Reigning NCAA Indoor 60m champions Julien Alfred and Terrence Jones produced excellent performances to win their respective Women’s and Men’s college 100m sections at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida on Saturday.

The St. Lucian Texas senior Alfred continued her stellar form this season with 10.72 (2.4m/s) to win the Women’s College 100m ahead of Texas Tech’s Rosemary Chukwuma (10.85) and Ole Miss’s McKenzie Long (10.92).

The Commonwealth Games 100m silver medallist also ran a new personal best and St. Lucian national record 21.91 to win the 200m on Friday.

The Women’s Olympic Development section saw Jamaican Kiara Grant produce a personal best 10.99 for victory ahead of Adidas’ Celia Barnes (11.05) and Maia McCoy (11.08).

Jones, the Bahamian Texas Tech junior, produced a massive personal best and world leading 9.91 to win the Men’s College 100m.

Jones, 20, won comfortably ahead of Texas Tech teammate Courtney Lindsey (10.04) and Florida State’s Amir Willis (10.08).

Jones’ 9.91 equals Derrick Atkins’ Bahamian national record done to win 100m silver at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan.

The Men’s Olympic Development section was won by American 200m World Champion Noah Lyles in 9.95 ahead of Asics’s Joseph Fahnbulleh (9.98) and Adidas’ Kendal Williams (10.03).

Jamaican Sachin Dennis was fifth in 10.11 while the BVI’s Rikkoi Brathwaite and Trinidad & Tobago’s Eric Harrison ran 10.16 and 10.18, respectively, to finish sixth and seventh overall.

Moving to the one lap event, Trinidadian 2022 World Indoor 400m champion Jereem Richards and Jamaican Stacey-Ann Williams both produced personal bests to secure wins.

Adidas’ Richards, who also won 200m gold at the Commonwealth Games last year, produced an impressive 44.68 to win the Men’s Olympic Development 400m ahead of Alonzo Russell of the Bahamas, who also ran a personal best 44.73, and Adidas’ Noah Williams (45.22).

Elite Performance’s Williams, whose previous personal best was 50.14 done in 2021, ran 50.12 in just her second race of the season for the win ahead of Life Speed and Guyana’s Aliyah Abrams (50.77) and Adidas’ Brittany Brown (51.15).

Trinidadian defending World Indoor 400m Champion Jereem Richards was the lone Caribbean winner at the 2023 World Indoor Tour Final at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham on Saturday.

Richards, who ran a personal best 45.00 to win the World title in Belgrade in 2022, ran a season’s best 45.74 for victory in the Men’s 400m ahead of the USA’s Vernon Norwood (45.92) and Ireland’s Jack Rafferty (46.66).

This was the Trinidadian’s second win in a row after. He ran 45.84 to win at the Millrose Games on February 11.

Elsewhere, 2019 World Champion Tajay Gayle jumped a season’s best 8.13m for second in the long jump, won by the USA’s Marquis Dendy with 8.28m. American William Williams was third with 8.03m.

2022 World 200m Champion Shericka Jackson ran 7.18 to finish fourth in the 60m behind the British pair of Dina Asher-Smith (7.05) and Darryl Neita (7.12). The USA’s Destiny Smith-Barnett finished third in 7.15. Asher-Smith’s time broke her own British record.

Jereem Richards and Devynne Charlton won their respective events in some style at the 2023 Millrose Games at the Nike Track and Field Centre at the Armory in New York on Saturday.

Richards, Trinidad and Tobago’s reigning world indoor champion, rebounded from his narrow loss at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix last week when he ran 45.88, to win in a season-best 45.84.

The Trinidadian was in command from the gun and created daylight between himself and the USA’s Noah Williams, who was second in 46.20.

It was the American who edged Richards over 400m in Boston last week.

Third was the USA’s Bryce Deadmon who ran 46.34.

The Bahamian champion Charlton’s good form this season, continued Saturday in New York where she ran 7.91 to win a close race with the USA duo of Tonea Marshall, who clocked a season best 7.94 and veteran Sharika Nelvis, who finished third in 7.96.

Following his mediocre season last year after his two-year suspension for whereabouts rules violations, 60 world-record holder Christian Coleman signaled a return to form winning the 60m dash in 6.47.

