Antigua and Barbuda's Olympic history began in 1965 with the formation of their National Olympic Committee (NOC), which gained full recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on July 19, 1976. The twin-island nation made its Olympic debut at the 1976 Montreal Games and has participated in every Summer Olympic Games since then.

 In their inaugural appearance, Antigua and Barbuda sent 10 athletes who competed in 11 events across two main disciplines. Calvin Greenaway, Conrad Mainwaring, Cuthbert Jacobs, Elroy Turner, Everton Cornelius, Fred Sowerby, Maxwell Peters, and Paul Richards represented the country in athletics, while Donald Christian and Patrick Spencer competed in cycling.

 One of the most renowned Olympic athletes from Antigua and Barbuda is Brendan Christian, who reached the semi-finals of the 200mm at both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics. Another notable athlete, Daniel Bailey, made it to the 100m semi-finals in London 2012 and repeated this feat at the 2016 Rio Olympics, alongside teammate Cejhae Greene.

 As the 2024 Paris Olympics approaches, Antigua and Barbuda have announced a team of five athletes to represent them. This team, consisting of seasoned athletes and promising newcomers, will compete across various disciplines. Joella Lloyd has made history by setting a national record and qualifying for the women's 100m event, becoming only the second female athlete from Antigua and Barbuda to reach Olympic qualifying standards. Cejhae Greene will compete in the men's 100m. Sailor Tiger Tyson will participate in the kiteboarding event. In the pool, newcomers Jadon Wuilliez and 14-year-old Ellie Shaw will compete in the men's and women's 100m breaststroke events, respectively.

 The athletes will be supported by a group of officials and coaches, including Chef de Mission Joel Rayne and team manager Thomas Greenaway. While Antigua and Barbuda have not yet won an Olympic medal, this year’s games present an opportunity for the twin island nation to make history and showcase their talents on the global stage.

 The 2024 Paris Olympics could mark a turning point for Antigua and Barbuda, as their athletes aim to make their mark and bring home the nation’s first Olympic medal. With a mix of experienced competitors and fresh talent, the team is poised to make a strong showing and inspire future generations of Antiguan and Barbudan athletes.

 In encouraging displays of forms at the 2024 New Life Invitational in the Bahamas, Jamaica's Ackera Nugent and the Bahamas' Donald Thomas delivered standout performances on Sunday night.

Nugent, in her first full year as a professional, and Thomas, the seasoned high jumper, both set meet records in their respective events. However, the night ended on a bittersweet note for Jamaica as their 4x400m relay team failed to secure Olympic qualification despite a valiant effort.

 Nugent, who has been sparingly raced this season, underscored her readiness for the upcoming Jamaican national championships with a dominant victory in the 100m hurdles.

Clocking a season-best 12.54 seconds, Nugent eased down after clearing the final hurdle, demonstrating both her confidence and control. This performance not only secured her the win but also broke the previous meet record held by fellow Jamaican Megan Tapper since 2023. Nugent’s coach, Chris Johnson, had recently expressed confidence in her form and training, and Sunday's performance was a testament to his faith. The USA’s Kaylah Robinson finished third with a time of 13.07 seconds, while Charisma Taylor trailed behind in second place, clocking 12.83 seconds.

In the men's high jump, the 39-year-old Thomas thrilled the home crowd by breaking his own meet record. Thomas cleared 2.28m, surpassing his previous mark of 2.26 meters set last year. His impressive jump secured him the top spot on the podium, with Jamaica’s Raymond Richards finishing second at 2.21m and Puerto Rico’s Luis Castro taking third with a clearance of 2.18m.

The night’s excitement culminated with the highly anticipated men's 4x400m relay, where Jamaica aimed to qualify for the Olympics by beating Zambia’s 2:59.11 or France’s 2:58.45. The Jamaican quartet put forth a formidable effort, setting a new meet record with a time of 2:59.75. Despite their remarkable performance, they fell short, leaving their hopes for Paris dashed.

Earlier in the evening, Antigua’s Joella Lloyd, who had already achieved the Olympic standard of 11.06 seconds at the NCAA West Regionals, won the Women's 100m. Lloyd clocked an impressive 11.15 seconds, outpacing Bahamian Camille Rutherford, who finished in 11.20 seconds, and 2013 World Championship silver medalist Murielle Ahoure-Demps, who came in third with a time of 11.24 seconds.

Antigua and Barbuda sprinter Joella Lloyd is setting her sights high as she begins her campaign at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on Thursday. The 22-year-old, representing the University of Tennessee, aims to break the sub-11 second barrier in the 100m, a goal she is confident in achieving after recently establishing a new lifetime best.

