On January 21, the 21-year-old St Lucian clocked 7.05 and then 7.02, then world-leading times at the Martin Luther King Invitational in New Mexico.
She then set a new personal best and national record of 22.56 over 200m, also in New Mexico on Friday, February 3 at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic.
A day later, on Saturday, she blazed to a new 60m record lowering her own mark to 7.00, the second fastest time in the world this year behind Aleia Hobbs’ 6.98.
The Texas Longhorn senior was miles ahead of Samira Mood of the University of Southern California (USC) who ran a creditable 7.19 and LSU Junior Favour Ofili 7.21.
Aldred’s Texas teammate Kevona Davis was fourth in 7.22.
Several other Caribbean athletes excelled at the two-day meet that began on Friday.
Lamara Distin, the NCAA champion established a new Jamaica national indoor record of 1.94m to easily take gold on Friday. Her Texas A&M teammate Bara Sajdokavic took the runner-up spot with her clearance of 1.87m.
LSU’s Morgan Small was third with 1.81m.
Wayne Pinnock, who transferred from Tennessee to Arkansas during the summer, was an easy winner of the Men’s Long Jump soaring out to a mark of 8.10m.
Kelsey Daniel of New Mexico Junior College was next best with his effort of 7.99m while Texas freshman Solomon Washington was third with 7.85m.
World U20 champion Jaydon Hibbert, a freshman at the University of Arkansas, demonstrated his class with two jumps of 16.73m to win the triple jump competition.
His nearest rival was Russell Robinson of Miami, who leapt out to 16.33m. LSU’s Apalos Edwards secured third place with his best effort of 16.13m.
Texas Longhorn Ackelia Smith of Jamaica produced a mark of 13.92m to win the women’s event ahead of Texas Christian University’s Grace Anigbata (13.24m) and Miami’s Ashley Moore (12.97m).
Meanwhile, Omar McLeod, who was returned to Arkansas to train after failed campaigns over the past two seasons, finished second in the 60m hurdles.
The 2016 Olympic champion clocked 7.61 behind USC’s Omotade Ojora, who ran 7.58 for the win. Texas Tech’s Caleb Dean was third in 7.62,
Demisha Roswell had to settle for second place in the women’s event in a close battle with LSU Junior Leah Phillips, who won in 8.02.
The Texas Tech senior crossed the line in 8.03.
Wisconsin’s Destiny Huven was third in 8.08.
The LSU sophomore, who ran 22.31 on Thursday to secure her spot in the 200m final, came back a day later to run 11.09 to be the joint-fastest qualifier for Saturday’s final alongside collegiate leader Jacious Sears of Tennessee.
Bahamian Florida junior Wanya McCoy and Jamaican Georgia freshman Jehlani Gordon advanced to the men’s 100m final as the second and ninth fastest qualifiers with 10.09 and 10.17, respectively.
The women’s 400m prelims saw Arkansas senior Nickisha Pryce become the eighth-fastest Jamaican ever in the event.
Pryce, who is Jamaica’s reigning national champion, ran a personal best and collegiate leading 49.72 to advance to the final as the fastest qualifier ahead of teammate Kaylyn Brown who ran 49.86.
LSU sophomore Jahiem Stern produced 13.45 to advance to the final of the 110m hurdles.
In the field, the Jamaican Arkansas pair of Romaine Beckford and Wayne Pinnock won gold in the high jump and long jump, respectively.
Beckford had a best clearance of 2.22m to win ahead of LSU’s Kuda Chadenga (2.19m) and Ole Miss’s Arvesta Troupe (2.14m).
Pinnock, a sliver medalist at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, jumped 8.09m to successfully defend his SEC title.
Georgia’s Micah Larry produced 7.80m for second while Florida’s Caleb Foster was third with the same distance.
The 23-year-old, who claimed World Championship silver in Budapest last year, won on Friday with a personal best and world leading 8.40m, equaling the Jamaican indoor record set by Carey McLeod last year.
Pinnock’s record-equaling jump came in the fourth round of the competition and was his last jump as he subsequently passed on his fifth and sixth round efforts.
His other distances in the first three rounds were 8.23m, 8.36m and 8.29m. His second-round jump was also a world-leading effort.
Florida State Senior Jeremiah Davis produced a season’s best 8.20m for second while Florida Junior Malcolm Clemons was third with 8.11m.
The former Kingston College standout also won NCAA Indoor gold in 2022.
