The island of St Lucia is set to erupt in jubilation as the Government plans extravagant celebrations to honour Julien Alfred's historic triumph at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow. However, when those festivities occur will likely depend on when the athlete would be available to participate.

 The 22-year-old sprint sensation made history on Saturday, securing the gold medal in the 60m dash and etching her name in St Lucian athletics lore.

Already recognized as the fastest women ever from St Lucia, Alfred's stellar performance in Glasgow elevated her status to unparalleled heights. Clocking a world-leading 6.98s, she held off formidable competitors Ewa Swoboda of Poland (7.00s) and Italy's Zaynab Dosso (7.05s) to clinch the coveted gold medal, marking the first time a St Lucian athlete has achieved such a feat on the global stage.

In the wake of this historic victory, St Lucia's Sports Minister, Kenson Casimir, expressed the government's eagerness to celebrate Julien Alfred's triumph.

Speaking to Sportsmax.TV, Minister Casimir outlined plans for a grand celebration but emphasized that the arrangements would hinge on Alfred's availability, considering her demanding athletic schedule.

“We have a very long season ahead of us, we would love to celebrate it with Julien but we are thinking about whether or not she comes home, that would be entirely up to her, her technical team, and her staff, coach and others," stated Minister Casimir.

The sports minister further conveyed the island's desire to demonstrate their pride and support for Alfred by parading her across the entire island. However, recognizing the athlete's significant goals and commitments, Casimir expressed the need to coordinate with Alfred's team to determine the feasibility of such a celebration.

“We would love to have her home to really parade her around the entire island, but we have big goals; she has big goals. Of course, I will be on the phone with her soon enough to find out what is possible and what’s not,” he added.

In a historic moment at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, Thea LaFond from Dominica leaped into the record books, securing her place as the first Dominican to clinch a medal at a world indoor championships. Her triumphant victory in the triple jump with a lifetime best and world-leading 15.01m showcased not only her exceptional talent but also the power of inspiration drawn from fellow Caribbean athlete Julien Alfred of St. Lucia.

The connection between these two neighboring nations, Dominica and St. Lucia, goes beyond geographical proximity, as they share cultural similarities that run deep. The impact of Julien Alfred's gold medal win in the 60m dash the previous night reverberated strongly for LaFond, eliciting emotional tears of joy.

"So Julien is from St Lucia, she is a neighboring country, Dominica. We share a lot of similarities cultural-wise, and I would be lying to you if I said I didn't cry last night (Saturday) when I saw her gold," LaFond expressed, reflecting on the profound connection that binds these two island nations.

Fuelled by the desire to replicate the success of her compatriot, LaFond reached out to her husband, Aaron, expressing her yearning for victory. His reassuring words became the catalyst for her exceptional performance, as she recalled, "I messaged Aaron, and I told him that I so desperately want this, I don't want to disappoint, and his words back to me were like, 'It's OK, it's your turn.'"

As LaFond stepped onto the track after the introductions, a powerful motivation fueled her. She envisioned a "1-2 punch for the Lesser Antilles islands," with Julien Alfred being the first punch the night before. Determined and inspired, she declared, "Let's do it. Let's do it."

The resonance of Julien Alfred's achievement echoed in LaFond's heart, transforming the competition into a celebration of the prowess of small Caribbean nations. "But it was amazing inspiration last night and filled me with such pride. And once again, these small countries doing such amazing things. And I knew St. Lucia was going to be so proud, and I wanted that same feeling for Dominica," LaFond shared.

Expressing her gratitude and congratulations to Julien Alfred, LaFond celebrated the shared success of their neighboring islands. "So, a huge thank you and congratulations to Julien Alfred for the inspiration late last night and of course that gold medal. Twinsies!" she exclaimed, celebrating the unique bond and collective triumph of the Caribbean athletes on the global stage.

Great Britain set a new national record as they qualified for the final of the 4×400 metre relay at the World Athletics Indoor Championships.

Lina Nielsen, Ama Pipi, Hannah Kelly and Jessie Knight won their heat in three minutes, 26.4 seconds in Glasgow.

