Julien Alfred, Ackera Nugent and Lamara Distin are among ten women named to the watch list for the 2023 Bowerman Award after standout performances at the 2023 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico from March 10-11.

The Bowerman is an award given to the year’s best student-athlete in American collegiate track & field.

There was also a pre-NCAA Indoor Championships list revealed earlier in March that included Alfred and Distin.

St. Lucian Texas senior Alfred capped off a spectacular indoor season with a personal best and collegiate record 6.94 to defend her NCAA Indoor title. Her time made her the fastest Caribbean woman ever in the event and put her joint-second all-time behind Irina Privalova’s 6.92.

The 21-year-old also won gold in the 200m in 22.01, another collegiate record and the second fastest time ever behind Jamaican Merlene Ottey’s 21.87 done 30 years ago in Lille.

Arkansas sophomore Nugent, who was absent from the list released before the championships, earned her way on to the new one when she won gold in the 60m hurdles in 7.73.

On day one of the meet, Nugent, 20, set a new collegiate and Jamaican national record when she ran 7.72 in the prelims. That time puts her fourth on the all-time list for the event.

23-year-old Texas A&M senior Distin completed another unbeaten indoor season with a 1.91m clearance to win the high jump. In February, Distin cleared 1.97m to equal her own Jamaican record.

The other seven athletes on the watch list are Florida’s Jasmine Moore and Talitha Diggs, Kentucky’s Masai Russell, NC State’s Kaetlyn Tuohy, Oregon’s Jorinde Van Klinken, Stanford’s Roisin Willis and Arkansas’s Britton Wilson.

NCAA National Indoor 60m and 200m champion Julien Alfred has set her sights on the 60m world record after becoming the second fastest woman all time over the distance. She is also keen to test herself against the best female sprinters in the world.

The 21-year-old Alfred, in her final indoor season for the University of Texas ran 6.94 to win the 60m dash and took 200m gold in 22.01 at the NCAA Division 1 National Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, Texas on March 11.

Both times are the second fastest all-time behind Irina Privalova’s 6.92 and Merlene Ottey’s 21.87, respectively set 30 years ago.

The only woman to break seven seconds at the collegiate level, Alfred’s accomplished that feat three times during the season and even as her collegiate career comes to a close, she plans to continue competing indoors because she wants the 60m world record.

“I do want to go after that world record and I know some day I will get it,” she said while speaking with FloTrack, even while revealing that she did not think about the world record much prior to the NCAA finals because it induces her anxiety.

Setting two world-leading times and the second-fastest times in the indoor sprints on the same day, she said, has boosted her confidence, especially the 200m, an event that she really dislikes.

“I hate it. I am never going to like the 200m but this has really opened up my eyes as to what I can really do. This builds my confidence a bit more and I am looking forward to seeing what I can do at the international level. This is my last indoor competing for Texas so I am actually looking forward to going against the pros, competing at the professional level and see what I can do.”

Following her record-breaking collegiate indoor season, Julien Alfred has been named the South Central Region Female Track Athlete of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

The 21-year-old Alfred re-wrote both the collegiate and Texas record books this season after being crowned the indoor sprints double champion with the No. 2 world all-time performances in both the 60m and the 200m.

The St. Lucia native lowered her 60m collegiate record six times this season including times of 7.05, 7.02, 7.00, 6.97, 6.95 and finally 6.94. She's the only collegian to ever run under seven seconds and did it three times this season. She followed up with a collegiate-record in the 200 with a time of 22.01 that also serves as the UT record.

Her Longhorn teammate Yusuf Bizimana was the SEC Male Track athlete after winning the 800m crown at the NCAA Championships with his personal-best time of 1:46.02.

St Lucia’s Julien Alfred capped off an incredible season at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships on Saturday when she clocked the second fastest time in history to win gold in the 200m.

It was her second individual gold medal of the season-ending meet held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after winning the 60m dash on Friday.

The 21-year-old Longhorn senior clocked 22.01 while holding off the challenge of favourite LSU’s Favour Ofili, who finished in 22.20. Autum Wilson was third in 22.45.

Aldred’s time was a personal best, national record, championship record, meet and facility record as well as a world lead. Only Merlene Ottey, who ran 21.87 in Italy 30 years ago, has run faster.

The time also shattered the 22.09 run by Kentucky’s Abby Steiner just last year.

It was the perfect ending for Alfred, who ran unbeaten over 60m and clocked three times under seven seconds during the season. She lost only once over 200m.

On Friday, Alfred won the 60m dash in 6.94, a new collegiate, meet and championship record as well as a national record.

 It was the third time this season she covered the distance in under seven seconds and is now the fastest woman over the distance from the Caribbean surpassing Ottey’s 6.96.

