Jamaican national high jump champion Romaine Beckford warmed up for his Olympic debut in a few weeks with a win at the 2024 Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis on Thursday.

Beckford, the 22-year-old two-time NCAA Champion, produced a winning jump of 2.20m on his only attempt at the height after producing clearances at 2.10m and 2.20m.

He then had three failed attempts at 2.25m after he had done enough to secure victory ahead of American Vernon Turner (2.15m) and Bahamian Shaunie Miller Jr (2.15m).

Elsewhere in the field on Thursday, Chanice Porter produced 6.50m to finish second in the women’s long jump while Bermuda’s Jah-Nhai Perinchief won the men’s triple jump.

The 30-year-old Porter, who will also be representing the nation in Paris, produced 6.50 in the sixth and final round of the competition to move up into the top three.

The competition was won by Nigerian Ruth Usoro with 6.70m while Trinidad & Tobago’s Tyra Gittens was third with 6.35m.

Perinchief produced 16.82m to win the triple jump ahead of Americans Omar Craddock (16.64m) and Chris Bernard (16.30m).

The meet continued on Friday with the track events. Newly crowned national 100m hurdles champion and record holder, Ackera Nugent, ran 11.17 to finish second in the women’s 100m behind Nigeria’s Favor Ofili (11.13). Liberia’s Maia McCoy was third in 11.32.

The women’s sprint hurdles saw Bahamian Denisha Cartwright produce 12.71 for second behind American Christina Clemons (12.61). Jamaican two-time World champion Danielle Williams ran 12.81 in third.

To say that 400m hurdler Shiann Salmon made a remarkable breakthrough when she secured an individual spot on Jamaica’s team to the Paris Olympic Games, would be an understatement.

After just missing out on a spot to the Tokyo 2020 showpiece –for which she was listed as a reserve to Rhonda Whyte, Leah Nugent, and Janieve Russell –Salmon vowed to right that wrong on this occasion, and that she did.

She produced one of her finest performances in recent times to place third in a new personal best of 53.71s, behind Rushell Clayton (52.51s) and Janieve Russell (53.33s) at the JAAA National Senior Championships recently.

“I feel so good. I'm elated. I put the work in to achieve this and I always told myself that I wasn’t going to leave Jamaica as an alternate for the Olympic Games, and I did just that. This was my moment, and I couldn't let anything hold me back, so I'm very happy,” Salmon told SportsMax.TV.

Salmon’s path to achieving the Olympic feat was by no means smooth, as faced intense pressure and anxiety leading up to her qualification race, so much so that she was physically sick before stepping onto the National Stadium track.

Despite these challenges, she managed to harness her nerves and deliver an efficient performance that solidified her place among the elite athletes set to represent Jamaica.

“I was incredibly nervous before the race that I actually threw up a few times,” Salmon admitted.

Salmon is all smiles after accomplishing the Olympic qualifying feat.

“But like I said, I did the work and so I just kept reminding myself ‘you can do it, three persons cannot beat you,’ and I knew I had to push through, so I'm very happy,” she added.

Beyond her focus and determination, the highlight of Salmon’s display was an improved backstretch execution, an aspect of the race she pointed out she and her coaches have rigorously worked on in training.

While her qualification is a significant achievement, the 25-year-old and her coaches are not resting on their laurels. Instead, they intend to continue identifying areas for improvement to enhance her competitiveness in the closing stages of the race.

“Sometimes I don’t execute my races properly, I tend to sleep on the backstretch and the race gets away from me and then I try to finish strong. But for the National Championships, I was just reminding myself mid-race, ‘do not sleep, do not sleep, do not let them go too far,’ And that's what I did,” she shared.

“My coaches also talked to me about, and we have been focusing a lot on executing a proper race strategy because it's crucial for me to maintain my speed and form through that part of the race to ensure I finish strong. So we’re working on refining my technique and endurance to make sure I'm at my best when it counts the most,” Salmon noted.

Having represented Jamaica with distinction, winning multiple individual and relay medals at the youth and senior levels, including NACAC Championships, Commonwealth Games, and the World Championships, Salmon would very much love to add an Olympic medal to her accolades.

