Vincentian Shafiqua Maloney continued her impressive start to the 2024 season with a national record to take top spot in the women’s 600m at the Miramar Invitational at the Ansin Sports Complex in Florida on Saturday.

Maloney, an 800m gold medallist at the NACAC U-23 Championships in 2021, ran 1:23.80 to win ahead of Americans Sadi Henderson (1:27.81) and Ajee Wilson (1:27.86).

The 25-year-old is coming off an excellent season indoors that included 800m wins at the Arkansas Invitational on January 12, Razorback Invitational on January 27 and the Tyson Invitational on February 10.

Also among the winners on Saturday were Bajan two-time World Championships 400m bronze medallist Sada Williams, Jamaican sprint hurdler Tyler Mason and Bahamian quarter miler Alonzo Russell.

Williams produced 22.82 to take the women’s 200m ahead of Denmark’s Ida Karstoft (23.010 and American Kynnedy Flannel (23.32).

Mason took the win in the men’s 110m hurdles with a time of 13.57. American Eric Edwards was second in 13.60 while Great Britain’s Andrew Pozzi was third in 13.63.

Russell ran a season’s best 45.35 to win the men’s 400m ahead of Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic (45.36) and Bahamian Wendell Miller (46.00).

World Indoor 60m bronze medallist Ackeem Blake ran 10.28 to finish second in the men’s 100m, just behind American Courtney Lindsey who ran the same time as Blake. Another Jamaican, Andre Ewers, ran 10.43 to finish third.

In the field, 2019 World Championships silver medallist Danniel Thomas-Dodd threw 18.72m for third in the women’s shot put behind American Maggie Ewen (18.95m) and Chase Jackson (19.88m).

Jamaican Chanice Porter jumped 6.36m for second in the women’s long jump. The USA’s Taliyah Brooks narrowly won the event with 6.38m while Puerto Rico’s Alysbeth Felix-Boyer was third with a season’s best 6.28m.

Two-time World 200m champion Shericka Jackson has withdrawn from the Miramar Invitational scheduled for Saturday at the Ansin Sports Complex.

This marks the third instance in which the current Olympic 100m bronze medalist has postponed her season opener.

Jackson previously withdrew from the JAAA Puma/Fuller/Anderson Development Meet at GC Foster College in Spanish Town on January 13 due to illness, and the Queen’s/Grace Jackson Development meet at the National Stadium on January 26.

"Never Quit. Unfortunately, Shericka won’t be competing at the Miramar Invitational this Saturday. Will definitely keep y’all updated whenever the season opener is scheduled," Jackson said in a post on her Facebook page on Friday.

She was scheduled to compete in the 200m.

Jackson is the second high-profile athlete to withdraw from the meet as reigning world 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson of the USA also announced her non-participation on social media on Wednesday.

The much-anticipated unveiling of a sculpture honouring track and field legend Usain Bolt, was done with the pomp and pageantry that met the expectations of all in attendance at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida, including the man of the moment himself.

Amidst cheers and excitement at the moment of the unveiling, Bolt, was visibly proud and humbled to see the excellent work done by Basil Watson, who created the masterpiece that will remain a source of pride in the city for years to come.

In fact, the retired sprint legend, also received a proclamation that declared Friday, July 14, 2023, Usain Bolt Day in Miramar, and to top it off, he was presented with the keys to the City by Mayor Wayne Messam.

All this brought the famous idiom, “to the victor belong the spoils”, into sharp focus, as Bolt is indeed reaping the benefits of his success.

The iconic athlete is the only man to win the 100 and 200m at three consecutive Olympic Games (2008, 2012 and 2016) and he also set world records of 9.58 and 19.19 in the 100 and 200m, respectively at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany. Both records still stand today, 14 years later.

Bolt also won 11 gold medals, 13 overall at the World Championships between 2007 and 2017 when he retired from the sport after winning bronze in the 100m in London.

For sure, Bolt left a few encouraging words for aspiring athletes in particular, during a brief press conference to accommodate members of the media at the ceremony.

“You must believe in yourself and believe it is possible. Even when you don’t feel like getting up, you need to show up and work hard at your craft and in the end, it will pay off,” Bolt said.

Bolt’s sculpture, which is the first installation of the City’s Art-in-Public-Places initiative, was the brainchild of Vice-Mayor Alexandra Davis, who was delighted that her vision had come to fruition.

“This statue of Usain Bolt will not only serve as a source of inspiration for our residents, but I believe it will also attract visitors from far and wide,” Davis said.

