Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent and Stacey-Ann Williams continued their impressive seasons with dominant performances at the Boris Hanžeković Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sunday. The meet, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold since 2020, featured several standout performances from Caribbean athletes, with Nugent and Williams leading the way.

Nugent, the world leader in the 100m hurdles with her blistering 12.24 set at the Rome Diamond League, once again demonstrated her class, claiming victory in 12.55. Facing a quality field that included former world record holder Kendra Harrison and Olympic silver medalist Cyrena Samba-Mayela, Nugent ran a composed race to comfortably secure first place. Great Britain's Cindy Sember finished second in 12.67, with Harrison third in 12.76. 2022 World Championship silver medalist Britany Anderson of Jamaica finished sixth in 12.91.

In the women’s 400m, Stacey-Ann Williams ran the race of her life, clocking a lifetime best and meet record of 50.00 seconds to win the event. Williams faced strong competition but managed to hold off Norway’s Henriette Jaeger, who ran 50.22, and the USA’s Shamier Little, who finished third in 50.58. Barbados' Sada Williams, showing signs of fatigue after a long season, finished fourth in 51.23.

The Jamaican victories were part of a broader Caribbean presence on the podium in Zagreb. Shashalee Forbes finished second in the women’s 100m, clocking 11.23 behind Gambia’s Gina Bass Bittaye, who won in 11.13. The USA’s Jenna Prandini rounded out the top three with a time of 11.30.

In the 800m, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule ran a strong race to finish second with a time of 1:57.43, just behind Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir, who set a meet record of 1:57.00. Ethiopia’s Nigist Getachew finished third in a personal best of 1:57.47.

Meanwhile, in the men’s 110m hurdles, Tokyo Olympic champion Hansle Parchment secured third place in 13.25. Japan’s Rachid Muratake claimed victory in 13.14, holding off American Daniel Roberts, who finished second in 13.18.

Jamaica's Yanique Thompson delivered a standout performance at the ISTAF Berlin Meeting in Germany on Sunday, claiming victory in the women's 100m hurdles with an impressive time of 12.73 seconds. Thompson led a Jamaican 1-2 finish, as compatriot Britany Anderson secured second place with a time of 12.89 seconds. The pair dominated the race, leaving Germany's Marlene Meier, who clocked a personal best of 12.93 seconds, to settle for third.

Thompson's victory is a significant achievement as she continues to build momentum in her hurdling career, reaffirming Jamaica's strength in the sprint hurdles on the international stage.

In the men's 110m hurdles, Jamaica's Omar McLeod followed up his third-place finish at the Diamond League Meeting in Rome on Friday with another third-place finish in Berlin. McLeod, the 2016 Olympic champion, crossed the line in 13.28 seconds, behind American Grant Holloway, who won in 13.14 seconds, and France's Rachid Muratake, who clocked 13.21 seconds.

Additionally, Shafiqua Maloney set a new lifetime best and national record in the rarely run women's 600m, finishing second in a fiercely competitive race. Maloney's time of 1:22.98 shattered her previous personal best and established a new benchmark for St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Kenya's Mary Moraa took the win in 1:21.63, while Germany's Alica Schmidt completed the podium in third with a time of 1:24.88.

The ISTAF Berlin Meeting once again proved to be a successful outing for Jamaican athletes, showcasing their talent and determination on the international stage.

The 2024 Tampere Motonet Grand Prix in Finland was electrified on Sunday as Jamaica’s Omar McLeod and Kadrian Goldson delivered exciting victories in their respective events, while Britany Anderson continued her inspiring comeback journey with a podium finish in the 100m hurdles.

McLeod, the 2016 Olympic champion, showcased his champion’s spirit in the 110m hurdles, battling through a stiff headwind of -1.1m/s to claim victory in 13.47 seconds. Despite being out of competition since the Jamaican national championships in June, where he clocked a season’s best of 13.22, McLeod’s performance in Finland was a testament to his resolve.

The race wasn’t without its challenges. McLeod admitted feeling "rusty," but his class shone through as he comfortably outpaced Finland’s Elmo Lakka, who finished second in 13.72, and Manuel Mordi, who took third in 13.78.