Salmon crosses the line ahead of Rushell Clayton in a previous race.

However, Salmon knows that winning a medal in Paris will by no means be easy, and as such, she is more focused on building on her strengths to continue giving of her best for the country at the highest level.

“Honestly, I feel like making the team was the hardest part. That was the aim, and I'm on the team, so I'm just going to take it one step at a time from here. I just have to go through the rounds at the Olympics, execute them, do what my coaches tell me to do and I'll be fine,” she declared.

 “Anything that comes with that, I'll be grateful. Just to be a part of the team is a big enough accomplishment for me and I'm just super happy to be representing my country on the biggest stage of my career, and I can't ask for anything more,” Salmon ended.

NB: The Paris Olympic Games scheduled for July 26 to August 11, will be live on SportsMax and the SportsMax App.

St Lucia's sprint sensation, Julien Alfred, delivered a powerful performance at the Monaco Diamond League meeting on Friday, solidifying her status as a top contender for the 100m medals at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. Alfred clinched victory in the women's 100m with an impressive time of 10.85 seconds, finishing ahead of Tamari Davis and Dina Asher-Smith, who both clocked 10.99 seconds.

 Reflecting on her race, Alfred shared, "I was specially prepared today not to make a mistake and to just focus on myself and my own race. I felt great during the race but now my legs hurt a bit because I did a heavy training. Of course, I cannot complain right now, as I am taking home the Diamond League win. I am getting better with each race, I run more relaxed as well. I feel confident. I know that all I need to do is to trust my coach and to trust myself. The coach knows what is best for me. I really love this Monaco crowd and the introduction of the event with the lights. I will get back to practice and just focus for my preparations for Paris."

 Alfred's victory is a clear indication of her growing form and confidence as she heads towards the Olympic Games. Her ability to perform under pressure and continue improving with each race makes her a strong contender for the podium in Paris.

 Cuba's Leyanis Perez Hernandez emerged victorious in the women's triple jump with a leap of 14.96m. She edged out Dominica's Thea LaFond, who jumped 14.87m, and Ukraine's Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, who recorded 14.81m. Notably, Jamaican athletes Shanieka Ricketts and Ackelia Smith finished fourth and fifth with jumps of 14.67m and 14.30m, respectively.

 Botswana's Letsile Tebogo dominated the men's 200m, winning in 19.87 seconds. Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic finished second in 20.02 seconds, while Uganda's Gracious Tarsis Orogot took third in 20.32 seconds. Matthew Hudson placed fourth with a time of 20.43 seconds.

 In an epic showdown in the men's 400m hurdles, USA's Rai Benjamin triumphed over Olympic champion Karsten Warholm, clocking a blazing 46.67 seconds. Warholm finished a close second in 46.73 seconds, with Brazil's Alison dos Santos taking third in 47.18 seconds. Jamaica's Malik James-King also impressed, running a fast 47.73 seconds despite hitting hurdles nine and 10, which slowed his momentum.

 USA's Quincy Hall delivered a world-leading and lifetime best performance in the men's 400m, winning in a commanding 43.80 seconds. Fellow American Vernon Norwood finished second with a season's best 44.34 seconds, while South Africa's Lythe Pillay took third in 44.58 seconds.

 Rhasidat Adeleke of Ireland was a dominant winner in the women's 400m, clocking 49.17 seconds. Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands finished second with a lifetime best of 49.64 seconds, and Kendall Ellis of the USA took third in 50.39 seconds.

 The Monaco Diamond League meeting showcased some of the world's best athletic talents, setting the stage for an exciting build-up to the Olympic Games in Paris. With performances like Julien Alfred's and others, the anticipation for the upcoming Olympics continues to grow.

On June 30, at the final day of the Jamaica National Championships held at the National Stadium in Kingston, reigning world 100m hurdles champion Danielle Williams secured her place on her first-ever Olympic team with a second-place finish in 12.53 seconds. This achievement comes at the age of 31, after two previous unsuccessful attempts, marking a significant milestone in her illustrious career.