They finished almost a second ahead of Jamaica, with the Czech Republic third.

“I love this track,” anchor leg Knight told the BBC. “I’m not the best at getting out in the first 200 but I really tried, and not overcooking it as well.

“I’m really happy with that. I felt strong at the end and we’re really excited for the final. We’re going for the win as always.”

The Netherlands, favourites for the gold medal, qualified from the first heat in 3min 27.70sec.

In a breathtaking and ground-breaking performance Thea LaFond won gold in the women’s triple jump at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Dominican stunned her rivals and herself when she uncorked a remarkable world-leading 15.01m to win and become the first woman from the Caribbean to achieve that distance indoors and the first from Dominica to win a global gold medal.

LaFond, who achieved a lifetime best of 14.90m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last year to finish fifth, uncorked her historic performance on her second attempt in Glasgow stunning the audience and her rivals. She stared at the mark in disbelief before shedding tears of joy in front of her husband and coach Aaron Gadson.

With the gold medal all but secured, LaFond passed on her remaining jumps but watched as Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez provided a scare when she unleashed a jump of 14.90m to claim the silver medal. The Cuban had a big jump on her final attempt but it was deemed a foul, which sent LaFond skipping away joyfully at winning her first-ever global championship.

Spain’s Ana Peleteiro-Compaore' won the bronze medal with her effort of 14.75m

Earlier, world-record holder Devynne Charlton easily advanced to the semi-final round of the 60m hurdles. The Bahamian barely broke a sweat in winning the third of the six heats in 7.93. Her compatriot Charisma Taylor also advanced one of the six fastest losers. Taylor was fourth her heat in 8.05.

Megan Tapper from Jamaica was an automatic qualifier after she was third in her heat in 8.05.

Jamaica ran well to advance to the final of the 4x00m relay. The quartet of Junelle Bromfield, Andrenette Knight, Charokee Young and Leah Anderson ran a season-best 3:27.35 to finish second, an automatic qualifying spot in the second of two heats that was won by Great Britain who ran a national record of 3:26.40.

Gold medal favourites, the Netherlands (3:27.70) and the USA (3:28.04) are also through to the final.

 

 

 

Julien Alfred secured St Lucia’s first ever global gold medal, when she topped the women’s 60m final in a world lead equalling 6.98s, to fittingly bring the curtains down on day of the World Athletics Indoor Championships, in Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday.

Alfred, who has a personal best of 6.94s, was always expected to continue her rich vein of form with a podium finish, but her gold medal prospects improved even more when her main rival Aleia Hobbs of the United States pulled out of the final with an injury.

Still, the 22-year-old Alfred showed her class, as she burst through the middle of Poland’s Ewa Swoboda (7.00s) and Italy’s Zaynab Dosso (7.05s), to finish tops.

"It feels good, I don't know how they are behaving right now, but I am sure they are happy. I have been working hard for such a long time to come out here and give my country their first ever gold medal and I am so happy, overwhelmed and ecstatic right now," Alfred said shortly after the race.

St Lucia’s Minister of Sport Kenson Casimir congratulated Alfred on the feat which has given the Eastern Caribbean Island much to celebrate.

“St Lucia's first ever global medallist in any sporting event and I think what makes it even more special is the fact that it is a gold medal at the World Indoor Championships. Of course, we are so proud, our entire nation is so proud. Of course, when you've won a medal, they say St Lucia wins it, so I can see every single individual really, really enjoying what we just witnessed today,” Casimir told SportsMax.TV.

“Of course, I want to say congratulations to her family, Julian is somebody from humble, humble, humble beginnings from Castries, St Lucia, and she's doing so well, and we just look forward to even bigger and better things later on this year at the Olympic Games,” he added.

On that note, Casimir declared his government’s intentions to continue throwing the necessary support behind Alfred as she continues to progress in her budding career.

“We certainly believe that there's more to come from Julien. She is young. She has worked really hard her entire life from coming from the Leon Hess comprehensive secondary school and going over to high school in Jamaica and then later on to Texas.

