Natoya Goule-Toppin shattered her own national record while finishing third in a fantastically fast 800m at the Diamond League final in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.

Goule-Toppin took the Jamaican national record into new territory eclipsing her previous record of 1:56.15 when she clocked 1:55.96 to claim third behind Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson and the USA’s Athing Mu, who battled down the stretch in a desperate bid for the Diamond League trophy.

The American just edged ahead late to win in 1:54.97, a USA national record and world lead. It was also a new meet record and a personal best for Mu.

Hodgkinson finished second in a national record and personal best 1:55.19.

Kenya’s Mary Moraa won a thrilling 800m final on Sunday’s final day of the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary

Against a stacked field, Moraa ran a tactically brilliant race staying on the shoulder of the USA’s Athing Mu, the 2022 world champion, before powering past her down the home stretch to take victory in 1:56.02.

Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson, who stayed off the pace for most of the race, stormed through to overtake Mu late and take silver in 1:56.34.

Mu, who has raced sparingly this season, finishing third in 1:56.61.

Jamaica’s Adelle Tracey, who clocked a lifetime best 1:58.99 in her semi-final, produced another lifetime best of 1:58.41 for seventh place.

Jamaica’s pair of Natoya Goule-Toppin and Adelle Tracey both safely progressed to the women’s 800 metres semi-finals, as they had little problems navigating their respective heats on day five of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Wednesday.

Goule-Toppin, who entered the championships ranked second in the world, contested the last of the seven heats, where she bided her time in the early stages, before challenging and pushing America’s reigning World Champion Athing Mu in the homestretch.

In the end, Goule-Toppin finished second in 1:59.64, behind Mu, who stopped the clock in 1:59.59. Switzerland’s Lore Hoffman clocked a season’s best 2:00.14 to secure the third automatic qualifying spot.

Though she ran a national record of 3:58.77 in the 1,500m semi-finals, where she shaved 3.07 seconds off the previous mark set by Yvonne Graham in Monaco in 1995, Tracey was more at home in the two-lap event, and she performed accordingly to book her spot in the next round.

The 30-year-old occupied the inside lane for most of the way before finding space in between competitors in the home stretch to close fast for second in heat four.

She stopped the clock in a season’s best 1:59.92, behind Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi (1:59.68), with French athlete, Renelle Lamote (2:00.22, taking the third automatic qualifying spot from the heat.

Meanwhile, Cuba’s Rose Mary Almanza, who contested heat six, placed sixth in 2:01.33 and failed to progress.

The semi-finals are scheduled for Friday.

You can catch live action of the 2023 World Athletic Championships by downloading the Sportsmax App.

Reigning Olympic champions Hansle Parchment and Elaine Thompson-Herah were among winners at Thursday’s Puerto Rico International Classic in Ponce.

Parchment sped to a season’s best mark 13.15 for victory in the Men’s 110m hurdles ahead of the USA's current world leader Devon Allen (13.20) and Jamal Britt (13.30).

The Women’s 100m hurdles was won by the USA’s Alaysha Johnson in 12.50 ahead of Puerto Rican Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (12.52) and Jamaican 2015 World champion Danielle Williams (12.67).

Double Olympic sprint champion Thompson-Herah cruised to victory in the Women’s 100m in 10.93 ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s Michelle Lee-Ahye (11.06) and the USA’s Shania Collins (11.08).

Bahamian reigning Olympic and World 400m champion Steven Gardiner won the Men’s 300m in 31.52 ahead of the USA’s Vernon Norwood (31.81) and Jamaica’s Nathon Allen (32.04).

2011 World and 2012 Olympic 400m champion Kirani James of Grenada was victorious in the Men’s one-lap event in a season’s best 44.70 ahead of Jamaica’s Sean Bailey (45.42) and the USA’s Trevor Stewart (45.50).

Jamaica’s Junelle Bromfield was third in the Women’s equivalent in 51.82 behind Americans Gabby Scott (51.42) and Olympic 800m champion Athing Mu (50.42).

Moving to the 400m hurdles, Jamaica’s Janieve Russell ran a season’s best 54.09 to win ahead of teammates Shiann Salmon (54.43) and Rushell Clayton (54.90).

In the field, Jamal Wilson of the Bahamas was victorious in the Men’s high jump with 2.22m ahead of the USA’s Jeron Robinson (2.17m) and Puerto Rico’s Luis Castro Rivera (2.17m).

Olympic 800m champion Athing Mu, Yohan Blake, as well as Sha’ Carri Richardson, have been confirmed for the inaugural USATF Bermuda Games set for April 9, the Royal Gazette is reporting.

Also included in the line-up for the meet borne out of a partnership between USA Track and Field, the Bermuda National Athletics Association and main local sponsor Athene, is Olympic silver medalist and world-record holder Grant Holloway and Noah Lyles as well as Bermuda’s Athlete of the Year triple jumper Jah-Nhai Perinchief.

Additional stars are expected to be confirmed in the near future.

“Hundreds of athletes and fans are expected to travel to Bermuda from around the world to participate in this world-class competition, in addition to millions of viewers from around the world who will tune in for the live two-hour international broadcast on NBC showcasing Bermuda as the world-class sports destination it is,” said BTA Chief Executive Charles Jeffers II.

The USATF Bermuda Games will the latest addition to the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Series.

Texas A&M’s Charokee Young plans to arrive at Jamaica’s national championships next week refreshed and ready to secure a spot on Jamaica’s team to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.