Lloyd qualified for the nationals with a lifetime-best 11.06 seconds, securing a third-place finish in her heat at the NCAA Division I East First Round on May 25 at the University of Kentucky Outdoor Facility in Lexington. This impressive time not only marked a personal milestone but also set a new national record for Antigua and Barbuda, officially earning her a spot at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.

When asked about her ambitions for the NCAA Nationals, Lloyd did not hesitate. "Oh yes, sub-11 is the goal for nationals!" she affirmed, highlighting her determination to continue improving her times on the track.

Lloyd's aspirations extend beyond the collegiate championships. Having recently graduated with a Master’s in Sports Psychology and Motor Behaviour, she is also focused on representing Antigua and Barbuda in both the 100m and 200m at the Olympic Games in Paris.

This dual qualification would mark a significant achievement for the young sprinter, who competed in the 100m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics but did not advance past the preliminary round, finishing with a time of 11.54 seconds.

"I’m trying to do both 100 and 200m, but I haven’t run the 200m as much this season," Lloyd explained in an interview with Sportsmax.TV. "Hopefully, with some meets this summer, I’ll be able to qualify for the 200m as well and run it in Paris."

Lloyd's lifetime best in the 200m stands at 22.66 seconds, a time she set in Oregon in June 2022. This season, her best effort in the 200m has been 23.36 seconds, recorded in Baton Rouge in March. Despite not competing frequently in the 200m this year, Lloyd is optimistic about her chances of qualifying and competing in both sprint events at the Olympics.

As she steps onto the track at Hayward Field, Joella Lloyd carries the hopes of a nation eager to see her break new ground. Her journey through the NCAA Championships is not just about individual glory but also about preparing for the ultimate stage in Paris.

Jamaica’s Brianna Lyston spearheaded an impressive contingent of Caribbean athletes into the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships following stellar performances at the NCAA East Regionals on Saturday.

Lyston, a sophomore at Louisiana State University, marked her 20th birthday on Friday with a standout performance, winning her 100m heat in a swift 10.99 seconds. She continued her impressive form by qualifying for the 200m with a time of 22.82 in her heat, securing her place at the national championships.

Joining Lyston is fellow Jamaican Shenese Walker from Florida State University, who clocked a personal best of 11.09 to finish third in the same 100m heat.

Antigua's Joella Lloyd also shone brightly, advancing to the national championships by finishing third in her 100m heat with a time of 11.06. Lloyd's qualification highlights the growing presence of Caribbean athletes in top-tier collegiate track and field competitions.

Clemson University’s Oneka Wilson delivered a personal best of 12.79 to win her 100m hurdles heat, showcasing her exceptional hurdling skills and securing her spot in the national championships.

Additionally, Onieka McAnuff of the University of Kentucky set a lifetime best of 51.70 in the 400m to qualify for nationals, demonstrating remarkable endurance and speed.

In the field events, Roschell Clayton of Villanova cleared 1.84 meters in the high jump, earning her place at the nationals with a strong performance.

These athletes will now compete at the NCAA Division I Outdoor National Track and Field Championships, set to be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, from June 5-8, 2024. Their outstanding performances at the NCAA East Regionals highlight the Caribbean's rich track and field legacy and promise thrilling competition at the national championships.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Eric Harrison Jr and Antigua & Barbuda’s Joella Lloyd took home wins in the men’s and women’s 60m, respectively, on day one at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational at Clemson University in South Carolina on Friday.

Harrison Jr, 24, produced a personal best of 6.59 to win the men’s event ahead of Kasaun James (6.61) and Tennessee Sophomore T’Mars McCallum (6.63).

The American-born Harrison Jr’s previous personal best was 6.67 done in January 2022. That year also saw Harrison Jr claim the 100m title at T&T’s National Championships with a personal best 10.08 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

The women’s equivalent saw Antiguan Olympian and Tennessee Senior Joella Lloyd win in a season’s best 7.27, just ahead of American Maia McCoy (7.29) in second and Kentucky Junior Victoria Perrow (7.31).

In the field, Jamaican Florida State Sophomore Jordan Turner produced 7.90m for second in the men’s long jump behind schoolmate Jeremiah Davis’ season’s best and facility record 8.20m. American Cameron Crump was third with 7.88m.

Cejhae Greene and Darion Skerritt have been selected to represent Antigua and Barbuda at the 2023 CAC Games in El Salvador from June 23- July 8.

