Reigning Olympic 400m champion Steven Gardiner continues to demonstrate strength, resilience and dazzling form in his push towards the 2024 Paris Games, as he opened his outdoor season with a tidy 31.99s-clocking to win the men’s 300m at the Hurricane Invitational in Miami on Friday.

The Bahamian won ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Asa Guevara, who finished in 32.78s and Barbadian Jonathan Jones (33.02s).

Though some ways off his 31.52s personal best in the event, Gardiner, has signalled that he is much stronger and better on return from last year’s injury, and is no doubt looking forward to repeating his 400m at this summer’s Olympic Games.

Last month, the 28-year-old clocked a world-leading 31.78s to win the men’s 300m at the Carolina Invitational indoor meet at the University of South Carolina. That time was the second fastest ever indoors, trialing his own 31.56s done at the same venue in 2022.

Gardiner, who is also the 2019 World Championships 400m gold medallist, was on his way to another undefeated season last year, but pulled up with an injury in the semifinals at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

While heartbroken by the injury at the time, Gardiner promised not to give up and his recent performances reaffirms his determination to defend his 400m title in Paris with a clean bill of health.

Jamaican Olympic and World 110m hurdles gold medallist Omar McLeod opened his 2022 outdoor season with a 13.27 effort to win at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational at the University of Miami Cobb Stadium in Coral Gables, Florida on Saturday.

McLeod easily won the race ahead of Americans Nicholas Anderson (13.52) and Zaza Wellington (13.69).

Andre Ewers, who represented Jamaica in the 200m at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, won the Men’s 100m in 10.30 ahead of Spencer Schmidt (10.33) and Damarcus Simpson (10.36).

Trinidad’s Asa Guevara narrowly missed out on a win in the 200m running 20.70 to finish behind Great Britain's 400m specialist Matthew Hudson-Smith (20.68). Jamaica’s Nathon Allen was third in 20.88.

Lloydrecia Cameron threw 17.78m for second place in the Women’s Shot Put behind Oklahoma’s Payden Montana (17.88m). Miami’s Hannah Hall was third with (17.01m).