On the track, Bahamian Texas Tech Junior Terrence Jones led all qualifiers to the final of the men’s 60m with a time of 6.56. Jamaican USC Junior Travis Williams (6.60) and Bahamian Florida Sophomore Wanya McCoy (6.60) also made it through to tomorrow’s final.
McCoy also led all qualifiers in the 200m with a facility record 20.34. Jones also made it through with the same time.
Florida Senior Jevaughn Powell and Texas Tech Sophomore Shaemar Uter both made it through to the final of the 400m with times of 46.05 and 46.09, respectively.
The qualifiers for the 800m final were led by Jamaican Iowa Junior Rivaldo Marshall with 1:47.21.
Vincentian Penn State Sophomore Handal Roban (1:47.55) and Jamaican Clemson Senior Tarees Rhoden (1:47.66) also made it through.
The 23-year-old Arkansas junior, who won gold at the 2022 NCAA Championships, produced 8.03m at the NCAA West First Round in Fayetteville on Wednesday to advance with the day’s second furthest jump behind USC’s Johnny Brackins who jumped a personal best 8.15m to advance.
Another Jamaican, Oklahoma junior Nikaoli Williams, produced a personal best 7.99 to book his spot in the 24-man field set to compete from June 5-8 at Hayward Field in Oregon.
Arizona State junior Brandon Lloyd threw 19.26m to secure qualification in the men’s shot put.
On the track, a number of Caribbean men booked spots in Friday’s quarterfinal round to determine who will make the trip to Oregon.
Trinidadian Minnesota junior Devin Augustine (10.28), Jamaican USC junior Travis Williams (10.30) and Jamaican Baylor sophomore Riquan Graham (10.32) all made it through to the quarterfinals of the men’s 100m.
Augustine also ran 20.66 to advance in the 200m.
The top 12 fastest men from Friday’s quarterfinals will advance to the NCAA Championships.
In the 400m, Jamaican Texas Tech sophomore Shaemar Uter (45.68), Jamaican Baylor senior Demar Francis (45.75) and Grenadian Arizona State senior Gamali Felix (45.90) advanced to the quarterfinals.
A pair of Jamaicans, Texas A&M junior Kimar Farquharson and Iowa junior Rivaldo Marshall, ran 1:47.72 and 1:48.31, respectively, to advance to the quarterfinals of the 800m.
Jamaican Arkansas senior Phillip Lemonious and UTEP junior Jordani Woodley advanced in the 110m hurdles with times of 13.38 and 13.41, respectively.
Lemonious is the defending NCAA champion.
The 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships is set for June 5-8 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Jamaica’s Pinnock had a consistent series with a best jump of 8.36m but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Greek from adding to his extensive list of global gold medals.
Tentoglu’s winning jump of 8.48m also came in the second round.
Italian 19-year-old Mattia Furlani produced 8.34m to take Italy’s first medal in the event in 40 years.
The other Jamaican in the final, Carey McLeod, didn’t have his best day with 7.82m to finish 12th.
Pinnock, who took long jump silver in Budapest, produced a wind-aided 8.44m (5.8 m/s) to claim victory in his first outdoor competition this season.
The 23-year-old Arkansas star, who won gold at both the SEC and NCAA Indoor Championships earlier this year, opened his competition with 8.15m in the first round before producing his winning distance in the second.
He had one more jump in the third round (8.25m) before passing on his final three attempts.
Florida State’s Curtis Williams was second with 7.99m while Florida’s Malcolm Clemons was third with 7.94m. Another Jamaican, Florida State’s Jordan Turner, produced 7.84m for fourth.
The women’s long jump was won by Bahamian Florida sophomore Anthaya Charlton with a best jump of 6.74m. Arkansas’s Nia Robinson was second with 6.70m while Georgia Tech’s Ameia Wilson was third with 6.56m.
In her fourth 100m hurdles race of the young season, Ackera Nugent, who was fifth in the final in Budapest, produced 12.57 to take victory ahead of Canada’s Mariam Abdul-Rashid (12.69) and LSU’s Leah Phillips (12.71).
Nugent’s season’s best, which currently stands at 12.52, was done in a fourth-place finish at the Tom Jones Invitational on April 13.
Arkansas also prevailed in the men’s high jump through another member of Jamaica’s team at last year’s World Championships, Romaine Beckford.
Beckford, the reigning NCAA indoor and outdoor and Jamaican national champion, had a best jump of 2.23m to win ahead of Georgia’s Riyon Rankin (2.20m) and his Arkansas teammate Kason O’Riley (2.20m).