It was supposed to be a clash between him and Noah Lyles who ran a personal best 6.51 in Boston last week. However, the latter was disqualified for a false start and that opened the door for Jamaica’s Traves Williams of the University at Albany, who ran a lifetime best of 6.59 for second.

Josephus Lyles was given the same time but awarded third.

Aleia Hobbs, meanwhile, notched another win on her belt with a 7.04 run to win the women’s race ahead of Tamari Davis (7.08) and Mary Beth Sant-Price (7.11).

Devynne Charlton was the only Caribbean athlete to win an event but several others were on the podium at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix at The Track at New Balance in Boston on Saturday.

The 27-year-old Bahamian, who won silver at the 2022 World Indoor Championships, clocked a season-best 7.87 whole holding off the challenge of Sharika Nelvis of the USA (7.93) and Celeste Mucci of Australia, who ran a personal best of 7.95.

Jamaica’s Danielle Williams ran 7.97 for fourth in the keenly contested battle for the minor place.

Meanwhile, 2022 World Indoor 400m champion Jereem Richards was nipped on the line by Noah Williams of the USA in a tight three-way finish.

The Trinidadian led most of the way but tightened up over the last 50m when Williams jumped at the chance to get past him on the inside to take the race by 0.04s.

Both were given the same time of 45.88. However, on closer inspection, Williams clocked 45.876 to Richards’ 45.880.

Vernon Norwood finished third in 45.92.

Jamaican’s Leah Anderson and Janieve Russell finished second and third, respectively, in the Women’s 500m in which Fembke Bol unleashed a new world’s best performance.

The Dutch athlete, who won silver in the 400m hurdles in Oregon in 2022, demonstrated superior speed and strength to pull away from the field and win in 1:05.63 to become the first woman to run faster than 1:06.00 in the event.

It was a new personal best, national record and world record.

Anderson made a late surge to get by Russell in the final stages to establish a new Jamaican national record of 1:08.34.

Russell, the now two-time Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles champion, faded to third in 1:09.18.

The Women’s 60m dash was billed as a clash between World 200m champion Shericka Jackson of Jamaica and World and Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

Somebody forgot about Aleia Hobbs, who just last week ran 6.98 over 60m, tied for the ninth fastest time ever with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah.

But while both Jackson and McLaughlin-Levrone failed to make the final finishing fifth in the respective heats, Hobbs dominated the field to take the final in 7.02 ahead of training partner Mikiah Brisco, who ran a season best 7.10.

Celera Barnes ran 7.21 for third in the American sweep.

Noah Lyles edged Trayvon Brommel by the smallest of margins to win the men’s event in a personal best 6.51 (6.507). Brommel 6.51 (6.509) took the runner-up spot.

Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati clocked 6.62 for third.

Marileidy Paulino held off a strong challenge from Sada Williams to win the 400m at the Athletissima Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland on Friday.

Trinidad and Tobago athletes who won medals at the recently concluded 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, will have some extra cash to spend this year under the twin-island republic Ministry of Sports’ Reward and Incentives Framework, according to reports.

Under the programme, cyclist Nicholas Paul and sprinter Jereem Richards will be the primary beneficiaries as both men are responsible for the three gold medals the country won in Birmingham.

Paul won gold in the keirin, silver in the match sprint and bronze in the 1000m time trials and is set to receive TT$437,500 while Richards, who won the 200m title in a Games record 19.80 and anchored the country’s 4x400m relay to the gold medal is set to receive TT$375,000.

According to the Trinidad Guardian, athletes competing in relay team events will earn $125,000 each for a gold medal, $62,500 for silver and for bronze, $31,250. Individual gold medals get a whopping TT$250,000.

That means Dwight St Hillaire, Asa Guevara and Machel Cedenio will each get $125,000 and the members of the 4x100 metres team - Jerod Elcock, Eric Harrison Jnr, Kion Benjamin and Kyle Greaux - will each get $62,500 for their silver medal run.

Trinidad and Tobago won its third gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games on Sunday when Jereem Richards led them to an emphatic victory in the 4x400m.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards uncorked a punishing run to successfully defend the men’s 200m title, with a new Games record, at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games on Saturday.

In one of the best performances of his career, Richards ate up the track, and his opponents, to finish near five metres clear in a new personal best of 19.80.

Heading into the final, the talk surrounded a rematch between Richards and British sprinter Zharnel Hughes who finished ahead of the Trinidadian at the last edition of the Games but was disqualified for impeding him, after the athletes’ arms came together.

