019 World Championship bronze medallist Rushell Clayton was third in 54.20.
Andrenette Knight, who entered the final as the third fastest woman this year with a 53.39 effort in Nashville on June 5, was leading the event after six hurdles but failed to finish the race after unfortunately clipping the seventh and falling to the track.