St. Lucian and Texas senior Julien Alfred produced another amazing performance to advance to the final of the Women’s 60m at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday.

The 21-year-old defending champion ran a new personal best and championship record 6.96, the joint-fourth fastest time ever, to win heat one and advance to Saturday’s final as the fastest qualifier.

The Commonwealth Games 100m silver-medallist entered the championships as a massive favorite to retain her title as she is unbeaten in the event this season with winning times of 7.05, 7.02, 7.05, 7.00, 7.03 and 6.97.

Alfred, now the joint-fastest Caribbean woman of all time in the event alongside Jamaican legend Merlene Ottey, will be joined in the final by Jamaican Clemson senior Kiara Grant who wan 7.14 for third in the first heat.

Later, Alfred also ran 22.38 to advance to the final of the 200m. LSU's Favor Ofili was the fastest qualifier with a spectacular 22.11, the third fastest time ever behind Merlene Ottey's 21.87 and Abby Steiner's 22.09.

Elsewhere, Jamaican Arkansas sophomore Joanne Reid ran 51.98 to advance to the final of the Women’s 400m.

Texas senior Julien Alfred added the 200m title to the 60m crown she already won at the Big 12 Indoor Championships at the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock Texas.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games 100m silver medallist, who ran 6.97, a new personal best and NCAA and national record, to win the 60m earlier on Saturday, showed the same awesome form to set a new meet record in the 200m as well.

The 21-year-old ran 22.26, another personal best, to win comfortably ahead of teammate Lanae Thomas (22.63) and Texas tech’s Rosemary Chukwuma (22.68).

Jamaican Texas sophomore Kevona Davis was fourth in 22.76.

St. Lucian Commonwealth Games silver medallist Julien Alfred and Jamaican sprint hurdler Demisha Roswell struck gold for Texas and Texas Tech, respectively, at the Big 12 Indoor Championships at the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas on Saturday.

Texas’ Alfred, who set a then-meet record of 7.03 in the heats on Friday, became the first woman in NCAA history to break the 7-second barrier by speeding to 6.97 to win Saturday’s final ahead of Texas Tech junior Rosemary Chukwuma (7.17) and Alfred’s Texas teammate Ezinne Abba (7.17). Alfred’s time.

The St. Lucian senior now owns the six fastest 60m times in NCAA history and 6.97 puts the 21-year-old in a three-way tie for eighth on the all-time list alongside the Ivory Coast’s Murielle Ahoure and the USVI’s Laverne Jones-Ferrette.

It also puts her second in the world in 2023 behind American Aleia Hobbs’ 6.94 at the US Indoor Championships in New Mexico on February 18.

Elsewhere, Jamaican Texas Tech senior Demisha Roswell produced a time of 8.04 to defend her 60m hurdles title. Kansas’ Gabrielle Gibson ran 8.11 for second while Iowa State’s Katarina Vlahovic ran 8.25 for third.

It seems as if Julien Alfred sets a new personal best and national record every week.

On January 21, the 21-year-old St Lucian clocked 7.05 and then 7.02, then world-leading times at the Martin Luther King Invitational in New Mexico.

She then set a new personal best and national record of 22.56 over 200m, also in New Mexico on Friday, February 3 at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic.

A day later, on Saturday, she blazed to a new 60m record lowering her own mark to 7.00, the second fastest time in the world this year behind Aleia Hobbs’ 6.98.

The Texas Longhorn senior was miles ahead of Samira Mood of the University of Southern California (USC) who ran a creditable 7.19 and LSU Junior Favour Ofili 7.21.

Aldred’s Texas teammate Kevona Davis was fourth in 7.22.

Several other Caribbean athletes excelled at the two-day meet that began on Friday.

Lamara Distin, the NCAA champion established a new Jamaica national indoor record of 1.94m to easily take gold on Friday. Her Texas A&M teammate Bara Sajdokavic took the runner-up spot with her clearance of 1.87m.

LSU’s Morgan Small was third with 1.81m.

Wayne Pinnock, who transferred from Tennessee to Arkansas during the summer, was an easy winner of the Men’s Long Jump soaring out to a mark of 8.10m.

Kelsey Daniel of New Mexico Junior College was next best with his effort of 7.99m while Texas freshman Solomon Washington was third with 7.85m.

World U20 champion Jaydon Hibbert, a freshman at the University of Arkansas, demonstrated his class with two jumps of 16.73m to win the triple jump competition.

His nearest rival was Russell Robinson of Miami, who leapt out to 16.33m. LSU’s Apalos Edwards secured third place with his best effort of 16.13m.