This time around, there could be no such complaints as the Richards blasted through the first half of the race, came off the curve first, and powered away from the field.  Hughes was second in a season-best 20.12, with Ghana’s Joseph Paul Amoah finishing third in 20.49.

With the victory, Richards became the third athlete to successfully defend the 200m title at the event, behind Jamaican Donald Quarrie and Namibia's Frankie Fredricks.  

Jamaican World Championships silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts went one better at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Friday, taking gold in the Women’s triple jump.

Ricketts, who got silver four years ago, won with a Commonwealth Games record 14.94m which she did in the first round.

Dominica’s Thea Lafond made it a Caribbean 1-2 by taking the silver with 14.39m ahead of England’s Naomi Metzger (14.37m).

Elaine Thompson-Herah will get an opportunity to win her second gold medal after advancing to the final of the Women’s 200m.

The double Olympic champion, who ran 10.95 to win the 100m on Wednesday, cruised to 22.63 to win semi-final three and advance to Saturday’s final.

Her Jamaican teammate Natalliah Whyte will also be in the final after running 23.09 to finish second in semi-final one.

On the Men’s side, Trinidad & Tobago’s Jereem Richards will get an opportunity to defend his title from 2018 after running 20.40 to win semi-final three and advance.

In the 400m, Barbadian World Championships bronze medallist Sada Williams will be in the final after running 51.59 to win semi-final two. Jamaica’s Junelle Bromfield also advanced from that race as a fastest loser courtesy of a 52.18 effort to finish fourth.

Jonathan Jones ran 45.82 to win semi-final two and advance on the Men's side. Joining him in the final will be Jamaica's Anthony Cox who ran 45.98 for third in semi-final one and nathon Allen who was second in semi-final three with 45.99. 

Shericka Jackson produced the second fastest 200m time in history to win gold in the women’s 200m final at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene on Thursday night.

Jackson, who won silver in the 100m with a 10.73 personal best on Sunday, ran a spectacular championship record 21.45 for victory ahead of teammate Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (21.81) and Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (22.02). Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah finished seventh in 22.39.

Jackson’s time also makes her the fastest woman alive over the distance and is a new national record.

In the men’s equivalent, the USA completed their second sprint sweep of the championships with Noah Lyles defending his title from Doha with a phenomenal world-leading and lifetime best of 19.31 to become the third fastest man in history over the distance.

Kenny Bednarek ran 19.77 for the silver medal while 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton took the bronze in 19.80. The Dominican Republic's Alexander Ogando and Trinidad & Tobago's Jereem Richards were fifth and sixth in 19.93 and 20.08, respectively.

In the Women’s 800m, Jamaica’s 1500m semi-finalist Adelle Tracey ran a personal best of 1:59.20 to finish third in heat one and advance to the semi-finals.

Joining Tracey in the semis will be her Jamaican teammate and 2019 World Championships finalist Natoya Goule, who won the sixth and final heat in 2:00.06.

In the field, the world leader and defending world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada needed only one throw to advance to the final of the men’s javelin, registering a mark of 89.91m. Trinidadian 2012 Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott failed to advance, finishing 16^th overall in qualifying with a throw of 78.87m.

Cuba’s Lazaro Martinez jumped 17.06m to advance to the final of the men’s triple jump.

Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts won a silver medal in the Women’s triple jump at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene on Monday.

Ricketts produced a season’s best 14.89m to finish second behind Venezuelan world record holder Yulimar Rojas who produced a world leading 15.47 to win her third world title. Tori Franklin of the USA jumped 14.72m for bronze.

Ricketts, who had a slow start to the season because a knee injury that hampered her preparation, managed to get it together in time to produce her best performance when it mattered most.

She produced jumps of 14.89m, 14.86m, 14.37m, 14.40m, 14.62m and 14.80m for one of her best series of her career.

On the track, Trinidad & Tobago’s Jereem Richards advanced to the semi-finals of the 200m after running 20.35 to win heat 2. Richards won bronze at the 2017 London World Championships and won 400m gold at the World Indoor Championships earlier this season.

Mixed Relay gold medallist for the Dominican Republic Alexander Ogando was one of the most impressive qualifiers to the semis, easing down to a national record-equalling 20.01 to win heat 4.