Joella Lloyd was also selected but will but participate because of injury, the Antigua and Barbuda Athletics Association said. All three athletes were selected based on their regional and world rankings.

The 27-year-old Greene holds the 100m games record of 10.00 set in Barranquilla in 2018. Skerritt will compete in the 200m and has a lifetime best of 21.08 from August 2022.

His 2023 season-best time is 21.18 run at Kingston’s national stadium in June.

Lloyd, who was selected for both 100m and 200m, misses out because of a long-term injury that has affected her all season. She last competed in February when she ran 23.43 to finish third in the 200m at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational.

Antiguan Tennessee junior Joella Lloyd got her second 60m win of the season at the Tiger Paw Invitational at Clemson University on Friday.

The 20-year-old clocked a season’s best 7.17, narrowly short of her personal best and national record 7.15 set back in 2021, to win ahead of Tennessee teammate Jacious Sears who did 7.22 and Jamaican Ohio State senior Yanique Dayle who did 7.34.

This performance marked an improvement from Lloyd’s first appearance of the season where she ran times of 7.34 and 7.21 in the heats and the final to finish first and third, respectively, at the Bob Pollock Invitational on January 27.

Elsewhere, Jamaican World Championships representative Charokee Young, who has now turned professional, finished fourth overall in the Women’s 400m.

The former Hydel High and Texas A&M standout ran 52.11 to win the first of 20 heats but her time saw her finish fourth overall behind USC’s Jan’Taijah Jones and Texas A&M’s Jermaisha Arnold, who both did 51.89 while Arnold’s teammate Kennedy Wade did 52.10 for third.

Meanwhile, Barbadian Texas senior Jonathan Jones finished fourth overall in the men’s equivalent. He ran a time of 45.78 to finish as runner-up in the first heat behind Texas A&M’s Auhmad Robinson who ran 45.65. Robinson’s time was good enough for second overall behind Georgia’s Elijah Godwin who produced 45.63. Tennesee’s Emmanuel Bynum ran 45.67 for third overall.

Jones’ time was slightly faster than the 45.83 he did to open his season with a win at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic on February 4.

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.

Texas duo Julien Alfred and Kevona Davis as well as Syracuse’s Joella Lloyd and Oregon’s Kemba Nelson will all be present in Saturday’s 100m final, at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships, after advancing from the semi-finals at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on Thursday.

Alfred, the St. Lucian national record holder in the event, won her semi-final in 10.90 to be the joint-fastest qualifier to the final. Nelson also dipped below 11 seconds, running 10.97 to win her semi-final.

Jamaica’s Davis finished third in her semi-final with a time of 11.11 to advance while the Antiguan Lloyd finished second in her semi with 11.08. Davis and Lloyd also advanced in the 200m with times of 22.38 and 22.66, respectively.

The Jamaican pair of Stacey Ann Williams of Texas and Charokee Young of Texas A&M will both be in the 400m final. Williams ran 50.18 to finish second in her semi-final while Young won hers in a time of 50.46.

Texas Tech’s Jamaican junior Demisha Roswell ran 12.93 to finish second in her semi-final of the 100m hurdles and progress.

Texas senior and Trinidad and Tobago Olympian Tyra Gittens jumped 6.57m for third in the long jump behind Florida’s Jasmine Moore (6.72m) and Texas A&M’s Deborah Acquah (6.60m).

Jamaicans Wayne Pinnock and Carey McLeod booked spots in the Men’s long jump at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships set for Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon from June 8-11 with good performances at the NCAA East Preliminaries held in Bloomington, Indiana, from March 25-28.

Pinnock and McLeod, both former Kingston College standouts, now competing for the University of Tennessee, jumped 7.93m and 7.63m, respectively, to advance. They were also the top two finishers at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Alabama in March with Pinnock jumping 7.92m for victory against McLeod's 7.91m.

Former Jamaica College and current Purdue jumper Safin Wills produced 15.89m to advance in the Men’s triple jump.

On the track, Jamaica’s Yanique Dayle and Antigua and Barbuda’s Joella Lloyd will both compete in the sprint double at the NCAA Championships after securing their spots.

Dayle, formerly of Hydel High and now competing for Ohio State, ran times of 11.24 in the 100m and 22.64 in the 200m while Lloyd, competing for Tennessee, ran the same time in the 100m and 23.01 in the 200m.

The Women’s 400m also saw two Caribbean competitors advance from the East Region with Bahamian Kentucky standout Megan Moss (52.07) and Bermudan UMBC athlete Caitlyn Bobb (52.40).