Guyana’s Natricia Hooper produced 13.92m to win the women’s triple jump ahead of Mylana Hearn (13.78m) and LSU’s Morgan Smalls (13.17m).
Arkansas’s Apalos Edwards jumped 16.43m for second in the men’s equivalent won by Air Houston’s Chris Carter (16.70m). Florida State’s Kyvon Tatham jumped 16.00m for third.
The women’s 400m saw Vincentian 800m record holder Shafiqua Maloney and reigning Jamaican national champion and Arkansas star Nickisha Pryce run 51.29 and 51.35 for second and third, respectively, behind American Alexis Holmes who ran 50.80 to win.
Jamaica’s Lashanna Graham ran 58.16 for third in the women’s 400m hurdles behind American Anna Cockrell (54.74) and Georgia’s Dominique Mustin (56.52).
Florida’s Jevaughn Powell ran 20.28 to take second in the men’s 200m behind Arkansas’s Makanakaishe Charamba who won in 20.11. Arkansas’s Lance Lang ran 20.36 in third.
Powell also represented Jamaica in Budapest, running in the heats of the 4x400m relay.
Pinnock, who was second last year to then teammate Carey McLeod, secured his first indoor title with a leap of 8.28m at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Arkansas.
The World Championships silver medallist, Pinnock, stamped his class and led from the second round after a foul in the first round.
His teammate Nia Robinson was second in the women’s long jump with 6.44m. Robinson also recovered well after she fouled her opening attempt.
Meanwhile, Brianna Lyston is among a number of Jamaicans down to contest finals on Saturday. The Louisiana State University (LSU) representative is down to contest the women’s 60m final, after she clocked 7.12 seconds to win her heat on Friday.
Rosealee Cooper of Mississippi State will enter the women's 60m hurdles with as the sixth fastest qualifiers, as she clocked 8.21s for third in her heat.
Nickisha Pryce of Arkansas will line up in the women’s 200m and 400m finals, after she clocked personal best times of 22.94 and 50.90, when she finished tops in the heats. She is one of five Razorback athlete in the 400m final.
Jevaughn Powell also displayed good early season form with a personal best 45.35-clocking to lead qualifiers to the final of the men’s 400m.
Meanwhile, Tyrese Reid of Mississippi State and Kimar Farquharson of Texas A&M, both booked their spots in the men’s 800m final, after placing first and second in their respective heats in 1:50.50 and 1:50.95 respectively.
Pinnock and McLeod jumped 7.92 and 7.91, respectively, to finish as the top two ahead of Georgia’s Matthew Boling who jumped 7.86 for third.
St. Lucian Texas Junior and former St. Catherine High sprinter Julien Alfred turned heads in the Women’s 60m preliminaries with a personal best, collegiate and national record 7.04 to be the fastest qualifier to the final.
Jamaicans Charokee Young and Stacey-Ann Williams were the two fastest qualifiers in the Women’s 400m. Young, formerly of Hydel High and now competing for Texas A&M, advanced fastest with 51.70 while Williams, formerly of STETHS and now competing for The University of Texas, ran 51.89 to qualify second fastest.
Pinnock, a Kingston native, concluded an impressive indoor season by remaining undefeated in the long jump. Representing the University of Arkansas, he clinched victory at the NCAA Championships with a remarkable leap of 8.40m, equaling the Jamaican national record set by former teammate Carey McLeod. Pinnock's performance not only secured him the NCAA title but also positioned him at No. 5 on the all-time collegiate chart, tying with McLeod.
Meanwhile, Romaine Beckford, hailing from Portland, Jamaica, demonstrated his prowess in the high jump. Competing for the University of Arkansas, Beckford enjoyed an undefeated indoor season and successfully defended his indoor high jump title. He cleared a height of 2.27m to secure victory at the NCAA Championships in Boston, matching his personal record set earlier in the season.
Bahamian sprinter Terrence Jones, representing Texas Tech University, showcased his speed and versatility on the track. Jones emerged as a double sprint champion at the NCAA Championships in Boston, clinching victory in both the 60m and 200m events. His impressive performances included a winning time of 20.23 seconds in the 200m, just shy of his personal record of 20.21 seconds set at the Big 12 Indoor Championships.
The next Bowerman Watch List will be released on April 11, providing further insight into the standout performers in collegiate track and field.
The Arkansas sophomore, who transferred from Tennessee in the summer, only jumped twice in the competition producing 8.10m in the first round before achieving his personal best in round two.
