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McLeod produced a personal best, collegiate leading and facility record 8.40m to win the title ahead of Mississippi State senior Cameron Crump (8.39m) and Florida State junior Jeremiah Davis (8.37m).

McLeod’s Arkansas teammate Wayne Pinnock also achieved a personal best, jumping 8.33m for fourth.

The 24-year-old McLeod produced a consistent series, jumping 8.03m, 8.22m, 7.80m, 8.04m and 7.95m in the first five rounds.

Entering the sixth and final round, the former Kingston College man found himself in fourth place before producing his national record-equalling 8.40m in round six for victory. James Beckford did 8.40 in Madrid in 1996.

On the women’s side, Texas freshman Ackelia Smith produced a personal best 6.88m for second while Florida junior Claire Bryant produced the same distance for third.

The event was won by Bryant’s Florida teammate, Jasmine Moore, with 7.03m. Her jump is a personal best, collegiate record, facility record, world lead and meet record.

The region took home 17 medals in total including five golds, nine silvers and three bronzes with Jamaica leading the Caribbean medal count with 10 ahead of Grenada and the Dominican Republic who got two each while the Bahamas, Barbados and Puerto Rico all took home one apiece.

There were a number of standout performances throughout the 10 days starting with Jamaicans Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson.

Fraser-Pryce produced a championship record 10.67 to defend her 100m title and win her fifth in total. Fraser-Pryce also won her second 200m medal in her World Championships career, a silver in a season’s best 22.81.

Jackson ran a personal best 10.73 for silver in the 100m behind Fraser-Pryce and followed that up with one of the performances of the championships in the 200m. She produced a time of 21.45 to win her first global title and become the fastest woman alive over the distance.

Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah came third in the 100m in 10.81 to complete Jamaica's second consecutive 100m clean sweep at a major championship.

Fraser-Pryce, Jackson and Thompson-Herah then teamed up with Kemba Nelson to win silver in the 4x100m in 41.18 behind the USA (41.14).

We now move to the 400m where the Caribbean women swept the medals. Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo became the first female to complete the world event cycle (gold medals at the World Youth Championships, World Junior Championships, World Indoor Championships, World Championships and Olympics) by finally winning her maiden world title with a world-leading 49.11.

The Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino, the world leader coming into the Championships, followed up her silver medal in Tokyo last year with 49.60 to claim silver once more.

Barbados’ Sada Williams produced a brilliant personal best and national record 49.75 to take home bronze, becoming the first Barbadian woman to win a World Championship medal.

In the men’s equivalent, Grenadian superstar Kirani James ran 44.48 for silver behind American Michael Norman (44.30). This was James’ third World Championships medal and first since 2015 when he won bronze.

Paulino was also part of the brilliant quartet that took the Dominican Republic to gold in the Mixed Relay. Paulino combined with Fiordaliza Cofil, Lidio Andres Feliz and Alexander Ogando to run 3:09.82 for gold.

Staying on the track, Jamaica’s Britany Anderson followed up on the promise she’s shown all season to secure a silver medal in the 100m hurdles.

Anderson ran a new national record 12.31 in the semi-finals before running a wind-aided 12.23 to secure the silver medal behind Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan who clocked an astounding 12.06 for victory after running a legal world record 12.12 earlier in the semis.

Puerto Rican Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn ran the same time as Anderson to take home bronze.

Jamaica picked up silver medals in both the men's and women's 4x400m relays. The men comprising of Ackeem Bloomfield, Nathon Allen, Jevaughn Powell and Christopher Taylor registered 2:58.58 to finish behind the USA (2:56.17) while the women with Candice McLeod, Janieve Russell, Stephenie Ann McPherson and Charokee Young produced 3:20.74 to finish behind the Americans (3:17.79).

In the field, Grenada’s Anderson Peters became only the second man to defend his javelin world title.

The 2022 world leader produced a best throw of 90.54m to successfully defend his title from Doha three years ago, replicating a feat only matched by Czech world record holder Jan Zelezny who won consecutive world titles in 1993 and 1995 before returning to top spot in 2001.

Peters produced an amazing series, registering 90.21m, 90.46m, 87.21m, 88.11m, 85.83m and 90.54m in his six rounds.

Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts produced a season’s best 14.89m to take silver in the women’s triple jump behind Venezuelan world record holder and Olympic champion Yulimar Rojas (15.47m).

Ricketts produced jumps of 14.89m, 14.86m, 14.37m, 14.40m, 14.62m and 14.80m for one of her best series of her career.

The region will be hoping for an even better showing at the 2023 World Championships scheduled for August 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary.

Clarke, the 19-year-old sensation fresh off a world junior record equaling 47.85 to claim his first national senior title last month, ran 48.52 to take the win at the Wolfe Track & Field Complex.

Nigerian Nathaniel Ezekiel, who took bronze at the NCAA Championships competing for Baylor University, was not far behind Clarke in second with 48.55 while American David Kendziera ran 48.77 for third.

Watson, the 21-year-old who will be competing at his first World Championships in Budapest, took a big scalp in the 400m with 44.69 to win ahead of Grenadian World and Olympic Champion Kirani James who produced 44.92 in second. American Justin Robinson ran 45.09 in third.

Watson finished second behind Sean Bailey at the Jamaican Championships last month in a personal best 44.54.

Moving over to the 100m where Oblique Seville, who finished third at the National Championships, ran 9.98 for second in the Invitational A-race on Friday.

The race was won by 2022 World Championship silver medallist, Marvin Bracy-Williams of the USA, in 9.96 while Christian Coleman, the 2019 World Champion, was third in 10.03.

BVI’s Rikkoi Brathwaite and Guyana’s Emmanuel Archibald were both top three finishers in the Invitational B-race. Brathwaite ran a personal best 10.09 for second while Archibald ran 10.14, also a personal best, in third. Liberia’s Emmanuel Matadi ran 10.00 to take the win.

Jamaica’s Ashanti Moore and Natalliah Whyte ran 11.18 and 11.26 for first and third, respectively, in the Women’s Invitational B-race. The USA’s Maia McCoy ran 11.24 for second.

Guyana’s Jasmine Abrams ran 11.41 for second in the Women’s Open 100m behind the USA’s Candace Hill (11.29). Kristina Knott of the Philippines was third in 11.47.

Racers Track Club’s Michael Stephens ran 10.28 for second in the Men’s equivalent won by the USA’s Ameer Webb in 10.17. Demarius Smith ran 10.31 in third.

Two-time national champion, Andrew Hudson, ran 20.51 for third in the Men’s Pro 200m. Olympic Champion, Andre DeGrasse, ran 20.19 for a comfortable win ahead of the USA’s Kyree King (20.45).

Jamaica’s Natalliah Whyte ran 22.76 to win the Women’s Open 200m ahead of American Talitha Diggs (22.83) and Nigeria’s Favour Ofili (22.94).

In the Women’s Pro 800m, St. Vincent & the Grenadines’ Shafiqua Maloney ran a personal best 1:59.94, her first time under two minutes, for second behind the USA’s Addy Wiley (1:59.00). Uganda’s Susan Aneno was third in 1:59.95.

The Men’s Pro 800m saw Jamaican national champion, Rajay Hamilton, run 1:46.72 for second behind Kenya’s Festus Lagat (1:46.72). American Abe Alvarado ran 1:46.82 in third.

Dejour Russell ran 13.47 for second in the Men’s Open 110m hurdles. The race was won by the USA’s Michael Dickson in 13.37 while his countryman Dylan Beard ran 13.60 in third.

In the field, Chanice Porter produced 6.67m to take the win in the Women’s long jump ahead of USA’s Tiffany Flynn (6.46m) and Nigeria’s Ruth Usoro (6.42m).

Newly crowned Jamaican champion and national record holder, Rajindra Campbell, threw 21.59m for third in the Men’s shot put behind the American pair of Joe Kovacs (21.72m) and Tripp Piperi (21.67m).

Bermuda’s Jah-Nhai Perinchief produced 16.85m for second in the Men’s triple jump behind American Donald Scott (16.94m). Another American, Chris Bernard, jumped 16.77m for third.

Clemson University announced yesterday that it was reversing its initial decision in November 2020, to end the men’s programme after what they said was months of discussion with student-athletes, their representatives, families, supporters and others, Clemson University and the Department of Athletics.