“It was very good. I haven’t run in two months, so it feels good to get this race in before the Diamond League next week,” McLeod said, his trademark smile breaking through. “The conditions weren’t ideal. I could feel the headwind the entire time. It was ridiculous,” he laughed, “but it was a great race, I finished healthy. It feels good to be out here again.”

Adding to the excitement, McLeod’s training partner, Britany Anderson, continued her steady return from knee surgery with a strong third-place finish in the 100m hurdles. Anderson, the 2022 World Championships silver medalist, clocked 12.97 seconds in a tightly contested race, just behind Mariam Abdul-Rashid, who took second in 12.96. Finland’s Reetta Hurske claimed victory with a time of 12.87.

But the day wasn’t over for the Jamaicans. Goldson delivered a thrilling performance in the men’s 100m dash, turning the tables on his American rivals. After finishing second to J.T. Smith (10.18) in his preliminary heat with a time of 10.21, Goldson lined up for the final determined to make his mark.

In a nail-biting finish, Goldson surged ahead to cross the line in 10.30 seconds, narrowly edging out Coby Hilton, who finished second in 10.31, and J.T. Smith, who took third in 10.33.

Goldson’s victory was a statement, a demonstration of his ability to rise to the occasion when it mattered most, leaving his American competitors in his wake.

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."

2016 Olympic champion Omar McLeod is considering stepping away from the 110m hurdles to focus on the 100m sprint, citing a loss of passion for the hurdles despite a remarkable career that saw him clinch major titles early on. In an interview with Sportsmax.TV, McLeod shared his mixed feelings after narrowly missing out on making Jamaica’s team for the 2024 Paris Olympics, despite running a season's best time in the final of the 110m hurdles at the Jamaica National Championships on Sunday.

McLeod clocked 13.22 seconds in a tightly contested final, finishing fifth behind Rasheed Broadbell (13.18), Orlando Bennett (13.18), and defending Olympic champion Hansle Parchment (13.19). Tyler Mason also posted 13.22, highlighting the depth of talent in Jamaica's sprint hurdles scene, with only 0.04 seconds separating the top five finishers.

Reflecting on his performance, McLeod said, “I am overjoyed, to be honest. I gave myself a fighting chance to come out here and make the finals. I knew what I was walking into; like I said last night (Saturday), this race was going to be electric, and I was very excited to race with Parchment and Broadbell and these guys again competitively.”

Despite his joy, McLeod expressed a deep sense of personal struggle over the past few years, during which he failed to qualify for the team to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and the World Championships in Oregon in 2022. He did not compete in the trials in 2023. “I think you know what I have been through over the years and how hard I had to fight to really get back into this situation, and I have never felt this happy and this amount of joy in a long time,” he said, fighting back tears. “So, the fact that I am here and I had a season best is a win. It’s a win in so many ways, and I can’t even explain it.”

At 30, McLeod feels he has accomplished all he needs to in the sprint hurdles, having won the Olympic title in 2016 and the World Indoor and Outdoor titles in 2017. Looking ahead, he is seeking new challenges. “Maybe not hurdles, because to be honest, I fell out of love with hurdles because I’ve won everything in hurdles at a young age, and it was very hard to find motivation for hurdles," McLeod explained. "Especially knowing that I have the talent for other events, and I really wanted to explore that over my career. I want to give myself a chance to do that. This was to give my shot again for the hurdles, but I think moving forward, I think I am going to step down to something that my heart wants, which is to sprint.”

McLeod boasts a personal best of 9.99 seconds in the 100m, making him the first man in history to run under 10 seconds in the 100m and under 13 seconds in the sprint hurdles. “You’ve seen the indoors and the progression that I’ve had over the years, so it’s there. I have always known that, but I’ve never gotten the opportunity and the chance to really explore that, and I really want that for myself.”

McLeod’s journey over the past few years has taken him to Italy, where he has found a renewed sense of purpose and joy under the guidance of Coach Marco Airale, who also trains fellow Jamaican Britany Anderson and British sprinter Daryll Neita. “I found a new life. I wanted to give myself a bright new start, and I knew I wanted to be around familiar faces and people that I really adore, and that would make it easier. I took the risk, and I took the blind faith, and I fell in love with the place. I found friends there, I found a community, I found family, and I am enjoying it thoroughly,” McLeod shared.