The event was won by American Mississippi State senior Cameron Crump who achieved a personal best of his own with 8.39m, breaking US Olympian JuVaughn Harrison’s meet record 8.33m done in 2021.
Jamaican Arkansas senior Carey McLeod was third with 8.19m. McLeod produced distances of 8.09m, 8.19m and 8.17m in his series.
Pinnock’s distance puts him joint 32nd all time on the indoor long jump list and second among Jamaicans with only James Beckford’s 8.40m done in Madrid in 1996 ahead of him.
Pinnock, 22, who has been in superb form this season, was just off his seasons and personal best of 8.37m. The Arkansas University athlete achieved the winning jump on his second attempt in a negative 0.4 metres per second wind reading.
That lead made things interesting, as it followed the 8.27m registered by 2019 World Championships gold medallist, Tajay Gayle, who had to settle for second place. Carey McLeod rounded off the top three spots, cutting the sand at 8.20m.
Meanwhile, Traves Smikle was crowned the men’s discus champion, following his fifth-round effort of 66.12 metres.
The event which took shape in terms of its competitive at the backend, saw Roje Stona finished second with an effort of 65.92m, which at one point, placed him in pole position.
Five-time national champion and World Championships silver medallist, Fedrick Dacres, had to settle for third as his best effort was measured at 65.79 metres, well short of his personal best of 70.78m.
It is the first time ever that Jamaica will have three athletes in the long jump final at a global athletics championships.
It was one and done for Jamaica’s Pinnock and McLeod, while Gayle took his time to get going before hitting a reasonable mark to secure a spot in the final scheduled for Thursday at 12:30pm Jamaica time.
The 22-year-old Pinnock was poetry in motion where execution is concerned, as he was perfect off the board and that propelled him to a big world-leading mark of 8.54m in a positive 1.2 metres per second reading, which left him in shock.
“The first thing was just to execute as coach told me, push off on the first six steps, maintain my transition and then just run through the board which is what I did. But when I saw the distance, I was like ‘wow’, I wasn’t expecting that, but I’ve thought of this moment every night before I go to bed,” Pinnock said after his leap.
McLeod followed suit on his try, as he also cleared the automatic qualifying mark of 8.15m, cutting the sand at 8.19m in a positive 0.5m/s wind, on his first attempt.
Meanwhile, 2019 World Champion Gayle needed two jumps to find his rhythm, cutting the sand at 7.84m and 7.68m, respectively before leaping to 8.12m in a negative 0.7m/s wind, which was good enough to get him into the final.
Cuba’s Alejandro Parada (8.13m), will also line up in the medal event.
You can catch live action of the 2023 World Athletic Championships by downloading the Sportsmax App.
Rhoden, a senior at Clemson, and Farquharson, a junior at Texas A&M, were both in the second of three semi-finals.
In the heat won by Farquharson’s teammate and current NCAA leader Sam Whitmarsh in 1:46.01, Rhoden ran 1:46.18 to be the second automatic qualifier for the final while Farquharson was third in 1:46.32 to advance as the fastest non-automatic qualifier.
Bahamian Florida junior Wanya McCoy ran 10.15 and 20.22 to advance to the finals of both the 100m and 200m.
Jamaican Florida senior Jevaughn Powell (45.17) and junior Reheem Hayles (45.59) both advanced to the final of the one lap event.
All those finals are set for Friday.
Elsewhere, in a massive upset, World Championship long jump silver medallist Wayne Pinnock’s best jump of 7.98m was only good enough for fifth in the men’s long jump.
USC sophomore JC Stevenson produced a personal best 8.22m to win ahead of Florida State senior Jeremiah Davis (8.07m) and Florida junior Malcolm Clemons (8.05m).
Clemson junior Courtney Lawrence threw a personal best 19.92m for fifth in the men’s shot put won by Ole Miss sophomore Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan in a personal best and collegiate-leading 20.88m.
Wisconsin’s Jason Swarens (20.38m) and South Carolina’s Dylan Taggart (20.23m) were second and third.
Bahamian national record holder and Auburn sophomore Keyshawn Strachan threw 74.95m for fifth in the men’s javelin.
Georgia’s Marc Minichello threw 80.70m to win ahead of Washington’s Chandler Ault (79.31m) and Miami’s Devoux Deysel (75.14m).