“In addition, Clemson Athletics will add one or more women’s varsity sports in its continuing commitment to gender equity and to supporting our female students’ championship aspirations. A decision on which sport(s) to be added will be made in the near future,” Clemson said in a statement yesterday.

The news was music to the ears of Elliott, his coaching staff that includes Assistant Coach Lennox Graham, and student athletes.

“They did reverse their decision and all of us are excited about it, coaches, parents, athletes, all those who had stepped up to support the programme,” Elliott told Sportsmax.TV this morning.

“It was a great day for Clemson’s track and field and for track and field on a whole.”

Clemson is home to a number of Caribbean athletes, mostly Jamaican, who had taken up scholarships at the University. Among them are athletes like Fabian Hewitt, LaFrenz Campbell, Rayon Holmes, Zico Campbell and Rojae Stona.

Clemson had committed to honouring those scholarships but some of them might have been considering transfers to other schools.

Elliott, who has been at Clemson since 2013, believes that this should no longer be an issue as the process of transferring would not start until the end of the season.

The news was also welcomed by school president Jim Clements.

“This is the right decision for our University, our Department of Athletics and, most importantly, for the young men and women who proudly wear the Clemson uniform,” said Clements. “I am thrilled that we are able to continue these men’s programs and I am excited for the new varsity opportunities we will soon be adding for our female student-athletes.”

Last November, Clemson Athletics Director Dan Radakovich shocked the NCAA track and field community by announcing that the school would ending their men’s track programme at the end of the 2020/21 season citing a projected shortfall in revenues of US$25 million.

He said by ending the programme, the money saved would be reinvested into other athletic department initiatives, including the remaining Olympic sports and will help to provide additional financial stability moving forward.

The 22-year-old former Alpha standout’s time was also a new ACC record, shattering Tonya Carter’s record of 7.15 seconds, which had stood for 23 years. She is also now the joint eighth-fastest Jamaican in the event.

American Marybeth Sant-Price, the World Indoor bronze medalist from last year, was second in 7.18 with Sedrickia Wynn of Texas State taking third place with a time of 7.35.

Elsewhere, Jamaican Texas Tech sprint hurdler Demisha Roswell produced a time of 7.98 seconds to finish second in the 60m hurdles.

The 25-year-old Vere Technical alum, who lowered her 100m hurdles personal best to 12.44 last season, was beaten by Kentucky’s Masai Russell who ran a collegiate record 7.75 for victory.

LSU’s Leah Phillips was third in 8.14.

The athlete has also accepted a one-month ban from the United States Anti-Doping Agency, which means she will miss the 100m. The ban takes effect on June 28 with the Olympics set to start July 23.

Speaking on NBC this morning, mere hours after news broke yesterday that she had tested positive for a banned substance, a contrite Richardson said: “I want to take responsibility for my actions. I know what I did. I know what I am supposed to do. I know what I am allowed not to do and I still made that decision but not making an excuse or looking for any empathy.

“I’d like to say to my fans and my family and my sponsorship, the haters too, I apologize. As much as I am disappointed, I know that when I step on the track I don’t just represent myself, I represent a community that has shown me great support, great love and I apologize for the fact that I didn’t know how to control my emotions. I am human.”

She explained that her actions were triggered by an interview before her race when a reporter told her that her biological mother had died the week before. Richardson was reportedly abandoned at birth and was raised by her grandmother. The news, she said, caused her to be blinded by emotion and hurt.

“To hear that coming from a complete stranger was definitely triggering, nerve shocking because it was just like how are you to tell me that, that sent me in state of mind of emotional pain and I still had to go out and put on a performance,” she said.

Richardson might have lost her place in the 100m as, according to reports, Jenna Prandini, who was fourth in the 100m finals at the US trials, has been pencilled in to replace her and 200m champion Gabby Thomas entered as the alternate runner.

Asked if she would take that slight chance she has to run in the relays, Richardson responded: “Right now, I am just putting all my time and energy into doing what I need to do to take care of myself. If I am allowed to receive that blessing then I am grateful for it but if not, right now I am just really focused on myself.”