100m semi-finalist and 2011 world champion Yohan Blake ran 20.35 to finish fourth in heat 5 and advance as one of the non-automatic qualifiers.

Finally, Rasheed Dwyer ran a season’s best 20.29 to finish second in the seventh and final heat to progress to the next round.

For the women, the usual suspects all booked their spots in the semi-finals.

Shericka Jackson, who became the third fastest woman in history with a personal best 21.55 to win at the Jamaican Championships in June, was impressive to easily win heat 1 in 22.33.

Heat 2 saw 100m bronze medallist and double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah cruise to 22.41 to finish second behind Namibia’s Beatrice Maslingi (22.27). Antigua’s Joella Lloyd ran 22.99 to finish fourth and advance as a fastest loser.

100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was also in cruise control in heat 3 running 22.26 for second behind Niger’s Aminatou Seyni who ran a national record 21.98.

Bahamian Tynia Gaither rebounded from the disappointment of being disqualified from her 100m semi-final on Sunday to finish third in heat 4 in 22.61 to advance.

As he set out to qualify for this summer’s World Athletics Championships in the United States, Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards had set a goal to run below 20 seconds in the 200m at the National Association of Athletics Administrations (NGC/NAAA) Open Championships.

On Sunday, he delivered.

Richards, the 2022 World Indoor 400m champion, sped to a fast 19.83 to win the half-lap sprint on the final day of the championships hence securing his spot to Oregon in July. It was a new lifetime best and the fastest time ever run over the distance on Trinidadian soil.

The time was run in virtually still but rainy conditions as the trailing wind was measured at 0.3m/s. None of that mattered to Richards, who has been in good form this season. “I was not concerned about the weather. I was just ready to run fast,” said the 28-year-old Richards who is also intent on defending his Commonwealth Games title after the World Championships conclude on July 24.

Kyle Greaux ran 20.56s for second place while 400m champion Dwight St Hillaire ran 20.68 for third.

Jereem Richards, the 2022 World Indoor 400m champion, will contest only the half-lap sprint at the Trinidad and Tobago National Championships set for June 25-26 at the Hasley Crawford Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago.

In the only race she has planned for the month of May, Olympic gold medallist Briana Williams ran a season-best 11.03 while finishing second in the 100m at the Pure Athletics Global Invitational in Clermont, Florida.

In what was her first race since suffered a tight hamstring at the USATF Golden Games in Walnut, California on April 16, Williams advanced to the final after winning her preliminary round heat in a wind-assisted 10.96 (5.3m/s).

In the final, she locked strides with Tanisha Terry until late in the race when the American pulled away to win in 10.94.

Maia McCoy was the best of the rest, running 11.20 for third.

Williams, 20, races next in the 100m on June 12 at the USATF Grand Prix in New York before she travels to Jamaica for the National Senior Championships scheduled for June 23-26.

Former Hydel High star sprinter Ashanti Moore, meanwhile, ran out a comfortable winner in the 200m. The powerful sprinter, who now trains at Pure Athletics alongside some of the world’s best sprinters including the 2019 World 200m champion, Noah Lyles, clocked a nippy 23.02 easily defeating Lily Kaden (23.21) and Camile Laus (23.63).

Lyles was equally dominant in the men’s 200m which he won in 19.86 over Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards (20.06) and his brother Josephus Lyles, who ran 20.20, his fastest-ever season opener.

Kimberly Williams jumped a wind-assisted 13.93m to win the triple jump by one centimetre over Naomi Metzer (13.92m). Sineade Gutzmore jumped 13.22m for third.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards continued a stellar start to his season with an impressive 200m win at the Tom Jones Invitational in Gainesville, Florida on Friday.

The 2017 World Championship bronze medallist ran a swift 20.12 to win ahead of Great Britain’s Charlie Dobson (20.19) and the USA’s Trevor Stewart (20.45).

Richards will be looking to take his momentum from a gold medal in the 400m at the World indoor Championships in Belgrade in March into this outdoor season.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Natalliah Whyte ran 22.57 for third in the Women’s 200m behind the USA’s Cambrea Sturgis (22.40) and Kayla White (22.50).

Elsewhere, Jamaican Olympian Rhonda Whyte was victorious in the Women’s 400m hurdles in 55.49 ahead of the USA’s Deshae Wise (56.19) and Turks and Caicos’ Yanique Haye-Smith (57.15).