Pinnock, the 2023 World Championships silver medalist, has been the world leader in the long jump since the 2023 outdoor season, with a leap of 8.54m from the World Championships qualification round. His winning effort at LSU is the 2024 outdoor world-leading performance under all-conditions as it was aided by a 5.8m/s wind. It also ranks him as the number-eight performer on the collegiate all-time list under all-conditions, which includes five wind-aided marks among the top 11 performers.
With only three jumps in his series, Pinnock opened with 8.15m that was assisted with a 7.1m/s wind. In the third round, with a 2.3 wind, Pinnock traveled 8.25m/s.
Thompson's sixth and final jump of 8.30m had initially placed him in a strong position. However, the jump was ruled a foul, and after being measured, the matter was sent to the jury of appeals. Following their deliberation, the jury decided to dismiss the appeal, thereby disqualifying Thompson's mark.
The ruling has altered the final standings of the competition. Carey McLeod's leap of 8.38m now secures him the first place, while Wayne Pinnock moves up to second with his jump of 8.27m. Tajay Gayle, the 2019 World Champion, who had initially missed out on a top-three finish, will now take third place with his jump of 8.13m.
The decision is a significant blow to Thompson, who had been eyeing a spot at the Paris Olympics. In contrast, it is a fortunate turn for Gayle, who has been one of Jamaica's top performers in the long jump and now gets another opportunity to showcase his talents on the world stage.
Pinnock, a two-time NCAA champion from the University of Arkansas, narrowly missed out on the gold in Budapest despite an impressive world-leading leap of 8.54m in the preliminary round and another outstanding jump of 8.50m in the final. Greek athlete Miltiádis Tentóglou clinched the gold with a mark of 8.52m on the final jump of the competition.
Undeterred by the near miss, Pinnock is channeling his energy into becoming Jamaica's first-ever Olympic long jump gold medallist. The 25-year-old athlete has been diligently working with his coach, Travis Geopfert, focusing on technical aspects and sprinting improvements.
“In practice me and (coach Travis Geopfert) we are working on some, you know, technical stuff, and coming from last season to this season I have seen numerous improvements with my sprinting, and I am 25 per cent stronger. So we keep on working. And I told him that ‘you know coach, like something special coming this year for sure, and we just going to go for it,’” said Pinnock.
With a combination of patience, humility, and faith, Pinnock believes that the right time for his extraordinary performance is approaching. Reflecting on his experience in Budapest, where Tentóglou's final jump snatched the gold from his grasp, Pinnock acknowledges the Greek athlete's skill but is determined to claim victory in Paris.
“I knew he would have jumped far based on his first six pushes out of the back of his approach. When I saw it, I was like, yes, that's the one. So I saw him take off the board and I was like, yeah, that was a solid jump. But I never expected, expected to be that far. But he's a competitor, he's an Olympic champion and you got to pay a little respect; but you know for sure, I'm coming.”
The setback in Budapest has only fueled Pinnock's desire to improve further. He plans to get back to the drawing board, working hard, and coming back stronger for the Olympics. Training has been rigorous, but Pinnock is unwavering in his dedication to greatness.
"Honestly, I’ll just get back to the drawing board. Keep on working hard and come again for Olympics. Training has been going good, and also it's been very gruesome; it's been hard. I just been putting in the work. I'm in the gym doing my own stuff, that makes you great, and I'm gonna continue doing what I'm doing,” affirmed Pinnock.
The talented long jumper anticipates his return to competitive action sometime in February, setting the stage for what he believes will be a spectacular and victorious performance at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
With a personal best of 8.54 meters, Pinnock is taking the track and field world by storm. His impressive performances have earned him a spot on the PUMA roster, signing a NIL deal with the global sports brand.
"I'm excited to partner with 7venz Media Agency to share my story and showcase my abilities on a global stage," said Wayne Pinnock. "Their expertise will help me build a strong brand and inspire others to chase their dreams."
7venz Media Agency will leverage its expertise to elevate Pinnock's profile, increase his visibility, and propel him to new heights in the sports industry.
"We are thrilled to welcome Wayne Pinnock to our roster," 7venz Media Agency said in a statement. "His dedication, passion, and talent make him a perfect fit for our agency. We look forward to helping him achieve his goals and making a lasting impact on the sports industry."
Pinnock won the silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in 2023, losing the gold medal on the final jump by Greek jumper Miltiádis Tentóglou.
Pinnock has joined a growing number of Jamaican athletes who have signed with 7venz Media Agency, who boasts Olympic champion Hansle Parchment, World champion Danielle Williams, and Olympic relay gold medalist Briana Williams, on its roster.