 As McLeod contemplates his next steps, his focus is on pursuing what his heart desires, aiming to make his mark in the 100m sprint while cherishing the new life he has found in Italy.

National 110m hurdles record holder Omar McLeod continued his resurgence this season with a winning effort at the Paavo Nurmi Games, a Word Athletics Continental Tour-Gold event in Turku, Finland on Tuesday.

The 2016 Olympic and 2017 World champion produced a season’s best 13.25 to win the final of the men’s sprint hurdles ahead of Belgium’s Elie Bacari (13.38) and Finland’s Elmo Lakka (13.43).

The 30-year-old earlier ran 13.29 to advance fastest from the heats.

The women’s sprint hurdles saw World Championships silver medallist Britany Anderson produce a season’s best 12.87 for sixth in the final after running 12.93 earlier in the heats.

The final was won by American World champion Nia Ali in 12.48 just ahead of Dutchwoman Nadine Visser (12.51). Ireland’s Sarah Lavin was third in 12.66.

This was McLeod’s third win in four events this season, with his previous two coming in Italy on May 15 and 19 with times of 13.37 and 13.47 at the Savona International Meeting and Lucca International Meeting, respectively.

Elsewhere, two-time World Championships triple jump silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts took the win in the women’s triple jump with a best jump of 14.17m coming in the first round of the competition.

Italy’s Dariya Derkach was second with 14.08m while Sweden’s Maja Askag was third with 14.06m.

Two-time World champion Anderson Peters threw 82.58m for fourth in the javelin throw behind India’s Neeraj Chopra (85.97m) and the Finnish pair of Toni Keranen (84.19m) and Oliver Helander (83.96m).

Jamaican sprint hurdlers Omar McLeod and Britany Anderson delivered strong performances at the 13th Savona International Meeting in Savona, Italy on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old McLeod, the 2016 Rio Olympics champion in the 110m hurdles, marked an encouraging start to his season with a thrilling victory. The 2017 world champion clocked a winning time of 13.37 seconds in his first competitive race in the event since April 2023 at the LSU Invitational in the United States. Despite facing challenges with rhythm and hitting hurdles during the race, he held off Great Britain's Joshua Zeller (13.42) and Spain's Enrique Llopis (13.43) to secure the victory.

Anderson, meanwhile, the 2022 World Championship silver medalist in the 100m hurdles, continued her impressive form by winning her event with a season-best time of 12.88 seconds. Anderson engaged in a tight battle with Ireland's Zarah Lavin (12.92) and Italy's Eliza Maria Di Lazzaro (12.99), ultimately crossing the line first to claim victory.

Anderson's performance marked a significant improvement from her previous outing, where she clocked 13.23 seconds for victory at the X Athletic Elite Meeting in Milan earlier in April.

With the national championships in Jamaica approaching in just six weeks, the success of both McLeod and Anderson signals promising prospects as they aim to excel and secure coveted spots in Jamaica's Olympic team for the upcoming Games in Paris.

As they continue their preparations for Jamaica’s national championships in June, Olympic champion Omar McLeod and World Championship silver medallist Britany Anderson, were both winners at a La Fratellanza 1874 meeting in Italy on Thursday.

McLeod, who celebrated his 30^th birthday on Thursday, won the 100m in a brisk 10.32 in a race that also included Britain’s Adam Gemili. Obviously elated over his victory, the 2017 world champion, declared on Instagram, “A win today in the 100m was all I had on my birthday wish list.

“10.32 in an ankle freezing 15-degree weather is a solid opener. Beyond excited for what is to come this season.”

Meanwhile, Anderson, in only her second hurdles race back from injury and knee surgery that saw her miss the entire 2023 season, clocked 13.34 into a 1.4 m/s headwind in a dominant victory in which she widened her lead at each hurdle.

As the meeting concluded on Thursday, things are looking up for the Jamaican sprint hurdlers looking to reclaim their places among Jamaica's elite as the Olympics approach this summer.