Williams, who had set the previous national record of 12.32 seconds in 2019, finished behind Ackera Nugent, who won the event with a new national record of 12.28 seconds. Janeek Brown, who previously held the record before Williams, finished third in a season’s best 12.61 seconds.

When asked by Sportsmax.TV about her emotions on making the Jamaica Olympic team for the first time, Williams expressed her gratitude and humility.

"To be honest, I don’t feel any different. I am happy, I’m blessed to be on the team this time around. God is an on-time God. It is His will for me to be on the team this time; the other two times it wasn’t His will, so I’m just giving Him thanks, staying in the moment, staying grounded; going back to work and gearing up for Paris."

Williams had aimed for a faster time, and her second-place finish in 12.53 seconds was a bit surprising given her current form and expectations.

"I felt I would have gone 12.3 or low 12.4, so 12.53 was a bit surprising given the shape I am in and how I felt, but again, God’s time and not my time, and the time will come. I am just happy to finish in the top three."

Reflecting on her world title victory in Budapest last year, Williams emphasized that her confidence heading into the Jamaican championships came from her ability to trust her body rather than her previous win.

"I have always been confident; winning last year didn’t affect my confidence for this year. The confidence I get is that I can trust my body; my body is not failing me this year. I have been able to stay injury-free, and that is all the confidence I need."

Williams' coach, Lennox Graham, acknowledged that there were areas needing improvement for Williams to perform at her best in Paris. Despite her solid performance, Graham saw room for technical refinement.

"You know me; I will always say yes because I am always striving to get better. She ran 12.46 there earlier in the season with a lot of load, and so I could see why she would believe; she would be running well in practice and running 12.46 loaded when she came for the Jamaica Athletic Invitational, there is no way we wouldn’t believe she would run faster."

Graham pinpointed specific issues during the race that need to be addressed.

"She didn’t have a technically good race and she picked a good time to do it because usually in Jamaica you have a technically bad race you run fourth or fifth so it was fortunate for us that she was 12.53 and second. Ackera Nugent ran a great race, 12.28, anywhere you go and run 12.2 (you do well), so we are not taking anything away from her, but I believe Ants was in shape to run faster than 12.5 for sure."

 The coach identified the final hurdles as a critical area needing improvement.

"She was not happy with the last three hurdles I was not happy with the last five because that was where it started going wrong. It’s not something that is unfixable, it’s something that can be adjusted. At the end of the day, the athlete has to go out there and race. We can see the progress being made in practice, but then you have to go out there and race."

Graham elaborated on the technical aspects that need correction.

"Over the last five hurdles, she was just running. The hurdles is a rhythm race, it’s not just running, so you just have to embrace that and make the necessary corrections to make sure that she stays in rhythm because she went out of rhythm, totally out of rhythm. But it’s a good problem to have; you’re on the team because we have gone in 2016 and 2020 and not made the team."

Reflecting on past disappointments, Graham emphasized the significance of Williams making the team at age 31.

"2016, we were leading and then ran into a hurdle, jumped over it and out of the race. 2020, we ran hard and was fourth. So we missed it twice and to get it at 31 years old is a blessing. We are holding it with both hands and with both legs wrapped around it. Now we are going to try and show up and make ourselves and Jamaica proud. That is our plan."

As expected, Sada Williams headlines a four-member Barbados team to the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The 26-year-old World Bronze medallist is one of two track and field athletes who will compete for Barbados at the July 26-August 12 event.

Williams, who trains in Jamaica, will contest the Women's 400 metres, while sprinter Tristan Evelyn is set to take part in the Women's 100 metres.

Matthew Wright is the lone Triathlete while the other competitor is swimmer Jack Kirby, who gained a Universality Place.

In the world of track and field, the 400m hurdles is an event that combines speed, stamina, and precision. For Jamaica, a nation renowned for its sprinting prowess, achieving excellence in this gruelling discipline has been a long journey.

Winthrop Graham, the former national record holder and Olympic silver medallist, recently expressed his delight and satisfaction in seeing two young Jamaican athletes finally break the 48-second barrier in the 400m hurdles—a milestone he believes was long overdue.