The former Kingston College standout jumped out to 8.00m to secure victory ahead of Florida State’s Jeremiah Davis, who also achieved 8.00m, a new personal best, while his Florida State teammate Isaac Grimes was third in 7.97.
Pinnock has now completed the NCAA double having won the indoor title in Alabama, in March, with a 7.92m effort.
The Caribbean will be well represented in the final of the Men’s 400m through Barbadian Olympian and Texas athlete Jonathan Jones and Jamaican UTEP and former Edwin Allen and Kingston College quarter miler Jevaughn Powell.
Jones ran a comfortable 44.97 to win his semi-final while Powell advanced after finishing third in his semi-final with 45.47.
Jamaican Mississippi State junior Navasky Anderson will contest the Men’s 800m final after running 1:45.94 to win his semi-final.
Barbadian New Mexico senior Rivaldo Leacock advanced in the Men’s 400m hurdles with a 49.86 clocking.
Jamaicans Jaheem Hayles of Syracuse and Lafranz Campbell of Clemson both advanced in the Men’s sprint hurdles with times of 13.44 and 13.48, respectively.
Trinidadian Olympian Eric Harrison of Ohio State ran 20.18 to win his 200m semi-final.
The Men’s finals will take place on Friday, June 10th while the Women’s section gets underway on Thursday, with the finals coming on Saturday.
Pinnock and McLeod, both former Kingston College standouts, now competing for the University of Tennessee, jumped 7.93m and 7.63m, respectively, to advance. They were also the top two finishers at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Alabama in March with Pinnock jumping 7.92m for victory against McLeod's 7.91m.
Former Jamaica College and current Purdue jumper Safin Wills produced 15.89m to advance in the Men’s triple jump.
On the track, Jamaica’s Yanique Dayle and Antigua and Barbuda’s Joella Lloyd will both compete in the sprint double at the NCAA Championships after securing their spots.
Dayle, formerly of Hydel High and now competing for Ohio State, ran times of 11.24 in the 100m and 22.64 in the 200m while Lloyd, competing for Tennessee, ran the same time in the 100m and 23.01 in the 200m.
The Women’s 400m also saw two Caribbean competitors advance from the East Region with Bahamian Kentucky standout Megan Moss (52.07) and Bermudan UMBC athlete Caitlyn Bobb (52.40).
Trinidadian Olympian and Kentucky senior Dwight St. Hillaire ran 45.63 to advance in the Men’s equivalent.
Clemson senior Lafranz Campbell of Jamaica and Cayman's North Carolina A&T senior Rasheem Brown both ran 13.63 to advance in the Men’s sprint hurdles while another Jamaican Clemson representative, Trishauna Hemmings, ran 13.13 to advance in the Women’s 100m hurdles.
Barbadian and Tennessee sophomore Rasheeme Griffith and Jamaica and Kentucky senior Kenroy Williams ran 50.91 and 50.96, respectively, to progress in the Men’s 400m hurdles.
In the women’s 100m hurdles, Danielle Williams will face a formidable field that promises to deliver one of the most exciting races of the meet. Williams, who captured the world title in Budapest last year, will go up against Puerto Rican Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the reigning Olympic champion from Tokyo 2021, and France’s Cyréna Samba-Mayela, who claimed silver in the 100m hurdles at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Swiss star Ditaji Kambundji will also be in the mix, adding local flavor to a race that features some of the world’s best.
The men’s long jump is another event that will be packed with talent, as Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock takes on a star-studded field. Pinnock, fresh off his silver-medal performance at the Paris Olympics, will be looking to challenge the likes of Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou, the double Olympic champion and current world leader in the event. Also in the competition are Italy’s Mattia Furlani and Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer, who placed third and fourth respectively in Paris, setting the stage for a highly competitive showdown.
Rushell Clayton, another Jamaican star, will compete in the women’s 400m hurdles, an event where she has consistently proven her mettle. As a finalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics and a two-time World Championship bronze medalist, Clayton will be aiming to continue her strong season in Lausanne against some of the best in the world.
The Lausanne Diamond League meeting will also feature a host of other top international athletes. British sprinters Daryll Neita and Dina Asher-Smith, along with Ivorian speedster Marie-Josée Ta Lou, will battle it out in the women’s 100m. In the shot put, reigning Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye of Germany and New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche, the Olympic silver medalist, will go head-to-head. The men’s javelin will see Grenada’s Anderson Peters, and Norway’s Narve Nordas will be a key contender in the 1500m.