“As people come to witness the magnificence of this statue, they will discover the charm and vibrancy of our city, leading to increased tourism and economic opportunities for local businesses. The statue will become a point of pride for our community, a landmark that showcases our commitment to excellence, athleticism, and the celebration of human achievement,” she added.

Jamaica’s minister of sport, Olivia “Babsy” Grange and members of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), were also in attendance at the unveiling ceremony that started with a banquet on Friday.

There was also a fundraising banquet and silent auction where Bolt memorabilia from his winning races were sold to the highest bidders, with proceeds benefiting the Usain Bolt Foundation and Do the Right Thing of Miramar, Inc.

On Saturday, hundreds of well-wishers turned out to see Bolt, who held a mini clinic with budding track stars, including aspiring Special Olympians, as he imparted knowledge about their start and form.

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz was also present and lent her voice to the proceedings.

A date has been set for the unveiling of a statue of the world’s fastest man in Miramar, Florida, Sportsmax.TV has been informed.

Located in southern Broward county, Miramar, a city of just under 150,000, boasts a thriving, large and diverse Jamaican community.

The statue of three-time Olympic 100m and 200m champion, Usain Bolt, is set to be unveiled on Saturday, July 15, 2023, Vice Mayor Alexandra Davis revealed on Tuesday.

“We have a date for the unveiling confirmed,” she told Sportsmax.TV. “The Friday (July 14), we will have a fundraising event, then Saturday, July 15 will be the unveiling with a programme on the track with young athletes and a press conference with the unveiling last.”

Davis also revealed that the statue that was done by noted sculptor Basil Watson is ready for the delivery and installation and that the foundation on which it will be mounted ‘almost’ done.

In November 2021, Davis, who was born in the United Kingdom but raised in Jamaica where she attended school right up to the tertiary level, announced plans to mount a statute of the 100m and 200m world record holder at the Ansin Sports Complex, which was once the training ground for Jamaica's World U20 100m and 200m gold medallist Briana Williams.

“We wanted to make sure we had a world-class Olympian as part of the art in public places,” said Davis back then.

However, the decision sparked division among the city commissioners, chief among them Winston Barnes, who believes the USD$250,000 price tag was a waste of taxpayers’ money.

“Attaching ourselves to monuments or icons is not going to make us a 24/7 city,” Barnes  was reported saying. “We’re not a tourist city — come on. I do not think we have the luxury to try to create monuments of icons simply at the fancy of elected officials.”

However, Davis divulged that much of the cost for the project is being paid by developers. "I created an Art in Public Places fund that is paid for by developers who cannot provide artwork at their facility," she explained.

Payment for the statue is reportedly to be made in four installments.

Bolt won gold medals in both the 100m and 200m in world-record times at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. He shattered both record again at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany establishing times of 9.58 and 19.19 in the 100m and 200m, respectively. Both records still stand today, 14 years on.

The towering Jamaica would go on to defend his Olympic titles in London in 2012 and again in Rio, Brazil in 2016 before hanging up his spikes in 2017.

Bolt also won World Championships gold medals in both short sprints in 2013 and 2015 as well as 200m gold in Daegu, South Korea in 2011.

Two members of the new age of Jamaican sprinting, Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake, were the top two finishers in the Men’s 100m at the 2023 Miramar Invitational at the Ansin Sports Complex in Florida on Saturday.

Seville, who finished fourth in the 100m at the World Championships last year, produced a season’s best 9.95 in the preliminaries before returning to run 9.91 in the final, a time that would have been a world lead if not for the 2.2 m/s wind, just over the allowable 2.0 m/s.

Blake’s time for second was 9.93 while Canadian Aaron Brown ran 9.97 for third.

In the Women’s equivalent, American Sha’Carri Richardson used a massive 4.1 m/s wind to run 10.57 for victory ahead of teammates Twanisha Terry (10.83) and Cambrea Sturgis (10.98). Jamaican Natasha Morrison was fourth in 11.05.

Richardson turned heads in the preliminaries when she ran 10.75 with a 2.8 m/s trail-wind before producing the stunning time a mere few hours later.

Bahamian Alonzo Russell produced a personal best 44.93 to take top spot in the Men’s 400m ahead of Botswanan Leungo Scotch (45.03) and Japan’s Rikuya Ito (46.02).