“She has really worked extremely hard and so as a government, we continue to put our resources behind her as she has transitioned so effectively into being a professional. And of course, with Coach Flo behind her from the University of Texas, we only expect bigger and better things from Julien Alfred,” he shared.

Earlier, Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald clocked a new personal best 45.65s for bronze in the men’s 400m.

McDonald produced his usual late burst to secure his first ever indoor medal, and in the process became the first ever global male 400m medallist for coach Stephen Francis.

The event was won by Belgium’s Alexander Doom in a new national record 45.25s, ahead of World and Olympic 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm, who clocked a season’s best 45.34s.

McDonald's bronze is Jamaica's third at the Championships, as Ackeem Blake and Carey McLeod, also won bronze in the men's 60m and long jump respectively.

Josh Kerr ended Scotland’s 31-year wait for a world indoor title and did so on home turf as he stormed to 3,000 metres gold in Glasgow.

Kerr powered away on the final lap to win comfortably in seven minutes 42.98 seconds, with defending champion Selemon Barega fading down the final straight as he was beaten to silver by American Yared Nuguse.

After disappointment for Laura Muir in the women’s 3,000m final earlier in the evening, Kerr’s victory sparked huge celebrations in the Emirates Arena.

“I think I burned more energy celebrating than I did in the race, which is a bit embarrassing,” Kerr, the world 1500m champion outdoors, said on BBC Sport. “This competition is so important.

“I’ve come to championships before not ready to have a real go at it and I feel I’ve let the UK audience down a bit in the way I’ve performed in front of them. It was really important to come here fit and ready to go and really execute.

“I came in without a solid plan, just really fluid. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t acting emotionally.

“I kept a patient head and then I could really send it with 400 metres to go.”

Muir set a season’s best time of 8mins 29.76secs, but that was only good enough for fifth as American Elle St Pierre took the win ahead of Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay.

St Pierre’s time of 8:20.87 was a World Indoor Championships record.

Jemma Reekie delighted her home crowd by cruising into the final of the women’s 800m with a “perfect” performance.

The 25-year-old Scot bided her time in second spot before passing Ethiopia’s Habitam Alemu on the final straight to win heat two in commanding fashion in a time of 1:58.28.

World number five Reekie progresses to Sunday’s medal race as the fastest qualifier across the two semi-finals and had a warning for her podium rivals.

She told BBC Sport: “(It was) perfect planning – you’d think Jon (Bigg, her coach) knew a bit about this sport by now. (It was) really good.

“I’m in really good shape. Obviously the final’s going to be really tough, but I want them to know if they’re coming to win on my track they’re going to have to work hard.

“I think it will be a fast one.”

At 19 years and 26 days, Italy’s Mattia Furlani became the youngest long jump medallist in World Indoor Championships history by claiming silver in the men’s event with a leap of 8.22m.

The teenager missed out on the title – to Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou – only on countback, with bronze going to Carey McLeod of Jamaica (8.21m).

Britain’s David King qualified for the semi-finals of the men’s 60m hurdles after clocking 7.64 but compatriot Tade Ojora failed to make the cut in his heat.

Amy Hunt fell short in the women’s 60m, finishing fifth in her heat in a time of 7.29.

Jamaica’s Carey McLeod secured bronze in the men’s long jump final on day two of the World Athletics Indoor Championships, as Saturday’s morning session yielded mostly positive results for Caribbean athletes in Glasgow, Scotland.

McLeod, who just missed a medal at last year’s World Athletic Championships in Budapest, cut the sand at a new season’s best 8.21m. He placed behind Greece’s World Champion Miltiadis Tentoglou and Italy’s Mattia Furlani, who both leapt to a mark of 8.22m.

Another Jamaican, Tajay Gayle was sixth at 7.89m, while LaQuan Nairn of the Bahamas was 15th at 7.59m.

McLeod's medal is Jamaica's second at the Championship, adding to Ackeem Blake's bronze won in the men's 60m final on Friday.