World Championships 100m hurdles silver medallist Britany Anderson made a triumphant return to the event, with an impressive victory at the X Athletics Meeting in Milano, Italy on Saturday.

Mere days after she marked the anniversary of the knee injury she suffered in 2023 that caused her to miss the entire season, Anderson stormed to victory in 13.23. Showing good speed but lacking rhythm, Anderson managed to hold off the challenge of Elena Carraro, who was a close second in 13.30.

Giulia Piazzi was a distant third in a season’s best 14.13.

Anderson’s win in the 100m hurdles, was the first of two victories she had on the day. She would later be a member of her training group’s impressive 4x100m relay victory. Anderson, Amy Hunt, Mabounduo Kone and Daryll Neita streaked to victory in 43.21.

The Team Air quartet was so impressive their winning time was more than five seconds faster than the Cus Pro Patria Milano ‘B’ team that finished in second place in 47.65 and six second better than Cus Insubria Varese Como ‘A’ that was third in 48.66.

 Jamaican hurdler Britany Anderson and her coach, Marco Airale, recently commemorated a significant milestone – the one-year anniversary of Anderson's knee injury during a training camp in Padua, Italy, which required surgery and sidelined her for the entire 2023 season. Now, mere months before the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Anderson is celebrating her remarkable recovery and return to full health.

 Reflecting on the challenging journey, Coach Marco Airale shared heartfelt sentiments about the injury and Anderson's perseverance throughout the rehabilitation process.

 "A year ago, I experienced a moment as a coach that you never want to happen to one of your athletes. After a bad fall through the hurdles, we discovered that Brit had injured her knee, rupturing her ACL and meniscus," Coach Airale recalled. "Since that day, Brit has worked tirelessly and demonstrated incredible trust in the process that ultimately saw her returning to running over the hurdles."

 Coach Airale extended his gratitude to the medical professionals and support team who played vital roles in Anderson's recovery. "Thanks again to Doctor Bartels and his team for the opportunity they gave me to assist her during the surgery. Thanks to my staff and a big shoutout to @mattiacecconi (Mattia Cecconi) as the physio who has followed Brit throughout the entire journey," he expressed.

 Anderson, in a rare personal reflection shared on Instagram, expressed deep gratitude and spiritual resilience throughout the challenging journey of rehabilitation. "I’ve never been the type to be open on Instagram, but I feel like I owe it to the Lord and to the most incredible team He placed behind me," Anderson wrote. "The day I got injured, that very moment when I heard that loud pop in my knee, I knew something was wrong but surprisingly I wasn’t worried... I remember falling to the ground and the first thing I said was 'Lord, I trust you'."

 Anderson continued, "I’m super grateful for that peace that carried me through and still carrying me. I’m grateful for my coach for being there and being patient with me @coach_air_, I’m grateful for @mattiacecconi, my physiotherapist, for being there every step of the way and also for encouraging me on the days when I felt overpowered by the blood, sweat, tears, and effort I had to pour into the work."

 Amidst the challenges, Anderson found personal growth and resilience. "It wasn’t an easy process, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. I’ve grown so much throughout this process, not just on the track but in my personal life as well," she reflected.

 Anderson concluded her heartfelt message by sharing her newfound strength and faith. "If someone would say to me a year ago that I’ll rupture my ACL and Meniscus one day, every day of my life I would step on that track in front of all the obstacles I have to run over in fear," she expressed. "I would walk in fear of the thought of being hurt because I would never think I could overcome the process, but I DID IT! And I didn’t do it alone, I did it with Christ Jesus."

Anderson's remarkable journey serves as an inspiring testament to resilience, faith, and the unwavering support of her coach, medical team, and faith community as she prepares to return to competition at the highest level.

In the words of her coach, "Welcome back, Brit. The future is yours!"

Britany Anderson has described missing out on last season because of injury as heartbreaking and has revealed her primary objectives for the coming season as she aims to make Jamaica’s team to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

In an exclusive interview with Sportsmax.TV, the 2022 World Championship 100m hurdles silver medallist also explains why she still has a major hurdle to clear if she is to get back to her best and explained her reaction to watching fellow Jamaican Danielle Williams win gold in Budapest in August.

