In a dazzling display of unexpected speed, two-time World Championship 400m bronze medalist Sada Williams of Barbados set the track ablaze at the GC Foster Classic in Spanish Town on Saturday. Williams, who trains with the MVP Track Club in Jamaica, not only secured victory but also shattered her country’s national record with a scintillating time of 22.59.

As she crossed the finish line, Williams couldn't contain her joy, letting out a scream that echoed the magnitude of her achievement. The 26-year-old athlete's triumph was not just a personal victory but a testament to her resilience and commitment to excellence.

Williams dominated the field, leaving her MVP teammates Natasha Morrison and Tina Clayton in her wake. Both Morrison and Clayton delivered commendable performances with season-best times of 23.53 and 23.65, respectively. However, it was Williams who raced to victory with a significant lead.

Explaining the jubilant screams, Williams shared with Sportsmax.TV, "Yes, because I haven’t run that fast since 2016 (when she ran 22.61 as a junior). I was just hoping that the wind was legal. I wasn’t expecting much in the 200m, so I guess this only shows how fast I’ll run in the 400m this season, so I’m very excited to see how that goes. I did not think I was going to come out here and run that fast."

The arduous nature of her training was evident in her post-race comments. "Training is rough, training is rough. Every day I am just trying to survive. Every day is a constant battle, so I am just trying to survive and hope for the best for another season," she declared.

Reflecting on whether this year's training was more challenging than the past two seasons, during which she earned bronze medals at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon and Budapest, Williams admitted, "That’s a good question. Maybe. All I could tell is that it’s just rough right now, that’s why I was so shocked about the time because I have been dying the past three weeks."

The Barbadian sprinter is not one to rest on her laurels, as she looks ahead to another challenge – another 200m race in Miramar, Florida in a few weeks. When asked about the expectations in Barbados, Williams expressed confidence in the support she receives. "I know everybody is just hoping that I can make it on the podium for Paris. I know they’ll be very excited as they are every year."

As her fame continues to soar, Williams admitted to slowly getting used to her celebrity status in Barbados where she has received national honours as well as enjoyed ambassadorial roles for companies in the private sector.

 She anticipates the reactions of her fellow Barbadians, eagerly awaiting their support and enthusiasm. "I am slowly getting used to it. I guess that if I was in Barbados I would be more pronounced …everywhere I go everybody would be at me, so seeing as I am in Jamaica it isn’t as obvious. But I am slowly getting used to it, so I can't wait to see their reaction."

Jamaican Arkansas Junior Wayne Pinnock produced an excellent performance to claim long jump gold on day two of the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships in Boston, Massachusetts on Friday.

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.

Texas Tech Jr Terrence Jones established a new Bahamian national record on the way to 200m gold at the Big 12 Indoor Championships at the TTU Sports Performance Center in Lubbock on Saturday.

Jones, 21, won in 20.21 ahead of Houston Senior Shaun Maswanganyi (20.41) and Jamaican Baylor Senior Demar Francis (20.60).

Jones also holds Bahamian records in the 60m (6.45) and 100m (9.91), alongside 2007 World Championship silver medallist Derrick Atkins.

The women’s 400m saw Jamaican Texas Sophomore Dejanea Oakley produce a personal best 51.75 to take gold ahead of Iowa State Sophomore Rachel Joseph (51.98) and Texas Senior Ziyah Holman (52.22).

Oakley completed an excellent individual meet with another personal best, 22.86, to take the runner-up spot in the 200m. TCU Junior Iyana Gray took gold in 22.71 while Texas Tech Senior Rosemary Chukwuma took bronze in 22.90.

The men’s 400m saw St. Lucian Kansas Junior Michael Joseph set a personal best and break his own national record to win gold in 45.46. Jamaican Texas Tech Sophomore Shaemar Uter ran 45.68 for silver while Baylor Junior Nathaniel Ezekiel took third in 45.73.

In the field, Jamaican Texas Junior Ackelia Smith was dominant in the women’s long jump, producing 6.74m to win comfortably ahead of Baylor Senior Alexis Brown (6.45m) and Texas freshman Aaliyah Foster (6.34m).

Texas Tech won the men’s team title by 60 points, finishing with 152 points. Oklahoma State (92), Texas (89), Kansas (81) and Iowa State (67.5) rounded out the top five.

On the women’s side, Texas won the title with 135 points while Texas Tech (104), Oklahoma State (103.5), BYU (71) and Baylor (44) rounded out the top five.

USC Junior Travis Williams equaled his personal best to win the men’s 60m at the Arkansas Qualifier in Fayetteville on Friday.