On the track, St Lucia’s in-form sprinter Julien Alfred, Bahamian Anthonique Strachan, Barbadian Tristan Evelyn, as well as Jamaicans Briana Williams and Shashalee Forbes, all progressed to the women’s 60m semi-finals, after contrasting performances in their respective heats.

Alfred, 22, comfortably won her heat in 7.02s and headlines the qualifiers, as Strachan (7.24s), Williams (7.22s) and Forbes (7.17s), all placed second in their heats, while Evelyn (7.17s) was third in heat four.

Beyonce Defreitas (7.44s) of British Virgin Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye, despite a season’s best 7.26s, failed to progress, as both placed fifth in their heats.

The women’s 60m semi-final and final is scheduled for Saturday’s evening session.

Elsewhere on the track, Jamaica’s Damion Thomas and Tyler Mason, both failed to progress in the men’s 60m hurdles, after both placed sixth in their respective heats in 7.73s and 7.86s.

Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin also missed out on a spot in the women’s 800m final, following a sixth-place finish in her semi-final race. Goule-Toppin stopped the clock in 2:01.41.

Meanwhile, Ken Mullings of the Bahamas, started the men’s Heptathlon on a positive note, as he placed third in his heat of the 60m dash in a personal best 6.83s.

Mullings also registered a new lifetime best of 7.69m when he placed fifth in the long jump, and that was followed by a heave of 14.49m in the shot pot. By virtue of those performances, the 26-year-old currently occupies third position on 2684 points, behind Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer (2800 points) and Estonia’s Johannes Erm (2739 points).

They still have the high jump, 60m hurdles, pole vault and 1,000m to come.

Jemma Reekie delighted her home crowd in Glasgow by cruising into the final of the women’s 800 metres with a “perfect” performance at the World Indoor Championships.

The 25-year-old Scot bided her time in second spot before passing Ethiopia’s Habitam Alemu on the final straight to win heat two in commanding fashion in a time of one minute 58.28 seconds.

World number five Reekie progresses to Sunday’s medal race as the fastest qualifier across the two semi-finals and had a warning for her podium rivals.

She told BBC Sport: “(It was) perfect planning – you’d think Jon (Bigg, her coach) knew a bit about this sport by now! (It was) really good.

“I’m in really good shape. Obviously the final’s going to be really tough but I want them to know if they’re coming to win on my track they’re going to have to work hard.

“I think it will be a fast one.”

Great Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson claimed her first global title on this day in 2018, winning the pentathlon at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

The then 25-year-old finished 50 points ahead of Austria’s Ivona Dadic and 113 in front of Cuba’s Yorgelis Rodriguez to take victory with 4750 points.

It ended a series of disappointments in heptathlon after she finished fifth at the 2017 World Championships in London, sixth at the Rio 2016 Olympics and 28th at the World Championships in Beijing the year before that.

Johnson-Thompson said: “I am so happy. I have a busy year and this gives me confidence and belief going to the Commonwealth Games (in Gold Coast that April) that I can compete at a certain level and come away with a medal and not screw it up.

“It means the world. It is something I have been trying to do since 2012 when I stepped onto the international scene.

“I was disappointed last year I wasn’t able to do it outdoors.

“After the last couple of years I have had, there was no pressure on me because I have not done too well.

“I am just happy that I can kick start this year as a gold medallist.”

Johnson-Thompson went on in 2018 to claim gold for England at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and silver at the European Championships in Berlin.

She has since secured world heptathlon titles in 2019 in Doha and 2023 in Budapest, while she retained her Commonwealth title in Birmingham in 2022.

Ackeem Blake took home the region’s first medal at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow with a brilliant bronze in the final of the men’s 60m on Friday.

Blake, Jamaica’s national record holder in the event with 6.42 done in 2023, produced 6.46, narrowly outside of his season’s best 6.45 done on February 4 in Boston, to take his first individual major championship medal.

In a keenly anticipated contest between Americans Christian Coleman and Noah Lyles, Coleman ended up taking the win in a world leading 6.41 while Lyles ran 6.44 in second.

Lyles famously got his first ever win against Coleman over 60m at the US Championships last month.