She concluded by saying this was not the end of the road for her as she intends to bring the 100m gold medal back to the USA at the next Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 and vowed the name Sha’carri Richardson would never be associated with performance-enhancing drugs.

According to the USTFCCCA, Williams, who is among six Division II athletes to be inducted, was a shoo-in for the honour from the moment she graduated from Johnson C Smith University in 2014.

“If there wasn’t a mandatory five-year moratorium on induction into the USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame, Danielle Williams of Johnson C. Smith probably would have been welcomed immediately after she stepped off the track for the last time as a collegian at the 2014 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships,” they said.

“Simply put: Williams transcended the NCAA Division II level.”

Transcend she did.

“Between 2013 and 2014, Williams won nine NCAA titles (eight individual, one relay), 13 CIAA championships (11 individual, two relays), earned 13 All-America honours and was named either USTFCCCA National Women’s Indoor Track or Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year three times.

That doesn’t even count the mark she left on the NCAA DII record book, which includes three divisional all-time bests and a slew of other marks that reside in the top-10 annals of history.”

According to the USTFCCCA, Williams turned in arguably the greatest two-day performance in NCAA DII history at the 2013 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Pueblo, Colorado, where she helped lead the Golden Bulls to their second consecutive runner-up finish in the team standings.

“The future IAAF world champion scored 30½ points thanks to event titles in the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay, as well as a runner-up finish in the 100 Hurdles. She set current divisional records in the 200 (22.62) and 4×100 relay (44.05), clocked the second-fastest performance in divisional history in the 100H (12.89) and notched the fifth-fastest performance in the 100 (11.24).”

Williams is the third athlete from Johnson C. Smith inducted into the USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame in the past four years, joining Leford Green (Class of 2017) and her sister Shermaine Williams (Class of 2018).

The 2019 world championships bronze medallist won the 100m in 11.57 ahead of the USA’s Eboni Coby (11.66) and Cote d’Ivoire’s Karel Ziteh (11.68) before returning to win the hurdles in 12.95, comfortably ahead of the only other competitor in the race, Lindsay Cooper of East Tennessee State who ran (14.27).

Williams ran a season’s best 12.61 at the South Carolina Open on April 23^rd, a time that currently puts her seventh on the world rankings for 2022.

Former STETHS sprinter Dashinelle Dyer, now competing for Clemson, was second in the Men’s 100m in 10.37 behind the USA’s Mario Heslop (10.33). Another Jamaican, Noxroy Wright, ran 10.70 for third.

As Sportsmax.tv reported last week, the 27-year-old Jamaican, the 2019 Diamond League champion, was a dominant force in Division II athletics during her time as a student of Johnson C Smith University.

Between 2013 and 2014, Williams won nine NCAA titles (eight individual, one relay), 13 CIAA championships (11 individual, two relays), earned 13 All-America honours and was named either USTFCCCA National Women’s Indoor Track or Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year three times.

Williams turned in arguably the greatest two-day performance in NCAA DII history, at the 2013 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Pueblo, Colorado.

In what she described as her crowning moment, Williams scored 30½ points thanks to event titles in the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay, as well as a runner-up finish in the 100 Hurdles. She set current divisional records in the 200 (22.62) and 4×100 relay (44.05), clocked the second-fastest performance in divisional history in the 100H (12.89) and notched the fifth-fastest performance in the 100 (11.24).

“It’s an honour to be inducted in the Division-2 Hall of Fame. If anybody knows me, they know I am really humbled by this accomplishment. I take pride in my collegiate career because I really had a wonderful career. Every accomplishment that I had set out to achieve I pretty much met and surpassed so I am incredibly honoured and it is moving to me to know that I did my best and it is now being recognised,” she told Sportsmax.TV.

Meanwhile, her coach Lennox Graham described the induction as an ‘awesome achievement’ for the athletes whom he has since guided to a world title in 2015 and the bronze medal in Doha in 2019.

“This is her moment of glory. I was blessed to be in the support role for her, mentoring her through those times, some difficult, some not so difficult, but it is pleasing and its an honour to be part of a journey like that,” said Graham who has two other athletes – Shermaine Williams (Danielle’s sister) and Leford Green, in the Division II Hall of Fame.