Williams won the event in 6.59, a meet record, ahead of Grenadian 2021 World U-20 Championships 100m finalist and Ohio State Junior Nazzio John (6.68) and UTEP’s Xavier Butler (6.74).

Williams, who previously represented the University of Albany, was a silver medallist in the 100m at last year’s NACAC U-23 Championships in Costa Rica.

The men’s 60m open saw a Caribbean 1-2-3 through Barbados’ Mario Burke (6.56), BVI’s Rikkoi Brathwaite (6.67) and Jamaica’s Christopher Grant (6.74).

The open women’s 60m saw 2023 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion and World Championship finalist Ackera Nugent run 7.30 for second behind American Jada Baylark (7.22). Kristina Knott of the Philippines was third in 7.35.

Grenadian Arizona State Senior Gamali Felix ran a season’s best 45.90 to win the men’s 400m ahead of Arkansas’ Steven McElroy (46.09) and USC’s Johnnie Blockburger (46.20).

The women’s 200m saw Jamaican UTEP Sophomore Niesha Burgher run 23.09 for second behind USC’s Madison Whyte 23.01. Whyte’s USC teammate Jassani Carter was third in 23.19.

In the field, seven-time Jamaican national champion Kimberly Williams produced 13.83m to win the women's triple jump ahead of ULM's Eunice Ilunga Mbuyi (13.13m) and Oregon's Ryann Potter (12.84m).

The men's equivalent was won by Bermuda's Jah-Nhai Perinchief with 16.36m. Bahamian Kaiwan Culmer was second with 16.26m while Jamaican Arkansas Junior Apalos Edwards was third with 15.86m.

Bahamian Laquan Nairn jumped 7.64m for second in the men's long jump behind South Plains Freshman Andrew Stone (7.70m). Oklahoma Senior Anthony Riley was third with 7.57m.

Julien Alfred’s transition to the professional ranks of track & field has gotten off to about as good a start as anyone could’ve ever imagined.

The 22-year-old St. Lucian standout, fresh off a dominant 2023 collegiate season for the Texas Longhorns that saw her claim the Bowerman award, has started the 2024 indoor season brilliantly.

Alfred, a 100m silver medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, opened her season with a pair of wins at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in Albuquerque from February 2-3.

She first won the 200m on February 2 with a world leading 22.16, the fifth fastest indoor 200m time ever. Alfred also has the second fastest time ever with 22.01 done during her dominant 2023 season at Texas.

A day later, she won her heat of the 60m in 7.15 before returning to run 7.04 to win the final, a world-lead at the time.

At the Millrose Games on February 11, Alfred became the first woman to dip below the 7-second mark this season with a world-leading 6.99 for a dominant victory.

“I feel very pleased. I feel like I could’ve executed better but overall, I feel good. My body feels good and mentally I’m there,” Alfred said in a post-race interview.

She says that despite some difficulty having to adjust to a new routine, her transition from the collegiate ranks to the pro ranks has been smooth.

“Training has been really good. The fall was a bit difficult for me adjusting to having no school and no routine but I’m getting used to it now. I did take some time off and it was really needed so the transition has been really smooth,” she said.

Alfred is also joint-second on the all-time list in the 60m with 6.94, also done in 2023, and, after her performance on Sunday, feels like she is ready to challenge Irina Privalova’s world record 6.92 done all the way back in 1993.

“I feel really good about the performance to be honest and I really felt like I was ready to go after the world record but I’m just going to go out there and keep training and see what I can do at World Indoors,” she said.

The World Indoor Championships are set for March 1-3 in Glasgow and Alfred says that, despite some obvious goals for the upcoming outdoor season, this is all she is focused on right now.

“I’m just thinking about World Indoors and not down the line. When the time comes for that I’ll think about it but for now I’m taking it one race at a time,” she said.

When the time does come to move her focus to the Paris Olympics, Alfred says her goal is to be St. Lucia’s first ever Olympic medallist.

“I don’t have a time in mind at all but I definitely want to medal in Paris. That’s my biggest goal as of now. I’d be happy just to get a medal for my country because my country has never gotten a medal at the Olympics so I would love to be the first,” she said.

Julien Alfred, Wayne Pinnock and Ackelia Smith all produced world-leading marks in their respective events on day one of the University of New Mexico Collegiate Classic at the Albuquerque Convention Center on Friday.

Alfred, the winner of the 2023 Bowerman Award and a silver medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham now training with Preeminence sports, produced a fast 22.16 to win the women’s 200m ahead of Tennessee’s Jacious Sears (22.57) and her training partner, Lanae-Tava Thomas (22.72).