Elsewhere, Jamaica’s national record holder in the 400m outdoors, Rusheen McDonald, successfully advanced to the final of the men’s 400m by running a personal best 46.02 to finish second in his semi-final behind Norwegian world 400m hurdles record holder Karsten Warholm (45.86).

Nigel Ellis sent a clear message to his competition that he is ready to battle for a place on Jamaica’s team at the Olympic Games in Paris, France, this summer.

In the heats of the Men’s 100m at the Gibson-McCook Relays at the National Stadium in Kingston on February 24, he ran a controlled race in what was then a season’s best time of 10.15s to advance to the final.

Just about 2 hours later, Ellis powered to a second season’s best time of 10.09s to win the General Accident-sponsored Men’s 100m Final run in wet and rainy conditions.

He defeated the likes of other Olympic hopefuls, Javorne Dunkley, who was second in 10.17s and Jazeel Murphy, who was third in 10.23s.

Ellis’s time was just .05 seconds outside of his personal best of 10.04 seconds and was a really good time for him to be running in February, especially considering the conditions.

His control of the final from start to finish and his acceleration over the last 20 meters to power away from the field was reminiscent of what he did as a schoolboy while at St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and will rekindle hope among his fans that this may be the year that he does something special.

To close out his performance, Ellis, alongside second and third-place winners Dunkley and Murphy, walked away with gift baskets chock-full of sporting goods courtesy of race sponsor General Accident.

The first-time race sponsors were glad to support the efforts of the next generation of Olympic Games hopefuls.

“A staple event on the track calendar, the Gibson McCook Relays showcases the brightest track stars of the future, true assets to the sport. At GenAc, safeguarding your most valuable assets is our business, and we are proud to sponsor a competition geared towards protecting Jamaica’s athletic future,” Chief Operating Officer Gregory Foster shared.

Ellis, a former Carifta Games 100m champion and Commonwealth Games 4x100m bronze medallist from the 2018 Games held in Gold Coast, Australia, has yet to make a real mark, on an individual level, in the senior ranks.

At 26 years old, Ellis now has the experience required to become one of the top sprinters in the world and must be looking at the Paris Games as his chance at real stardom. 

 

Caribbean athletes experienced a mix of success and challenges on the opening day of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on Friday.

Jamaican sprinter Ackeem Blake showcased his speed in the 60-metre dash, winning his heat in 6.55. Although he stands as the third-fastest in the world this year at 6.45, Blake is fifth-fastest heading into the semi-finals. Notably, gold-medal favorite Christian Coleman dominated the heats with a remarkable run of 6.49.

Mario Burke of Barbados is also through to the semi-final round after he finished second to Coleman in 6.58. Also through is Rikkoi Brathwaite of the British Virgin Islands, who ran a season-best 6.62 for fourth-place in Coleman’s heat.

Coleman’s compatriot, Noah Lyles, who is also in contention for the gold medal won his heat in 6.57.

The 60m semi-finals and finals are set for later on Friday.

Rusheen McDonald, also from Jamaica, delivered a lifetime best performance in the 400m, clocking an impressive 46.25. He finished second in his heat behind the Czech Republic’s Matej Krsek (46.07), securing his place in the next round.

Trinidad and Tobago's defending champion Jereem Richards faced a close call in the 400m, finishing fourth in his heat with a time of 47.04. However, Richards secured a spot in the next round ahead of the USA’s Jacory Patterson, credited with a similar time.

In the women's events, Stacey-Ann Williams from Jamaica advanced in the 400m, clocking 52.16. Williams entered the competition with a season best of 51.86 and secured a spot as one of the fastest losers after finishing fourth in her heat, won by Netherlands’ Lieke Laver in 51.31.

Despite these successes, the challenges were evident. Charokee Young faced disappointment in the 400m, finishing third in her heat with a time of 53.06. Shalysa Wray of the Cayman Islands and Yanique Haye-Smith of the Turks and Caicos produced season-best performances but will take no further part in the competition.