“It’s just a blessing. I feel like the hard work put in is recognized and I am so happy for her. As she journeys on, she will never forget this day when she was recognised among her peers as a Hall of Famer, something that most of us won’t live to have behind our names. So to be associated with one is just a blessing.”

This, as there has been some disruption to training because of restricted access to training facilities as the United States, goes into lockdown to combat the spread of the virus that has to date claimed more than 7000 lives globally.

The 23-year-old McMaster, the 2018 Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles champion, had a successful indoor season, running personal best times in the 300m and 400m, respectively. But, even as there have been disruptions in the form of meets being postponed or cancelled, the BVI star athlete said he and the other elite athletes in his TRS training group are focused on Tokyo.

“As of right now, we are still training, aiming towards the Olympics. (However) one major difficulty I’m having right now is because we train at a university, the school closes the campus, which forces us to step out of our normal schedule or routine to continue working hard,” said McMaster, who just missed out on a medal at the 2019 World Championships in Doha where when he finished fourth.

The lack of meets, he said, has not shaken his confidence as it relates to his preparation.

“It’s not really an issue because I’m a survivor and whether I only get in one race or two races, coach and I will make sure that when Olympics come we’re ready.”

The quartet of Lidio Andres Feliz, Marileidy Paulino, Alexander Ogando and Fiordaliza Cofil sped to a world leading 3:09.82 to secure gold ahead of the Netherlands (3:09.90) and the USA (3:10.16).

Jamaica’s Adelle Tracey ran 4:05.14 to advance to the semi-finals of the Women’s 1500m while Yohan Blake, Ackeem Blake and Oblique Seville all advanced to Saturday’s semi-finals in the 100m.

Seville ran 9.93 to win his heat while Yohan Blake (10.04) and Ackeem Blake (10.15) came second in their respective heats. American gold medal favourite Fred Kerley stole the show with a fast 9.79 to win his heat while countrymen and fellow medal favourites Trayvon Bromell (9.89) and Christian Coleman (10.08) also safely advanced to the semi-finals.

In the field, 2019 World Championship silver medallist Danniel Thomas-Dodd needed only one throw to advance to the final of the women’s shot put with 19.09m.

Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock advanced to his first senior global final with a 7.98m effort in the long jump.

The team of the Clayton twins, Brandy Hall and Shenequa Vassell scorched the track to run a time of 44.64 to win their heat. Hydel High (46.37) and IMG Academy (47.03) were second and third fastest to the final.

Holmwood Technical (47.12), Immaculate Conception (47.15), St. Catherine High (47.56) and St. Jago (47.37) will also be in Friday's final.

Holmwood Technical’s Cedricka Williams was dominant in winning the High School Girls discus with a throw of 54.00m. Camperdown’s Victoria Christie was second with 44.88m while Ella Lucas from Warwick High School was third with 42.53m.

Edwin Allen’s Serena Cole, who ran the first leg on Jamaica’s world record-breaking U-20 girls 4x100m team at the recently concluded Carifta Games, jumped 5.98m for second in the High School Girls long jump behind Avery Lewis of Friends’ Central (6.05). Hailey Rios of Somerset jumped 5.84m for third.

St. Jago’s Annishka McDonald was third in the High School Girls' high jump after clearing 1.69m. The event was won by Spring-Ford’s Nene Mokonchu (1.72m) while Conard’s Audrey Kirkutis was second with 1.69m.

The 2022 Penn Relays will run from April 28-30.

The team of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brandy Hall and Tia Clayton were flawless in speeding to a new meet record 43.18, smashing their own 43.62 which they set in 2019.

Hydel (Alana Reid, Brianna Lyston, Kerrica Hill and Oneka Wilson) ran 43.69 for second while St. Jago (Makada Linton, Shenese Walker, Abigail Martin and Breanna Clarke) ran 46.09 for third.

Lyston and Hill then returned to help Hydel take the win in the Championship of America 4x400m alongside Alliah Baker and Onieka McAnuff.

The quartet ran a new record 3:32.77 to eclipse their own mark of 3:39.99 set back in 2017.