In the Women’s one lap event, Jamaica’s Charokee Young and World 200m Champion Shericka Jackson were second and third in 51.58 and 51.64, respectively, behind American winner Shamier Little (50.73).

Jamaican Marvin Williams ran 52.74 for third in the Men’s 400m hurdles behind American Amere Lattin (50.22) and Italy’s Gabriele Montefalcone (50.26).

Tonea Marshall narrowly won the Women’s 100m hurdles in 12.62 (2.2m/s wind) over Jamaican Amoi Brown (12.69) and Anna Cockrell (12.73).

The Men’s 110m hurdles was won by the USA’s Eric Edwards in 13.21 (2.7 m/s wind) over Jamaica’s Orlando Bennett (13.37) and Brazil’s Rafael Pereira (13.40).

Puerto Rico’s Ryan Sanchez took the title in the Men’s 800m in 1:46.59 ahead of Jamaica’s Rajay Hamilton (1:47.47) and the USA’s Kameron Jones (1:47.47).

St. Vincent’s Shafiqua Maloney ran 2:04.98 for second in the women’s equivalent. Ajee’ Wilson ran 2:02.95 for the win while Kendra Chambers was third in 2:06.29.

In the field, 2019 World Championship silver medallist Danniel Thomas-Dodd threw 18.48m for victory in the Women’s shot put ahead of the USA’s Adelaide Aquilla (18.26m) and Great Britain’s Divine Oladipo (16.49m).

Chanice Porter jumped 6.59m for third in the women’s long jump behind American Taliyah Brooks (6.65m) and Nigeria’s Ruth Usoro (6.82m).

Three track and field meets have been scheduled in 2022 for the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida, the training base of Olympic gold medalist Briana Williams and the home for a new life-size statue of the greatest sprinter of all time, Usain Bolt.

Bolt, the eight-time Olympic gold medalist and an 11-time World Champion, owns the world records for 100m (9.58), 200m (19.19) and the 4x100 meters relay (36.84).

The Miramar Invitational (Saturday, April 9, 2022), the Coach O Invitational (Saturday, June 11, 2022) and the NACAC New Life Invitational (Sunday, June 12, 2022) will be held at the complex where the city will pay tribute to the Jamaican and global sprint icon, Miramar Commissioner Alexandra Davis announced via a public statement on Tuesday.

“Artist Basil Watson has been commissioned to create the sculpture in Usain Bolt’s iconic “TO THE WORLD” pose from a position of kneeling on one knee,” Davis said.

 “I proposed the Art in Public Places ordinance to be able to promote art throughout the City.  The sculpture of the international and world-renowned track and field athlete will be funded in part by the Art in Public Places Fund as well as the Art in the Parks capital project.

“It will spur on economic development and serve as an inspiration for up-and-coming athletes of all ages and backgrounds.”

The monument is expected to be ready to be mounted by October 2022.

In 2021, the Ansin Sports Complex hosted two track meets that attracted hundreds of international athletes, more than 5,000 spectators and 30,000 international viewers via live stream.

At the Miramar Invitational that was held on Saturday, April 10, 2021, more than 160 international athletes including Justin Gatlin, Mike Rodgers, Ajee Wilson, Natoya Goule and Grant Holloway.

Akeem Bloomfield, Briana Williams, English Gardner, Kahmari Montgomery, Mike Rodgers, Kendra Harrison, Wil London and Elaine Thompson also participated at the meet.

It was also at that meet that Sha’Carri Richardson set a lifetime best 10.72 seconds to win the 100m. The performance moved her to the sixth all-time in the 100m.

On Saturday, June 5, 2021, the NACAC New Life Invitational- World Athletics featured approximately 200 international athletes, of which over 100 were Olympic qualifying athletes including Zachary Campbell, Jeims Molina and Kaden Cartwright.

It was there that Williams broke her national U20 record running 10.93 seconds before going on to become the youngest Jamaican to win an Olympic gold medal as a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team in Tokyo.

The USA’s Trayvon Bromell also set his personal best and world-leading time of 9.77 seconds at this event.

“We were so thrilled to have welcomed these talented athletes and have them take advantage of the world-class amenities including the FTX Mondo Olympic track at Ansin Sports Complex. We look forward to hosting more international track and field competitions in 2022,” said Davis.

Over his 40-year career, Watson has completed major works in Guatemala, China, Jamaica, and the U.S.  Some of his major commissions include “Ring of Life” in London, “Martin Luther King” in Atlanta and “Cradle-The Future in our Hands” in Fulton County, Georgia.