In the 800m, Natoya Goule Toppin advanced to the semi-final round with a second-place finish in her heat, clocking 2:00.83. She opened her season in a competitive field, with Ethiopia’s Habitam Alemu winning the heat in 2:00.50.

In the shot put final, Danielle Thomas Dodd threw a season-best 19.12m, earning sixth place. Canada’s Sarah Mitton claimed gold with a throw of 20.22m, followed by Germany’s Yemisi Ogunleye with a lifetime best of 20.19m for the silver medal. The USA’s Chase Jackson (nee’ Ealey) secured the bronze with a throw of 19.67m.

Jamaican high jumper Romaine Beckford, along with fellow Jamaican long jumper Wayne Pinnock and Bahamian sprinter Terrence Jones, have secured coveted spots on the Men’s Bowerman Watch List, unveiled on February 29.

The Bowerman Award, recognized as the highest honor for student-athletes in American collegiate track and field, is administered by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Hailing from Portland, Jamaica, Beckford, a standout at the University of Arkansas, carries an unblemished record into the upcoming NCAA Indoor Championships. Beckford, last year's titleholder in Albuquerque, New Mexico, recently clinched top NCAA honors by effortlessly clearing 2.25m marking the best winning height since 2012. Notably, he matched his personal record of 2.27m earlier this season, currently holding the national lead at that height.

Jones, a Bahamian sprinter from Freeport, enters the NCAA Championships as a two-event national leader in the 60 and 200 metres. At the Jarvis Scott Open, he unleashed his speed with a 6.47-second performance in the 60 m. Jones continued his impressive form by clocking 20.21 seconds in the 200 meters, securing the Big 12 title in the process.

Pinnock, another Jamaican sensation representing the University of Arkansas, has been a force to be reckoned with in the long jump. Despite only taking five jumps this season, four of them have exceeded an impressive distance of 8.22m. Fresh off a victorious SEC title where he soared to 8.28m, Pinnock is set to make waves at the NCAA Championships. His earlier leap of 8.34m this month already positions him as a standout on the seasonal chart.

The trio of Jamaican and Bahamian athletes is joined by other outstanding contenders on the Men's Bowerman Watch List, including Mykolas Alekna from California, Graham Blanks from Harvard, Johnny Brackins, Jr. from Southern California, Leo Neugebauer from Texas, Ky Robinson from Stanford, Christopher Morales Williams from Georgia, and Nico Young from Northern Arizona.

Excitement looms as these exceptional athletes showcase their prowess on the national stage, with the next Watch List set for release on March 21.

Jamaica's Travis Williams, a sprinter attending the University of Southern California, triumphed at the 2024 Ken Shannon Last Chance Meet in Seattle, Washington, clinching victory in the 60m dash with a remarkable personal best of 6.52, a meet record.

He believes the performance sets him up for something special at the NCAA Indoor National Championships set for March 7-9 at The Track at New Balance in Boston.

Williams’ winning time ranks third on the NCAA descending order list this indoor season and moved him from seven to second on USC's all-time list.  He now sits just behind school record-holder Davonte Burnett's time of 6.50.  The time also makes him the second-fastest Jamaican over 60m this indoor season. Only Ackeem Blake, who has run 6.45, has gone faster.

This achievement was particularly noteworthy as Williams had battled through a toe injury that had sidelined him from training and competition for about two weeks.

Williams, who had transferred from the University of Albany, where he secured the 60m and 200m double at the 2023 America East Indoor Championships, revealed the challenges he faced leading up to the Ken Shannon Last Chance Meet.

Reflecting on his performance, Williams expressed his excitement, telling Sportsmax.tv, “Performance-wise, I was excited, ecstatic, full of energy and joy 'cause I started the season out rough with a toe injury; still nursing it back as we speak but it's to the point where I can compete on it. I am not at my full potential yet, but we still getting there.”