Edwin Allen with Amoya Jamieson, Tonyan Beckford, Kacian Powell and Natasha Fox were second in 3:39.76 while Bullis School from Maryland were third in 3:40.88.

Edwin Allen got their second win of the day in the Championship of America 4x800m with Rickeisha Simms, Leanna Lewis, Rushana Dwyer and Jessica McLean combining to run 8:54.58 for victory.

Cuthbertson High School from North Carolina was a distant second in 9:04.67 while Union Catholic Regional High School from New Jersey was third in 9:06.14.

Goule-Toppin finished third in the race behind American superstar Athing Mu, who rebounded from a bronze medal at the World Championships with an American Record 1:54.97 to win, and British World Championship silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson who ran a British Record 1:55.19 in second.

Goule-Toppin’s time in third was 1:55.96, bettering her own previous national record 1:56.15 set back in 2018.

Despite not taking the win on Sunday, the 32-year-old was delighted to end her season with that performance.

“I wanted the win because I know I have the ability to do it but I’m really happy with the third especially the national record,” Goule-Toppin said.

“I’ve been longing to run 1:55 and today was the day. The last one was the best one. It’s the last race of the season and I’m going home happy,” she added.

Goule-Toppin had been flirting with a sub 1:56 time for a number of years and she says the presence of competitors like Mu, Hodgkinson and World Champion Mary Moraa, who finished fourth, pushed her to this time.

“I kept saying once I stay with them I know I’ll run fast as well so when I saw 1:54, I knew I ran something fast but I didn’t know what it was. I was congratulating the girls then I looked back, saw my name and started rejoicing,” she said.

The 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist also gave credit to the man above for her exploits on Sunday.

“I was patient and I prayed a lot. I said God, let your will be done and just help me to go out there and be strong and smart,” she said.

“All day I was talking to myself. It sounds crazy but I kept saying run through the line. Before I went out, my coach said the same thing,” she added.

Trinity Rodman's 17th minute strike was followed up by a quickfire double from Mallory Swanson to ensure a winning start to Group B. 

Swanson's brace came within 66 seconds of each other, netting the fastest two goals by a single player in a major tournament in the team's history.

Lindsey Horan notched two assists in Nice, becoming the fifth player in USWNT history with multiple assists in an Olympic match, joining Mia Hamm, Heather O’Reilly, Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz. 

Plenty was made of the United States' form heading into the Games, having endured a goalless draw in their final pre-tournament fixture with Costa Rica. 

However, their ruthless first-half showing saw Hayes become the first coach to win their first major tournament match in charge of the USA by a margin of three or more goals. 

The former Chelsea head coach has also helped her side keep five clean sheets in her first five games in charge, a record only bettered by Greg Ryan (nine). 

In spite of their strong showing, Hayes' side underperformed their expected goals (xG) by 1.96, with only eight of their 27 shots on target in the contest. 

They missed a total of nine big chances, while also having 58 touches in the opposition's box compared to Zambia's 11. 

But having seen other tournament favourites Spain and Germany kickstart their respective campaigns with victories, Hayes is confident her side can improve to claim a record-extending fifth gold medal. 

“The first part of the first half was exceptional,” Hayes said. “To come out the way we did, the intention, the intensity, the decision-making, the execution, it should have been at least 5-0 at half-time.

"There was things within our structure I didn’t like. But that’s easy fixes.

“If we had asked me at the beginning of the game ‘would you be happy with a 3-0 winner?’ I probably would have said no.

"However, for the performance and the chances created and finding the back of the net, I don’t want to be too hard on the players.”

The United States continue their Group B campaign on Sunday where they will face Germany, before travelling to Marseille to face Australia next week. 

Elliott, who joined Clemson in 2013 after 12 years as an assistant coach at Louisiana State University, was caught off guard when the Division I school announced the unthinkable late last week.

Athletics Director Dan Radakovich delivered the devastating news last Thursday, November 5. In a letter posted on the university’s website, he wrote:

“After consultation and communication with President Clements and the Board of Trustees, I have made the difficult decision to discontinue sponsorship of the men’s track and field program effective June 2021. The program includes indoor and outdoor track and field and cross country.