The accomplished 22-year-old sprint hurdler missed out on the 2023 outdoor season after damaging ligaments in her knee going over a hurdle in training in Padua, Italy. The injury required surgery ligaments and since then Anderson has been undergoing rehabilitation with the goal of being fit for the coming season. The last six months, she said, have not been easy.

“The most difficult part was right after the surgery, going into the first part of training with just trying to get that mobility and that strength in my entire leg, my quad, knee, everything. Just walking around was difficult. Just lifting my leg was difficult so everything I did was hard,” she remarked.

“Rehab has been one of the most difficult challenging things I have ever had to overcome during my entire track and field career but I think we’re right where we need to be and I am just looking forward to going out next season and at least performing at my best.”

Even tougher for Anderson, who had set a new national record of 12.31 while winning the silver medal at the World Championships in Oregon in July 2022, was knowing that she was unable to build on that success in 2023, especially since she was coming off a solid indoor season when she ran an encouraging 7.83 in Poland in February, just 0.01 off her lifetime best of 7.82 set in Louisville, Kentucky a year earlier.

“It was disappointing because I was looking forward to an excellent season because the way that I started the season, it was not my best but I think it was good the way I started and going into the outdoor season, after I got the injury it was disappointing because I was looking forward to a better season so it was heartbreaking,” she told Sportsmax.TV from her training base in Padua, Italy.

While she was recovering, Anderson watched Williams, who was third at Jamaica’s national championships in July, win gold giving Jamaica’s its third global medal in consecutive championships starting with Megan Tapper’s bronze at the Tokyo Olympics and her own silver in Oregon a year later.

And even though she was unable to line up in Budapest in August, Anderson said she was overjoyed that Williams was able to snatch the gold medal against a stacked field that included the likes of 2022 World Champion and world-record holder Tobi Amusan, former world-record holder Kendra Harrison and Olympic champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.

“It was an amazing feeling, to be honest, just to see the battles that she has been through. I have been watching Danielle since I was in high school at Vere (Technical) so just to see the battles that she has been through and how she fought to get to where she is right now, the feeling was amazing knowing that Jamaica brought the gold home,” she remarked while believing that had she been there should would have been in the mix for the medals, possibly gold.

“We athletes work hard each and every day so if I was in that race, it would have been a battle because we are all great women. We all fight to get where we are so it would have been a battle.”

Turning her attention back to her preparation for the coming season, Anderson revealed that the physical side of things is not her only area of concern. She acknowledges that since has begun background work while simultaneously continuing rehabilitation, she has come upon another hurdle that she hopes to clear before she begins to compete.

It has to do with overcoming her fear of getting hurt again, a not uncommon condition of athletes recovering from reparative surgery.

“I most definitely think it is one of the things that is going help me for the next season because even now during the training workout, landing or anything that gives me a bit of discomfort on my knee at the back of my head I would think ‘Okay, I need to either slow it down or stop for a second and adjust to what I’m feeling. I can’t just do it because I have the fear in the back of my mind saying it’s going to hurt or the injury is going to happen again,” she said.

“I am already working on that, just to go and do it instead of holding back. I think that is one of the most important things that will help me next season just to be more confident that nothing is going to happen.”

That said, her focus is unwavering. She remains committed to her rehabilitation and recovery to prepare for what she intends to be a more productive season in 2024, one in which the plan is to get to the national trials and making the team to Paris 2024.

“For now, the plan is getting as healthy as I can, going into the season, whether it is strength, mental health, just being confident getting out there again and knowing that nothing is going to happen, getting used to going over the hurdles, landing, getting a couple races that is going to build that confidence in me,” she said.

“Being out for basically an entire season, it’s really hard to get back up and going out there again but I think I can do it. That just looks like getting healthy and getting in as many races as possible as I think it is going to help me for the Olympics and even after the Olympics.”

As Jamaica's national championships approach, all eyes are on Ackera Nugent, the reigning NCAA 100m hurdles champion, who is expected to shine in the absence of the injured Britany Anderson, the 2022 World Championships silver medalist.