To recover from the injury, Williams adopted a comprehensive approach. He engaged in discussions with his coaches, adjusted his diet, and made strategic decisions for his recovery both on and off the track. He acknowledged the efforts invested in correcting and overcoming the challenges, saying, “We had to go back a few times to try and see what works for me on the track and off the track. A lot of dieting, a lot of sitting down with my coaches and going back on what we need to do, 'cause pre-season was probably one of the greatest pre-seasons I ever had running track and field.”

Despite the initial doubts caused by the toe injury, Williams found solace and determination in his accomplishments. Running the 6.52 not only silenced those doubts but also positioned him as a formidable contender in the upcoming NCAA Indoor Championships.

“I had doubts because of my toe. I set those doubts behind me this past weekend. I was happy about that, 'cause I know it was SEC, ACC, Big 12, and all those other conferences, so I just showed the people that I'm still here," Williams declared.

Expressing gratitude for the support and environment at USC, Williams highlighted the positive impact of his coach, John Bolton, in guiding him through the challenges of returning from an injury.

"Sitting out for two weeks, it was depressing at one point but then we had to bounce back and look behind us and say oh, I know what I can do," Williams revealed. "As far as my training and everything, it’s going well, I love USC's culture, the environment, the coaches. My coach John Bolton, he set me up at the right time, the right way based on how he handled the situation coming off an injury."

Looking ahead, Williams expressed confidence in his trajectory, saying, "So yeah, as far as all that, I would say my performance was great. We still have big goals for indoors. We're not done yet. We have two weeks to the NCAA National Championships. I have something in store, so you want to stay tuned for that.”

Jamaican athletes Lamara Distin, Brianna Lyston, and Ackelia Smith continue to make waves on the NCAA track and field scene, securing their spots on the prestigious 2024 Bowerman Watch List. The latest edition of the list was unveiled on Wednesday, following the conclusion of the regional conference championships this past weekend.

The Bowerman Award, named after Oregon track and field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman, stands as the highest honor bestowed upon the year's best student-athlete in American collegiate track and field. Administered by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the list showcases the most outstanding talents in the sport.

 Distin, hailing from Hanover, Jamaica, showcased her dominance at the SEC Indoor Championships by setting a collegiate record in the high jump, clearing an impressive 2.00m, which is also a national indoor record. This performance marked the first-ever two-metre jump indoors or outdoors in collegiate history. Undefeated in three meets this winter, Distin also notched a pair of clearances at 1.97m, solidifying her position with four of the top-11 collegiate indoor performances of all time. With nine career Watch List appearances, she stands as the active leader among women, eyeing a third-straight NCAA DI Indoor title.

Lyston, a talent from Portmore, Jamaica, has remained undefeated in three 60-metre finals this winter, delivering the year's two fastest performances. Running a swift 7.07 in January at the Razorback Invitational, she secured the No. 4 all-time collegiately spot. Lyston continued her stellar form with a 7.08 victory at the SEC Indoor on the same track. Additionally, she clocked an impressive 23.16 in her sole 200m event this year, earning her second appearance on the Watch List.

Smith, representing Clarendon, Jamaica, asserted her dominance in the long jump with ownership of the year's four best collegiate leaps. Her leading jump of 6.85m this winter showcases her undefeated streak in three meets. Holding a personal record of 6.88m from last year, Smith is a force to be reckoned with, securing her fifth career Watch List appearance. In the triple jump, where she ranks No. 3 all-time outdoors and No. 5 indoors, Smith continued her excellence with a fourth-place finish in the Big 12 Indoor at 13.37m. Her versatility extends to the 60m, where she boasts a personal record of 7.21, and she contributed a swift 53.25 leadoff split on the Longhorns' top 4×400 squad.

Joining these Jamaican sensations on the Bowerman Watch List are other outstanding athletes, including JaMeesia Ford – South Carolina, Jasmine Jones – Southern Carolina, Olivia Markezich – Notre Dame, Hannah Moll – Washington, Maia Ramsden – Harvard, Michaela Rose – LSU, and Parker Valby – Florida.

The anticipation for these remarkable athletes continues to grow, with the next women's Watch List scheduled for March 20. The Jamaican trio's stellar performances signal an exciting journey ahead in the world of collegiate track and field.

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