Jamaicans Sean Bailey, Ackeem Blake and the Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino all achieved lifetime bests to come out on top in their respective events on day two of the 2023 USATF LA Grand Prix at the UCLA Drake Stadium in California on Saturday.

The 25-year-old Bailey, younger brother of Olympic and World Champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, produced a career-best 44.43 to chase down Grenadian Olympic and World Champion, Kirani James, who had about a five-meter lead over Bailey heading into the final 100m of the race.

James’s time in second was a season’s best 44.50 while Quincy Hall was third in 45.09.

Paulino, the Olympic and World Championship silver medallist, produced a new national record and world leading 48.98 to win ahead of Salwa Eid Nasser (50.27) and Lynna Irby Jackson (50.38).

Puerto Rican defending Olympic Champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn ran a world leading 12.31 to win the 100m hurdles ahead of Americans Keni Harrison (12.35) and Tia Jones (12.50).

Trinidadian World Indoor 400m Champion and Commonwealth Games 200m Champion, Jereem Richards, ran a season’s best 20.08 for second in the 200m behind Terrance Laird (20.06). Elijah Morrow was third in 20.22.

Moving to the 100m, Ackeem Blake produced a big personal best 9.89 to get a win over Americans Cravont Charleston (9.91) and Christian Coleman (9.91).

American Morolake Akinosun capitalized on the absence of both Sha’Carri Richardson and Marie- Josee Ta Lou from the Women’s equivalent to win in 10.97 ahead of countrywoman Melissa Jefferson (11.07) and Jamaican Junior Alana Reid (11.08).

In the field, 2019 World Championships silver medallist, Danniel Thomas-Dodd, produced a new personal best and national record 19.77m for third in the Women’s shot put. The event was won by the USA’s Maggie Ewen in a personal best and world leading 20.45m ahead of her teammate, Chase Ealy (19.98m).

Two-time World Champion Anderson Peters, won the javelin in 83.16m ahead of Curtis Thompson (75.27m) and Caspers Williamson (75.02m)

Jamaicans Traves Smikle and Fedrick Dacres finished first and second in the men’s discus throw on day one of the 2023 USATF LA Grand Prix at the UCLA Drake Stadium in California on Friday.

Smikle produced a consistent series with his two best throws coming in the first and sixth rounds.

The first round saw him produce a 65.26m, which would have been good enough to win, before five rounds later he threw the discus 67.07m.

Dacres, the 2019 World Championship silver medallist, was in third after four rounds with a best throw of 63.30m. After a foul in the fifth round, he produced a 64.51m effort in the final round to secure second place.

Samoa’s Alex Rose was third with a best throw of 64.03m.

The Jamaica Lacrosse Association (JLA) continues to create milestones and recently, its national team became the first team to qualify for the 2023 World Championships which will be held in San Diego, California.

In securing this achievement, the Jamaican sport ambassadors scored victories over Columbia 7 - 2 and the US Virgin Islands 5 - 4 and now stand a real chance of topping the table in the competition currently underway in Medellin, Colombia.

In commending JLA President, Calbert Hutchinson and the team, Jamaica Olympic Association President Christopher Samuda stated that "our member association continues to personify merit in sport and is inspiring its players to go beyond the call of duty in the national colors which is the essence of patriotism and a compelling attribute which all sportsmen and women should have."

The sport of Lacrosse locally is quickly gaining ascendancy which mirrors its growing popularity globally and is providing many opportunities for our youth engaged in competitive sport.

"A primary focus of the JOA is to broaden the options in sport for our youth and create as many opportunities for them to excel on the field of play in self-actualising while motivating them to earn a value-based education that will be their pension after sport. Lacrosse is raising the bar impressively and is taking ownership and passing the shuttle and not the buck'" Secretary General/CEO, Ryan Foster said.

The sport was contested at the Summer Olympics Games in 1904 and 1908 and played as an exhibition sport in 1928, 1932 and 1948 and the JOA supports the growing advocacy to have the sport make a long-awaited re-appearance in 2028 in Los Angeles.

"The calls for the sport's rebirth in Los Angeles are resonating and fittingly so after being absent for almost a century. If the echoes of history don't compel it, then the voices of the present will" President Samuda said.

Michelle Lee Ahye ran a season-best 10.94 to win the 100m at the American Track League Orange County Classic in California on Saturday.

In what has been described as a historic partnership, the Jamaica Paralympic Association and the Jamaica Surfing Federation have joined forces to help para-athletes make the transition to surfing with the hope that the island will be able to qualify surfers to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

And, so far things seem to be going well. Two para-athletes, Nathaniel Bailey and Toto Campbell, are in California competing at the 2021 Pismo Beach ISA World Para Surfing Championship, and demonstrating that despite only taking up the sport less than two months ago, that they possess natural talent as both have qualified for the second round of the competition.

"History has been made through a dynamic partnership of two sporting associations that are both committed to developing talent, encouraging excellence and making more capable those who society perceive to have challenges,” said proud JOA President Christopher Samuda.

During the past three years, the Jamaica Paralympic Association has been aggressively engaging with several ‘non-traditional sports’ while pursuing its policy of "creating opportunities and building capacity."

Having successfully already helped propel para-taekwondo and para-judo to the pinnacle of para-sports - the Paralympic Games - President Samuda is optimistic about the future.

"Our model is self-motivating and self-inspiring but we believe strongly in solid partnerships that will drive success and thanks to Billy Wilmot, President of the Jamaica Surfing Federation, and Icah Wilmot, a regional household name in the sport, we are transitioning talented surfers who hopefully will attain the coveted distinction of becoming Paralympians in Paris," he said.

With that in mind, early next year, the Jamaica Paralympic Association will be launching its campaign dubbed "Go for Paris" aimed at achieving qualification and to be competitive in at least five sports at the games in the French capital.

Briana Williams is very satisfied with her outing at the USATF Golden Games in California yesterday.