After a long period of deliberative discussion and analysis we concluded that discontinuing our men’s track and field program is in the best long-term interests of Clemson Athletics. While this decision comes during the significant financial challenges due to the ongoing pandemic, those challenges are just one of many factors that led to this decision. We will continue to honor all student-athlete scholarships and provide them with support as they work towards earning their degrees. “

He said the school would also honour the contracts of the six coaches employed by the school, which basically means until the end of the 20/21 season.

The athletic director said several factors contributed to the decision including, but not limited to: competitive balance, gender equity and Title IX compliance, financial positioning, impact on diversity among student-athletes and staff, and local and national  interest and participation in the sport.

“The annual $2-million plus in savings will be reinvested into other athletic department initiatives, including our remaining Olympic sports and will help to provide additional financial stability moving forward. The Department of Athletics has already undertaken several significant measures to address a projected resource shortfall of $25 million this fiscal year,” he rationalized.

Elliott told Sportsmax.TV he was stunned by the news.

“It came as a big surprise. I had no knowledge. I found out about an hour and a half after the student-athletes were told by the athletic director,” he said. “They (student-athletes) were caught off guard and they’re still trying to process it, just like we are.”

Jamaica currently has about five or six male athletes on scholarship at Clemson among them Fabian Hewitt, LaFrenz Campbell, Rayon Holmes, Zico Campbell and Rojae Stona. Of the five, three – Hewitt, Campbell and Holmes - are due to graduate this academic year but they will still have college eligibility.

What this means is that if any of them were planning to continue to pursue further college competition and eventually transition to the professional ranks, they will likely consider transfers to other schools. Elliott reveals that if that turns out to be the case, then he will do everything to help them find new schools.

“They would have to seek alternatives and I and the coaches would help them along that path,” Elliott said.

Besides the athletes, at least 50 per cent of the athletics coaching staff that includes Lennox Graham, are likely to lose their jobs as under NCAA rules, the number coaches a school can employ depends on whether the number of programmes they have.

“It affects everyone, three of us or six of us could be gone,” Elliott said while explaining why for him the situation is so regrettable.

“Track and field is what got me to where I am today. My parents could not afford to send me to college so I got a scholarship just like these young men,” he said.

“It hurts on many levels. This is my livelihood too but I don’t view it as that alone. It is an opportunity to give opportunity to those like myself. It does hurt.”

It is why he say wants this coming season to be one of Clemson’s best ever.

“The focus is on the student-athletes to be able to be competitive. That is where the focus is right now. Life offers you challenges. How you respond is what makes the difference. We will try to get them to reconsider," he said. 

Nelson, a junior at the University of Oregon, clocked 11.18 to win the 100m well clear of teammate Jasmine Reed who stopped the clock at 11:48. California’s Ezzine Abba ran 11.52 for third.

An hour later, Nelson would finish second in the 200m, beaten by UCLA’s Shae Anderson who clocked 22.96 for the win. Nelson ran a creditable 23.03, sandwiched by Anderson’s teammate Makenzy Pierre-Webster, who clocked 23.51.

Nelson expressed her satisfaction afterwards.

“I am happy with races! Big PR for me. Great opener as well,” said the former UTech sprinter, whose previous best was 11.49 in Kingston in June 2019.

“In the 100, I was more focused on execution. Staying patient with the drive phase and not rushing the race.”

She wasn’t too perturbed by her 200m loss seeing that her time was also a personal best.

“Though it was an hour after the 100 it was a good race too. I definitely have a lot to work on. But it’s a part of the sport. You win some, you lose some. Just have to get back to work.”

Nelson is having an outstanding first year on the US Collegiate circuit. In March she was the NCAA 60m Indoor title in a personal best 7.05s, a time that made her the fifth-fastest Jamaican woman indoors behind Merlene Ottey, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

The Anguilla-born Hughes, who currently trains under legendary coach Glen Mills at the Racers Track Club in Jamaica, recovered after being left at the start by Jamaica’s Akeem Blake and the USA’s Christian Coleman to obliterate his previous personal best of 9.91 done five years ago in Jamaica. Blake ran 9.93 for second while Coleman was third in 10.02.