Texas Longhorn Ackelia Smith of Jamaica produced a mark of 13.92m to win the women’s event ahead of Texas Christian University’s Grace Anigbata (13.24m) and Miami’s Ashley Moore (12.97m).

Meanwhile, Omar McLeod, who was returned to Arkansas to train after failed campaigns over the past two seasons, finished second in the 60m hurdles.

The 2016 Olympic champion clocked 7.61 behind USC’s Omotade Ojora, who ran 7.58 for the win. Texas Tech’s Caleb Dean was third in 7.62,

Demisha Roswell had to settle for second place in the women’s event in a close battle with LSU Junior Leah Phillips, who won in 8.02.

The Texas Tech senior crossed the line in 8.03.

Wisconsin’s Destiny Huven was third in 8.08.

St Lucia’s sprint queen Julien Alfred set a new NCAA record on Saturday clocking a world-leading 7.02 to win the 60m dash at the Martin Luther King Invitational held at the Albuquerque Convention Centre at the University of New Mexico.

The University of Texas Senior ran a world-leading 7.05 in the preliminary round before storming to the new record and personal best in the final.

The final was barely a contest as Alfred, the 2022 NCAA 100m champion, was miles ahead of Texas teammate Rhasidat Adekele, who was runner up in 7.20 just edging out Maboundou Kone, who ran 7.21 for third.

Alfred now owns the three fastest times over 60m ran by any woman in NCAA history at 7.02, 7.04 and 7.05 seconds, respectively

Saturday’s victory was a continuation of her impressive start to the season.

She won her season-opener event in the 300m dash at the Commonwealth College Opener with a time of 37.36. She went on to win the 200m at the Cardinal Classic with a time of 23.10 and helped Texas run the 13-fastest 4x400 time in UT history with a time of 3:30.55.

Texas standout and St. Lucian 100m and 200m national record holder Julien Alfred opened her 2023 indoor collegiate season with a 23.10 effort to win the 200m at the University of Louisville Cardinal Classic at the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Centre. 

Jamaica's Kevona Davis, also of Texas, was second in 23.57 while their teammate Lanae Thomas ran 23.65 for third.

The time was also a new facility record for the St. Lucian who is coming off a phenomenal 2022 season in which she won 100m titles at the Caribbean Games and NCAA Championships.

She also took 100m silver at the Commonwealth Games and became the NCAA record holder in the indoor 60m.

Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah led all qualifiers to the semi-finals of the 100m as Athletics action got underway at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Tuesday.

The World Championship 100m bronze medallist from Eugene ran an easy 10.99 to win heat two and advance.

Antigua & Barbuda’s Joella Lloyd was next up, finishing third in heat three in 11.42 to advance. In heat four, Guyana’s Jasmine Abrams almost perfectly matched Lloyd, running 11.42 for third to advance.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Michelle Lee-Ahye and the Bahamas’ Tynia Gaither ran 11.14 and 11.19, respectively, to finish first and second in heat five and progress.

Jamaica’s Natalliah Whyte ran 11.31 to win heat six and advance while St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred (11.24) and Jamaica’s Remona Burchell (11.46) were the top two finishers in the seventh and final heat.

On the Men’s side, Nadale Buntin of St. Kitts & Nevis will be in the semis after finishing third in the first heat with a season’s best 10.37.

Rikkoi Brathwaite of the British Virgin Islands finished second in heat three in 10.42 to advance.

Next up was Jamaican 2014 Commonwealth Games 100m champion Kemar Bailey-Cole who ran 10.15 to finish second in heat four to progress.

Heat six saw Trinidad & Tobago’s Kion Benjamin produce 10.34 for second to move on while Jamaica’s Conroy Jones (10.28) and Trinidad & Tobago’s Eric Harrison Jr (10.37) both advanced from the eighth heat.

The tenth and final heat saw three Caribbean men advance. Trinidad & Tobago's Jerod Elcock won the heat in 10.26 while Guyana's Emmanuel Archibald (10.28) and St. Lucia's Stephan Charles (10.29) finished second and third, respectively.

Jamaican World Championship finalist Natoya Goule is now a Commonwealth Games finalist as well after running 1:58.39 to advance to the final as the fastest qualifier.

In the field, Jamaica’s Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Lloydricia Cameron both advanced to the final of the Women’s shot put after throws of 18.42m and 16.61m, respectively. Thomas-Dodd’s distance was the farthest in qualifying.

The Caribbean will be well represented in the final of the Men’s long jump as The Bahamas’ Laquan Nairn (7.90m), Jamaica’s Shawn-D Thompson (7.85m), Guyana’s Emmanuel Archibald (7.83m), Dominica’s Tristan James (7.65m) and Trinidad & Tobago’s Anduelle Wright (7.58m) will all be present.