Pinnock, who took silver at the World Championships in Budapest last year, produced 8.34m to take the win ahead of Isaac Grimes (7.74m) and Kelsey Daniel of Texas (7.63m).

The Arkansas Junior fouled his first attempt before producing his world-leading jump in the second round. The third round saw him leap out to 8.03m before passing on his final three jumps.

Reigning NCAA champion Ackelia Smith was equally dominant in the women’s equivalent producing 6.85m for victory. Stanford’s Alyssa Jones was second with 6.54m while Madisen Richards jumped 6.49m for third.

Smith had a very consistent card with distances of 6.61m, 6.44m, 6.76m, 6.85m and 6.70m in the first five rounds before passing on her sixth.

Reigning NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion Ackera Nugent opened her 2024 season with a 60m win at the Arkansas Invitational in Fayetteville on Friday.

Nugent was able to get through three rounds of the women’s 60m on her way to victory.

First, she ran 7.38 to get through the first qualifying round before running 7.34 in the preliminaries to advance to the final. She was the fastest qualifier from both rounds.

The 2023 World Championship 100m hurdles finalist then produced 7.35 to narrowly outrun American Jada Baylark who was second in 7.36.

Arkansas senior Rosie Effiong ran 7.45 for third, the same time as a pair of Jamaicans, Louisiana Tech freshman Tonie-Ann Forbes and Arkansas junior Joanne Reid, in fourth and fifth.

Effiong and Reid were also the top two finishers in the 200m in 23.17 and 23.44, respectively. Their schoolmate Rachel Glenn ran 23.52 in third.

On the men’s side, Barbadian Louisiana Tech junior Julian Forde ran 6.74 to win ahead of Texas A&M-Commerce sophomore Ibrahim Fuseini (6.75) and Little Rock freshman Gabriel Torres (6.77).

Moving to the 800m where St. Vincent & the Grenadines’ Shafiqua Maloney ran 2:02.70 to win ahead of the USA’s Raevyn Rogers (2:03.73) and Arkansas senior Amber Anning (2:05.05).

The Wanda Diamond League has released a detailed summary of which disciplines will be staged at which meetings during the 2024 season.

In 2024, the world’s best athletes will once again take the stage in athletics’ premier one-day series, competing at 15 meetings across four different continents.

Athletes will compete for points in their chosen discipline at the 14 series meetings between April and September, with the most successful qualifying for the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels on September 13th-14th.

The season begins in Xiamen on April 20th, with the men’s 100m, women’s 200m and a 100/110m hurdles double bill among the headline events. Each discipline will then be staged at least four and up to eight times on the Road to the Final, giving athletes from across the globe enough opportunities to earn points.

Two meetings will be held at a different location in 2024 due to stadium renovation works in their usual locations. The Meeting International Mohammed VI will move from Rabat to Marrakech, while the Wanda Diamond League Shanghai will take place in Suzhou.

The 14 series meetings will each take place in a two-hour TV world programme and will all stage at least 14 Diamond Disciplines. The Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels will be the only meeting to feature every single discipline, with all 32 Diamond League champions crowned over the course of two days.

The season calendar and the allocation of disciplines remain subject to change.

A list of disciplines for each meeting will also be available under the 'programme and results' page on each individual meeting website.

As well as the Diamond Disciplines, each meeting may also include additional disciplines in their programme, in which athletes will not earn points on the Road to the Final.

The disciplines are as follows: 100m (M,W), 200m (M,W), 400m (M,W), 800m (M,W), 1500m/Mile (M,W), 3000m/5000m (M,W), 3000m Steeplechase (M,W), 110m Hurdles (M), 100m Hurdles (W), 400m Hurdles (M,W), High Jump (M,W), Pole Vault (M,W), Long Jump (M,W), Triple Jump (M,W), Shot Put (M,W), Discus Throw (M,W), Javelin Throw (M,W).

In acknowledgement of her incredible exploits on the track in 2022, Shericka Jackson, the 2023 World 200m champion, was awarded the Gleaner Honour Awards at a ceremony held at the studios of Television Jamaica on Tuesday.

Jackson, who won the 200m world title in Eugene, Oregon, last year in a then championship record of 21.45, which at the time was the second fastest time ever run by a woman over the distance, also won a silver medal in the 100m behind compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. She was also a silver medallist in the 4x100m relay.

The 29-year-old track and field superstar, who successfully defended her title in Budapest last month, was one of 11 recipients of the award that the Gleaner bestows on Jamaicans who were outstanding in their respective fields of pursuit.