Hughes, a former Class 1 100m record holder at the ISSA Boys & Girls Championships where he competed for Kingston College in 2014, broke the previous British record of 9.87, set by Jamaican-born Olympic and World Champion, Linford Christie, back in 1993.

In the Women’s equivalent, Aleia Hobbs was the only athlete to break 11 seconds, running 10.98 for victory.

Jamaica’s Briana Williams got her customary bullet start and was able to maintain her form and composure to run a season’s best equaling 11.04 in second while defending US champion, Melissa Jefferson, ran a season’s best 11.06 for third.

Jamaica’s Zandrion Barnes ran 45.05 to take the win in the Men’s 400m ahead of Matthew Boling (45.58) and Trevor Stewart (45.85).

The women’s equivalent was won by American 400m hurdles world record holder, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, in a personal best 49.51 ahead of teammate Gabby Thomas (50.29) and Jamaica’s Charokee Young (51.02).

2015 World Champion Danielle Williams was third in the 100m hurdles. In a race aided by a 2.8 m/s wind, American former world record holder, Kendra Harrison, ran 12.29 for victory finishing narrowly ahead of Alaysha Johnson (12.30) and Williams (12.33). Olympic bronze medallist, Megan Tapper, was fifth in 12.68.

18-year-old Surinamese phenom, Issam Assinga, ran 20.25 for second in the Men’s 200m behind World Champion, Noah Lyles, who ran 19.83 for the win. The USA’s Elijah Morrow ran 20.30 for third. With that time, Lyles has now tied double sprint world record holder, Usain Bolt, for the most sub-20 times in the 200m with 34.

In the field, Dominican Commonwealth Games silver medalist, Thea Lafond, produced 14.47m to win the Women’s triple jump ahead of the USA’s Kenturah Orji (14.30m) and Canada’s Caroline Erhardt (13.80m).

Traves Smikle threw 65.36m to take the discus crown ahead of Samoa’s Alex Rose (64.63m) and Jamaica’s Kai Chang (63.17m).

2019 World Championship silver medalist, Danniel Thomas-Dodd, threw 19.38m for second in the Women’s shot put behind American world leader Maggie Ewen (19.68m). Chase Ealey threw 19.25m for third.

Jamaica’s Kimberly Williamson cleared 1.83m for second in the Women’s high jump behind the USA’s Vashti Cunningham (1.95m). Jelena Rowe cleared 1.79m for third.

Ahead of the showdown between Thompson-Herah and fellow sprint queen Fraser-Pryce, it was the latter who wore the tag of heavy favourite.  It certainly wasn’t without reason. 

Fraser-Pryce headed into Tokyo having registered the fastest time in 33-years over 100m, defeated Thompson-Herah at the country’s national championships, and boosted a fearsome 8-2-win record in major championships.

Even so, to understate the chances of Thompson-Herah, the defending champion and possibly the best in the world on her day was a huge mistake.

The athlete treated the world to a prodigious display of her talent at the 2016 Olympics where she claimed the sprint double in emphatic fashion.  Prior to Tokyo, the athlete had in fairness struggled to recapture those heights with disappointing finishes at both the 2017 London World Championships, where she placed 5^th, in the 100m, and the 2019 World Championships where she placed 4^th.

To be fair, however, the athlete has struggled to be healthy, and a troublesome Achilles injury has often kept her from being at her best.  By her own admission, the injury had even impacted her ahead of the country’s national trials where she battled to compete through the pain.

In Tokyo, however, she managed to show up healthy and the rest as we know, is history.  A dominant 10.61 win in the 100m,  finishing a healthy .13 seconds ahead of Fraser-Pryce, handed the decorated sprinter her largest margin of defeat at a major championship.  The time was second to only Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record and also displaced the American’s longstanding Olympic record of 10.62.

For anyone not paying attention, they certainly were after that, and there could be little doubt the 200m would be special.  It certainly was.  Thompson-Herah ran a jaw-dropping 21.53, a time again second to only Griffith-Joyner, in the process defeating the field by a huge margin.  There was plenty of attention on the USA’s Gabrielle Thomas after she clocked what was then the third-fastest time, 21.61, ever run over the distance in June.  Thompson-Herah beat that time by a sizeable .8 seconds.

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.