Trinidadian Olympian and Kentucky senior Dwight St. Hillaire ran 45.63 to advance in the Men’s equivalent.

Clemson senior Lafranz Campbell of Jamaica and Cayman's North Carolina A&T senior Rasheem Brown both ran 13.63 to advance in the Men’s sprint hurdles while another Jamaican Clemson representative, Trishauna Hemmings, ran 13.13 to advance in the Women’s 100m hurdles.

Barbadian and Tennessee sophomore Rasheeme Griffith and Jamaica and Kentucky senior Kenroy Williams ran 50.91 and 50.96, respectively, to progress in the Men’s 400m hurdles.

Changing a few ‘little things’ and a shift in mindset paid off in a big way for Joella Lloyd when she set a new national record in the 100m at the Tennessee Challenge at Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium in Knoxville on Saturday.

Her time of 11.19 not only broke Heather Samuels Daley’s Antiguan record of 11.20 set in May 1993 it is also the World U-20 leading time for 2021, bumping the USA’s Tionna Brown’s 11.29 from the top spot. Lloyd said she was astonished when she saw the time given how poorly her outdoor season had started with times of 11.52 and 12.05 in her two previous races.

“I was surprised when I looked at the clock and I saw 11.19 because earlier in the season I did not transition as well as I wanted to from the indoor season,” she said.

“I was working with my coach (Ken Harnden), we were talking and he was telling me to do the little things like eating well, sleeping on time and having a better mindset at practice and ever since I implemented that, in practice, I didn’t feel as fatigued and I felt like I was getting back into the right mindset of being competitive and pushing to the line.

“Though my start wasn’t too good, my transition was good and I fought to the line.”

Lloyd's Tennessee teammate Maia McKoy, a senior, was second in 11.23 while Louisville's Brooke Raglin was third in 11.68.

The Tennessee freshman said it was special that she was able to break the record that was previously held by the woman who was her hero growing up.

“It’s really amazing having the national record now knowing that I made history for Antigua,” she said.

“I knew the old record holder Heather Samuel Daley and I have always held her in high esteem and wanted to be like her when I was growing up. Knowing that I am here, I’ve made it, it’s a relief and I feel like this will propel me through the rest of the season. I will drive off of this and keep getting faster.”

It has been a record-breaking season for Lloyd, who turned 19 on April 12.  Lloyd, the 2021 SEC 60m Indoor champion, set a new national indoor record of 7.15 for the 60m and 23.62 for the 200m.

Oregon’s Kemba Nelson ran a collegiate-leading 7.05 to win the 60m title on the final day of the 2021 NCAA Division I Nationals on Saturday night.

In a final where three Caribbean nations – Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada – were represented, Nelson stormed to victory, pulling away from the stacked field to produce a massive personal best that is both a meet and championship record, eclipsing the 7.07 held jointly by Oregon’s Hannah Cunliffe and LSU Aleia Hobbs.

The time, a school record, was also just 0.03 off the 7.02 facility record set by Tiana Madison (Bartoletta) in 2012.

It was also the second-fastest time in the world this year behind the 7.03 set by Switzerland’s AJla Del Ponte at the recent European Indoor Championships in Torun.

USC’s Twanisha Terry, the pre-race favourite, who went into the final with the fastest time, 7.09, won the silver medal in 7.14s.

It was a Jamaican 1-3 as former Jamaica national junior record holder Kiara Grant took third in 7.16.

Antigua’s Joella Lloyd, who two weeks ago set a new national record of 7.15 was sixth in 7.23 while Grenada’s Halle Hazzard, a senior at Virginia, was eighth on 7.27.

Nelson, 21, attended Mt Alvernia High School in Montego Bay, Jamaica and transferred to Oregon in October 2020, having spent her first three years of college at the University of Technology in Kingston.

In doing so, she became the first Jamaican-born female athlete to attend the University of Oregon, having expressed a desire to compete in NCAA-level athletics.

Having fulfilled her desire, she expressed her delight on Instagram afterwards saying, “What a way to close out the indoor season.”

Joella Lloyd and Carey McLeod shone brightly for the University at Tennessee at the SEC Championships at the Randal Tyson Indoor Track Centre in Arkansas on the weekend.

In the wake of setting two new national indoor records on the weekend, Antigua’s Joella Lloyd believes her hard work off the track has been paying off on it.

Danielle Williams won the finals of the 60m hurdles at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational earlier today in the third-fastest time in the world this year.