Graham's illustrious career includes setting a national record of 47.63 seconds at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, where he secured a silver medal behind Kevin Young's world record-breaking performance of 46.78 seconds. A year later, at the World Championships in Helsinki, Graham slightly improved his record to 47.60 seconds, earning another silver medal. This record stood unchallenged for three decades, a testament to Graham's remarkable talent and perseverance.

However, the 2023 World Championships in Budapest marked a turning point for Jamaican hurdling. During the semi-finals, Roshawn Clarke smashed Graham's long-standing record, heralding a new era for Jamaica in the event. Less than a year later, Malik James-King joined the elite club of 47-second hurdlers, delivering a stunning lifetime best of 47.42 seconds at the national championships, dethroning Clarke as the reigning champion.

Witnessing these historic performances from the sidelines, Graham was overwhelmed with joy. "I was sitting watching with a big smile," Graham told Sportsmax.TV. "Because, more than anyone else probably, I am absolutely excited to see them performing like that. This was way overdue."

While Clarke finished second to James-King with a time of 48.04 seconds with Jaheel Hyde knocking at the door with a season’s best 48.35, Graham remains confident in Clarke's potential. "For sure, I watched his races last year and I watched his races now and I can tell he is not where he should be but he will get there. I mean, it is still early in the season. Usually, this is the time you start fine-tuning your steps and I can tell he is not exactly where he was last year but you can tell his strength and speed are there, it's just about getting the technique together."

Graham's insights reflect his deep understanding of the sport and his faith in the next generation of Jamaican hurdlers. He believes the fierce competition between James-King and Clarke will drive both athletes to new heights. "It was an absolutely unbelievable finish from Malik James-King to run the time he ran but it is good to have two athletes to push each other. I wish I had that."

Jamaica’s hammer thrower Nayoka Clunis finds herself in a state of uncertainty as she faces a significant hurdle in her prospects to make a long-awaited Olympic Games appearance in Paris.

Despite achieving a National Record of 71.83 metres in May, which ranked in the top 32 in the world this year, Clunis’s dream of competing on the world’s biggest stage is now hanging in the balance due to a blunder from the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA).

The 28-year-old, who placed second and the JAAA National Senior Championships, initially believed she was on her way to the Olympics had her excitement turned to dismay when she learned that her name was omitted from the JAAA’s official list submitted to World Athletics.

“Following the Jamaican Olympic Trials, I was elated to receive notification of my official selection to Team Jamaica. Unfortunately, I have since found myself in a difficult position. Due to an omission made by the Jamaican Athletics Administration Association, my name was not officially submitted to World Athletics. As such, I do not have a position in the Olympic Games,” Clunis shared in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Still, as the clock ticks down to the July 26 to August 11 global multi-sport showpiece, Clunis remains hopeful that the JAAA will rectify the situation, allowing her to take her rightful place in Paris.

“I have been assured that all possible remedies are being explored and that there is hope that this issue may soon be resolved. I thank those who are fighting on my behalf for my rightful inclusion. I am a proud Jamaican. To wear our nation's colours at the Olympic Games will be the pinnacle of my athletic career,” Clunis declared.

While she awaits a resolution, Clunis’s plight underscores the importance of strong administrative leadership, as that oversight by the JAAA could very well rob an athlete that has shown remarkable dedication and prowess in her sport, the opportunity to achieve her dream on the global stage.

Last year, she became the first Jamaican, male or female, to compete in the Hammer Throw competition at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

“I pray for a swift and positive resolution, and until such time as one comes, will not have any further comment,” Clunis’s post ended.

It is often said that age is just a number, and rising sprint sensation Adaejah Hodge agrees it is indeed just that.

For Hodge, achieving the biggest milestone of her career –an Olympic Games appearance –at 18 years old is merely a testament to her extraordinary talent and determination.

Hodge, who is set to represent the British Virgin Islands in the 200 metres, will be the youngest athlete to contest the event at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, marking another historic moment in her burgeoning career.

The diminutive sprinter, who won the 100m and 200m at her National Championships, will join seasoned 400m hurdles campaigner Kyron McMaster, sprinter Rikkoi Brathwaite, and Sailing representative Thad Lettsome in flying the BVI flag.