Stunningly beautiful and statuesque, dressed in a black strapless sequined gown and white track shoes, Jackson collected her award in during the ceremony that was recorded Tuesday night and is to be aired on Television Jamaica later Wednesday evening.

“Thank you to the RJR/Gleaner Communications Group for acknowledging my hard work by presenting me with the RJR/Gleaner Honour Award in the field of Sports for my World Championships performance of 21.45. It was a pleasure,” she wrote on Instagram.

At the world championships in Budapest in August, Jackson smashed her own championship record when she ran 21.41 to win her second world title and capped her season by winning the 100m in 10.70 and the 200m in 21.57s at the Diamond League finals in Eugene on September 16 and 17.

“Grateful” was the dominant term used by Jamaican Shericka Jackson after bringing her phenomenal 2023 season to an end at the Diamond League Final at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on Saturday and Sunday.

The 29-year-old entered the meet as the reigning Diamond trophy winner in the 200m and was aiming to defend that title as well as claim her maiden trophy in the 100m.

She did the latter on Friday, running 10.70 for victory. Saturday saw the two-time World Champion claim her second straight trophy in the 200m, running a meet record 21.57, her fourth straight time below 22 seconds, for a comfortable win.

Jackson mentioned after the 200m that winning both trophies has been among her goals for the past two seasons.

“Last year I wrote on my goals that I want two Diamond League trophies and I didn’t get them. I wrote that again this year and now I’ve got it and I’m grateful. It’s the end of the season, I’m healthy and I’ve run some fast times so I’m definitely grateful,” she said.

Another of Jackson’s goals this season was to break Florence Griffith-Joyner’s long-standing world record of 21.34 set in 1988.

Despite not getting it done, Jackson was pleased with her work in 2023.

“I’m feeling good. I said it in a previous interview that If I don’t get it I’m okay but if I do get it it’s a plus. I didn’t get it this year and I’m okay and happy. I’m still grateful for being healthy and I was so consistent. I only ran 21.4 once last season and to be able to run three this year, I’m feeling good,” she said.

Her consistency was indeed the most impressive part of her season in both the 100m and 200m.

In 14 100m races this season, Jackson ran faster than 10.8 six times including her personal best of 10.65 done to defend her Jamaican 100m title in July. Jackson also ran 10.72 for silver at the World Championships in Budapest.

In the half-lap event, Jackson ran 11 races with seven seeing her dip below 22 seconds.

In the last month alone, Jackson has run the 2^nd, 4^th and 8^th fastest times in history with her 21.41 at the World Championships in Budapest, 21.48 at the Brussels Diamond League and 21.57 on Sunday. Jackson also owns the 3^rd and 6^th fastest times ever.

When asked about her thoughts about the upcoming Olympic year, Jackson said she just wants to enjoy her time off.

“Honestly, I haven’t put any thought into the Olympics yet. I just take it one season at a time. I’m healthy right now and I have probably six weeks break so I want to just enjoy that,” she said.

“I’ve been so focused on doing well this season and now I want to focus on having my break and then I’ll go back to the drawing board,” she added.

Finally, Jackson described the 200m at the Budapest World Championships as the high point of her season.

“The 200m at the World Championships was really the high point of my season. I knew I was in pretty good shape but I didn’t know I was going to run that fast,” she said.

Shericka Jackson will have to settle for a meet record instead of a world record after another dominating performance at the Diamond League finale in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.

Fans were on world-record watch for the 200m world champion, who has run times of 21.41, 21.82 and 21.48, heading into Eugene but after winning the 100m Diamond League trophy in 10.70 on Saturday, Jackson seemingly didn’t have much left in her legs a day later but still sped to a meet record 21.57.

Florence Griffiths-Joyner world record of 21.34 set in 1988, survives for another year, but Jackson will undoubtedly challenge it again next season as the Olympic Games in Paris beckon.

Marie Josee Ta Lou ran a season-best 22.10 to finish second with Bahamian Anthonique Strachan finishing third in 22.16.

Kenny Bednarek and Zharnel Hughes locked in an intense battle over 200m at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels on Friday with the American edging the Briton to win in 19.79. The Glen Mills conditioned Hughes was not far behind in 19.82.

Close behind in third was Canada’s Andre DeGrasse who ran a season’s best 19.89 for third place. His Canadian teammate Aaron Brown also ran a season-best 19.98 for fourth place.

Reigning two-time World 200m champion Shericka Jackson says she is eyeing Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 34-year-old 200m world record when she lines up in the event at the Brussels Diamond League on Friday.

Griffith-Joyner set the world record of 21.34 at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Jackson first came close to that mark at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene when she produced 21.45 for gold.