However, the University of Arkansas junior remains unfazed by the pressure of expectations, emphasizing that she focuses solely on her own goals and well-being as an athlete. Nugent will be going up against Danielle Williams, the 2015 World Champion, Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper, and World U20 Champion Kerrica Hill among others battling for a place on Jamaica's team to the championships in Budapest next month. She remains unfazed by the unofficial 'favourite' tag that she now bears. 

"For me, I don't live up to the expectations of what people have for me," Nugent expressed during a recent Zoom call. "At the end of the day, they (the fans) don't know what I am going through as an athlete, the whole background plan that me and my coach have, and expectations from each other. I can only live up to my own expectations and, as I always say, to finish healthy."

Nugent's mindset revolves around her readiness and confidence. With one of the best coaches in Chris Johnson, guiding her, she prioritizes following his instructions and ensuring she completes each hurdle event without injury.

"The most important thing for me is that I know that I'm ready,” she declared.

“I have one of the best coaches there is, and the most important thing for me is to follow the instruction that he gives me and also finish the hurdles healthy.

"I'm not afraid to compete. I don't care what you have accomplished, what you have done. I know how good I am, and I have to remain confident in myself and just go out there to compete to the best of my ability."

Nugent's victory in the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas, where she ran a wind-aided 12.25, the fastest time ever run under all conditions on the American collegiate circuit, provided her with a significant confidence boost.

It came after a second-place finish at the SEC Championships, fueling her determination to prove herself in a highly competitive field.

In the women's sprint hurdles final, Nugent faced formidable opponents Alia Armstrong of Louisiana State, who beat her at SECs and Masai Russell of the University of Kentucky.

 However, Nugent's unwavering focus and belief in her abilities propelled her to victory.

"What I would have known since I've been hurdling, it just takes, no matter what lane you are in, no matter who you are up against, it just takes the person who's more focused on their lane," Nugent revealed.

"Going down that track, I was like, 'They will not beat me today. I'm the best in the field, and I'm going to prove that I am the best in the field.'"

Embracing the underdog role further fueled Nugent's motivation.

"I feel for me, going into the event as the least favorite to win was a little motivation... because I was like, 'I have accomplished so much.' I was like, 'I am better than these ladies.' And because I know, and because coach always tells me that it's good to have somebody behind you, and I'm like, 'I have people that are counting on me,' and it was just me against these hurdles."

Throughout the race, Nugent remained focused on her lane and executed her coach's instructions flawlessly. Her disciplined approach paid off, leading to a memorable victory.

As she prepares for Jamaica's national championships, Nugent's confidence remains unwavering, driven by her dedication, talent, and the support of her coach.

Britany Anderson followed up her third place finish in Poland earlier this week with a victory in the 60m hurdles at the ISTAF Indoor Meeting in Berlin on Friday.

Anderson, the 2022 World Championships 100m hurdles silver medalist, was a model of consistency this week as after running 7.83 in Torun, she clocked 7.87 to win her preliminary round heat before winning the final in 7.85 ahead of Australia’s Michelle Jenneke, who ran a personal best 7.89 for second place.

Natalia Christophi of Cyprus was third in 8.01.

In the men’s equivalent, Olympian Damion Thomas ran a season-best 7.65 to finish second in a close battle with Great Britain’s David King, who ran 7.63 for the win.

Paolo Dal Molin of Italy was a close third in 7.69.

Reece Prescod of Great Britain won the 60m dash in a meet record 6.49, which was also a personal best. He held off the challenge of German duo of Joshua Hartmann, who clocked a personal best 6.53 and Julian Wagner (6.56) for second and third, respectively.

Great Britain’s Daryll Neita continued her good form this season with a lifetime best 7.05 to win the Women’s 60m dash.

Tristan Evelyn of Barbados ran a national record and personal best 7.14 to claim the runner-up spot ahead of Germany’s Gina Luckenkemper, who finished third in 7.16.

Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce and Shericka Jackson headline the eight nominees for the RJR Gleaner Sportswoman of the Year award.

Fraser-Pryce dominated 100-metre sprinting in 2022, setting the eighth fastest time of the year, and winning the gold medal at the World Championships in Oregon. Fraser-Pryce also took silver medals in the 200m and the 4 x 100 metres relay at the World Championships, before winning the Diamond for 100m in Zurich. She ended the year ranked No. 1 in the 100m and No. 3 in the 200m. Fraser-Pryce won the National Sportswoman of the Year award in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2019.