Jamaica’s Traves Smikle (64.90m) and Roje Stona (58.35m) will both be in the final of the Men’s discus throw alongside Grenada’s Josh Boateng (56.51m).

The St Lucia Athletics Association has moved to dispel the notion that they failed to supply 100m sprinter Julien Alfred with apparel for her campaign at the 2022 World Athletics Championship in Eugene, Oregon.

The 20-year-old Alfred, the 2022 NCAA 100m champion, wore a plain white singlet with a Nike logo and black tights while getting to the semi-finals on Sunday when she failed to advance to the final after being disqualified for a false start. Perhaps triggered by the disappointing end to her campaign, fans, primarily on social media, targeted the SLAA accusing it of not furnishing the athlete with the appropriate uniform for the championships.

In a statement released Monday, the association’s secretary Lisa Joseph sought to dispel any notion that that was the case, explaining that Alfred was provided with a national uniform for both the Caribbean Games and the World Championships.

“In the past few days, Julien’s accomplishments have been overshadowed by allegations that the association failed to supply her with competition apparel and that the president (Cornelius Breen) was conspicuously taciturn on the matter,” Joseph said in the statement.

“As it concerns Team St Lucia's competition uniforms, the St. Lucia Athletics Association never has and will never send any athlete to represent our beautiful island without bearing the colours of our national flag which we cherish so much.”

 According to Joseph, Alfred, whose time of 10.81, made her the fourth-fastest woman in the world this year, was provided with a competition kit from a local supplier ahead of the Caribbean Games in Guadeloupe two weeks prior to her competing in the World Championship in Eugene Oregon, which was amended to the comfort of the athlete.

 Following the Caribbean Games, another kit was procured for her, this time for the World Championship.

“When she was presented with the other kit, she intimated that she was not comfortable with it,” Joseph revealed.  “To solve this untimely situation, she was taken to a supplier where the St. Lucia Athletics Association was able to procure apparel which she said she was comfortable with.

“Moving forward, persons must not jump to hasty conclusions. Firstly, they should find out and clear the facts from the relevant governing body of the sport before posting or presenting news articles,” the SLAA secretary concluded.

St. Lucia’s Julian Alfred can now call herself the inaugural Caribbean Games Women’s 100m Champion after winning the event at the Stade du Gosier in Guadeloupe on Friday.

Alfred ran 11.34 in the preliminaries before returning to run 11.07 to comfortably win the final ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s Akilah Lewis (11.55) and Leah Bertrand (11.57).

Alfred goes into the World Championships in Eugene later this month on the back of some excellent form. The Texas standout ran a personal best and national record 10.81, the fourth fastest time on the world this year, at the Big 12 Championships on May 14.

She then went on run 11.02 to win the 100m at the NCAA Championships on June 11.

Meanwhile, Trinidad & Tobago’s Kion Benjamin ran 10.36 to win the Men’s equivalent ahead of Franquelo Perez Occena of the Dominican Republic (10.55) and Antigua’s Darrion Skerritt (10.72).

Jamaica’s Anthony Cox, who was named in their World Championships squad on Friday as well, ran 46.15 to lead all qualifiers into the Men’s 400m final while the Dominican Republic’s Fiordaliza Cofil Fernandez (51.11) led all qualifiers in the Women’s equivalent.

Elsewhere, Puerto Rico’s Paola Fernandez Sola won the Women’s long jump with a 6.15m effort ahead of Cuba’s Yani Carrion Cremdelly (5.81m) and Guyana’s Chantoba Bright (5.85m).

Antigua’s Sheldon Noble jumped 7.31m to win the Men’s equivalent ahead of the Cayman Islands’ Louis Gordon (7.23m) and Grenada’s Nishon Pierre (6.91m).

St. Lucian Texas Sophomore, Julien Alfred, delivered on the promise she’s shown all season to win the Women’s 100m on Saturday’s final day of the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Alfred, who ran 10.90 to win her semi-final on Thursday, sped to 11.02 to finish ahead of Jamaican Oregon senior Kemba Nelson who ran the same time, and Kentucky’s Abby Steiner (11.08).

Jamaican record holder Lamara Distin of Texas A&M produced a clearance of 1.95m to win the high jump over Abigail Kwarteng of Middle Tennessee State (1.94m) and South Carolina’s Rachel Glenn (1.86m).

Jamaican Texas A&M Sophomore and former Hydel standout Charokee Young ran 50.65 for second in the 400m behind Florida’s Talitha Diggs who ran a personal best 49.99 for victory. Texas’ Kennedy Simon was third in 50.69.