This year in Budapest, Jackson came even closer, running 21.41 to defend her title.

“At the World Championships I was so close. Just a little wind and I would’ve been the world record holder,” Jackson said at the pre-meet press conference on Thursday.

“Coach and I have spoken and we are going after it this year. I hope to get it tomorrow. If I do, that would definitely ease a bit of pressure off me going into the Diamond League final in Eugene,” she added.

Jackson then added that the conditions as well as her execution will have to be good for her to break the record.

“There is no perfect race but I just want to run a good race tomorrow. We’re right there and it would be good tomorrow if we got some Jamaican weather,” she said.

Jackson will run out of lane six tomorrow.

Reigning double-sprint Olympic Champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah continues to show signs of a potential return to top form in 2024 after a season’s best 10.92 to win at the Gala dei Castelli, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet in Bellinzola, Switzerland on Monday.

Thompson-Herah, who has endured a season riddled with injuries, took the win ahead of Great Britain’s Imani Lansiquot (10.99), her first time below 11 seconds, and Gambia’s Gina Bass (11.12).

This was only Thompson-Herah’s second 100m race since finishing fifth at the Jamaican trials in July. She ran 11.00 for second at the Zurich Diamond League on August 31.

The 31-year-old was a member of Jamaica’s silver medal 4x100m team at the recently concluded World Championships in Budapest where she ran in the heats.

On the men’s side, Oblique Seville ran 10.01 to take the win ahead of Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala (10.04) and South Africa’s Akani Simbine (10.12).

Seville narrowly missed out on a medal in Budapest, finishing fourth in 9.88, the same time credited to bronze medallist, Zharnel Hughes.

Another 100m finalist in Budapest, Ryiem Forde, was seventh in 10.28 on Monday.

Natoya Goule-Toppin rebounded from a sub-par showing in Budapest to take the 800m in 1:57.53, a new meet record.

The USA’s Addison Wiley ran a personal best 1:57.64 in second while Switzerland’s Audrey Werro ran a national record 1:58.13 in third.

Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, who was upset by Danielle Williams in Budapest, came out on top with a meet record 12.56 in the 100m hurdles. The Netherlands’ Nadine Visser ran a season’s best 12.61 in second while the USA’s Nia Ali ran 12.63 in third.

Shashalee Forbes, a member of Jamaica's silver-medal winning 4x100m team in Budapest, ran 22.74 for second in the 200m behind the USA's Tamara Clark (22.64). Italy's Dalia Kaddari ran 22.86 for third.

Orlando Bennett ran 13.40 for third in the men’s 110m hurdles won by Switzerland’s Jason Joseph in 13.18. Senegal’s Louis Francois Mendy was second in 13.29.

In the field, 2019 World Championship silver-medallist Fedrick Dacres threw 66.19m for third in the discus behind World Champion Daniel Stahl (67.24m) and Kristjan Ceh (67.15m).

Shericka Jackson doesn’t expect to run a very fast 200m at the Diamond League meeting on Thursday but has hinted that she could take a crack at the world record in the remaining races she has this season.

The 29-year-old Jamaican successfully defended the title she won last year in Oregon while breaking her own championship record of 21.45. In Budapest, Jackson dominated the field to win in 21.41, the second fastest time in history.

Only Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 21.34 set back in 1988 has been faster than Jackson’s time. At Wednesday’s press conference, Jackson revealed she was disappointed at not getting closer to the world record but understood that the conditions were not ideal.

During the 200m final, the trailing win was a negligible 0.1m/s so when the moderator Colin Jackson asked whether the world record would have been in jeopardy had she had the maximum allowable wind of 2.0m/s, Jackson replied, “I didn’t know the wind at the time but when I going around and I saw it I was like, why couldn’t I get a little (1m/s) or something, but it’s give and take. Unfortunately, I didn’t get it on that day but I have three more 200s this season, so definitely.”

However, for Thursday, Jackson, who admitted that she is a bit ‘under the weather’, sees the 200m race as an opportunity to make a few adjustments to her race. “Coach and I have been working on some small details in the 200m. I think for the remainder of the season it’s all 200s. I just finished the world championships. I had a good training session yesterday (Tuesday), hopefully I have a good one today too, so it’s just to have some fun tomorrow.

“I don’t think tomorrow will be super-fast but I just want to have some fun and execute as best as I can.”

In Zurich, Jackson will line up against Bahamian champion Anthonique Strachan, Great Britain's Daryll Neita, the USA's Jenna Prandini, Tamara Clark, Twanisha Terry and Brittany Brown.