Shericka Jackson astonished the world with amazing 200m runs in 2022. She took the sprint double at the National Championships, before winning the 200m at the World Championships in Oregon, running the second fastest time in history —21.45 seconds. Jackson also took silver in the 100m and the sprint relay at the World Championships. She then won the 100m at the NACAC Championship, finished second in the 100m at the Diamond League final, and won the 200m Diamond in Zurich. She finished the year ranked No. 1 in the 200m and No. 2 in the 100m.

The other six nominees are Britany Anderson, Lamara Distin, Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, Shanieka Ricketts, Janieve Russell and Elaine Thompson-Herah.

National 100-metre hurdle champion, Anderson took the silver medal for her event at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon and added the Diamond League bronze medal to top off a very good year. Globally, she ranked third for her event.

Distin won gold at the Commonwealth Games with a height of 1.95 metres. She also won the NCAA High Jump title.

Fowler-Reid set a new record of 808 goals for the Suncorp Super Netball League in Australia. She then went on to be the highest scorer at the Commonwealth Games with 273 goals. Fowler-Reid, who led Jamaica to its first victory over Australia in senior netball, was the driving force behind Jamaica’s second place finish at the Commonwealth Games, the Sunshine Girls’ highest global ranking in international netball.

Triple jumper Shanieka Ricketts had a great 2022, winning the National Championship in Kingston as well as several international meets. At the World Championships in Eugene, she took the silver medal in 14.89 metres. She added the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and the bronze medal at the Diamond League Final in Zurich. She finished the year ranked No. 2.

National Champion Janieve Russell had a good 2022 over the 400m hurdles. She had several high finishes on the Diamond League circuit, won the 400m hurdles at the NACAC Championship in The Bahamas, and finished third at the Diamond League Final in Zurich. She finished the year ranked 5th for the 400m hurdles.

Despite struggling with significant injuries, Elaine Thompson-Herah still managed some outstanding performances in 2022. She took the 100m bronze medal at the World Championships in Oregon and added the silver medal in the sprint relay. Thompson-Herah then went on to the Commonwealth Games where she achieved the rare sprint double, winning the 100m in 10.95 seconds, and the 200m in 22.02 seconds. She finished the year ranked No. 3 in the 100m. She won the award in 2016 and 2021.

The winner will be announced at the RJR Gleaner National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards Ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus on January 23.

Jamaican 100m hurdler Britany Anderson believes someone will go below 12 seconds in the event one day.

Anderson, who won her maiden national title in June, took home her first global medal when she won 100m hurdles silver at the recently concluded World Athletics Championships in Eugene.

She ran a new personal best and national record 12.31 in the semi-finals on Sunday before returning to run a wind-aided 12.23 to claim second in the final later that day behind Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan who ran an insane wind-aided 12.06 for victory, hours after setting a new world record 12.12 in the semi-finals.

2015 World champion Danielle Williams previously held the national record of 12.32 which she set in 2019.

“I’m feeling really great. I’m excited that I came out here and did my best. It’s really great, the crowd is great and the energy out there is amazing,” Anderson said in a post-race interview.

She also revealed that it wasn’t a perfect race for her despite the fast time.

“The middle of the race wasn’t the best because I kept hitting the hurdles but thank God I finished with a medal,” she said.

The track at Hayward Field in Eugene has long been known to produce extremely fast times, an experience Anderson now knows first-hand.

“It’s definitely one of the fastest tracks I’ve run on. All I can say is we were blessed to have the perfect conditions, even though the time in the finals was wind-aided,” she said.

With the world record now standing at 12.12, “most definitely,” was Anderson’s response when asked if she thinks someone will go under 12 seconds in the 100m hurdles.

“The girls are really competitive so anything can happen. The hurdles has been so competitive these last few years. The girls have shown up and shown out and we can do so much more. The event, to me, is one of the best out here because it’s so technical. We have to keep the stride and the focus while going so fast,” Anderson said.

“I feel like we’re getting more control over our technique,” she added.