Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles and his Jamaican girlfriend, quarter-miler Junelle Bromfield, are officially engaged, marking a significant moment in their relationship. Lyles recently shared a heartwarming video on Instagram, where he proposed to Bromfield in a beautifully orchestrated setting that has since drawn congratulations from track and field stars worldwide.

In the video, Lyles, with in a giant heart made of rose petals with the words "Will You Marry Me?" displayed, asked Bromfield for her hand in marriage. Bromfield, wearing a shimmering silver gown, accepted the proposal, showing off a stunning engagement ring as Lyles knelt before her. The post was captioned with a touching message from Lyles: "To My Future Wife, I Will Love You Forever."

The couple, who have been together for several years, have endured challenges, including recent cyber-bullying directed at Bromfield after Lyles revealed that she sometimes shares insights into Jamaican track and field training groups. Despite the adversity, their bond has only grown stronger, and the engagement is a testament to their resilience and love for one another.

Lyles’ Instagram post quickly garnered congratulatory messages from several global track and field stars, including Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain, Jamaica’s Charokee Young, French hurdles star Cyrena Samba-Mayela, and Alyshia Miller-Powell, wife of former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell. Olympic gold medalist Alexis Holmes, retired sprint hurdlers Jasmine Stowers and Dawn Harper-Nelson, Jamaican Olympian Shashalee Forbes, and fellow Olympian Andrenette Knight were also among the many who sent their best wishes.

Notably, Jamaican Olympian and Member of Parliament Juliet Cuthbert Flynn was also among the well-wishers, celebrating the couple’s joyful moment.

With the support of the global athletics community behind them, Lyles and Bromfield now look forward to their future together as they prepare to embark on the next chapter of their lives.

 Jamaican Olympian Junelle Bromfield has bravely spoken out about the online abuse she has been enduring, largely stemming from her relationship with American sprinter and Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles.

The couple, who have been together for several years, have faced scrutiny, particularly from some Jamaicans, after Lyles mentioned in a podcast interview that Bromfield occasionally shares updates with him about developments involving her fellow Jamaican athletes.

The revelation sparked a wave of cyberbullying directed at Bromfield, leading her to address the issue publicly on Instagram. In a powerful post, Bromfield shared the painful experiences she has faced, both growing up and in recent weeks.

"I grew up hearing black is not beautiful, your hair is dry, your mouth is too big, your forehead too high, and when you throw all those insults behind you and start walking with confidence, the best compliment you get is 'you're pretty for a black girl,'" Bromfield wrote.

"I honestly thought we were past colorism in Jamaica, especially as a nation that is filled with black people. I have been getting cyberbullied for weeks, and when it gets talked about, I’m a liar because no Jamaican was coming for my features."

Bromfield continued by offering a message of encouragement to others who may be facing similar challenges. "I could go off ranting, but I’m just here to tell all the girls/women on my profile that you’re beautiful no matter your shade, shape, or size, and for the little black girls, don’t wait on anybody to tell you that you’re beautiful to believe it."

Lyles, who has been vocal in his support for Bromfield, took to Instagram to defend his girlfriend and highlight her strength and resilience. "I just want to say how incredibly proud I am of my GF and give her the flowers she deserves now ?," Lyles wrote in a heartfelt post. "She has been through so much in her life that I could never imagine fighting through."

Lyles, 27, expressed his admiration for how Bromfield has handled the negativity directed at her, particularly from people in her own country. "Beyond that, she is a survivor, 2x Olympian, Olympic medalist, multi-world championship medalist, and has been representing Jamaica on the world stage since she was 8 years old," he noted.

He also condemned the vitriol Bromfield has faced, adding, "This woman has been attacked by people who have never met her, heard her name before, never seen her smile, or heard what she believes in. But she keeps moving forward knowing that God will always make a way. That’s why God keeps blessing her!"

The Caribbean will have two chances at a medal in the women’s 400m final at the Paris Olympic Games, as Domincan Republic’s Marileidy Paulino and Barbadian Sade Williams progressed from their respective semi-finals at the Stade de France on Wednesday.

While their progressions were anticipated, Jamaica’s world leader, Nickisha Pryce, who enjoyed a rich vein of form throughout the season, was a big surprise casualty as she had her worst performance this year in semi-final two. Pryce went out hard but faded into fourth in 50.77s, behind Paulino (49.21s), who won comfortably ahead of American Alexis Holmes (50.00s).

Despite placing third in semi-final three, Sade Williams’ 49.89s was good enough for one of the two non-automatic qualifying spots to the final. Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek (49.45s) won the race ahead of Great Britain’s Amber Anning (49.47s).

Jamaica’s Stacey-Ann Williams (50.79s) and Cuba’s Roxana Gomez (50.48s) were seventh and fifth in that semi-final, respectively, and both failed to progress.

Earlier, Jamaican Junelle Bromfield (51.93s) and Puerto Rico’s Gabby Scott (51.22s) were eighth and seventh in semi-final one, as they too missed out. The qualifying spots from that race went to Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser (49.08s), Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke (49.95s), and Norway’s Henriette Jaeger (50.17s).

The final is scheduled for Friday, August 9.

The Caribbean contingent made a powerful statement in the 400m preliminary rounds at the Paris Olympic Games on Monday, with several athletes advancing to the semi-finals. Leading the charge were Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce, Stacey-Ann Williams, and Junelle Bromfield, joined by Barbados’ Sada Williams and the Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino.

 Pryce, Jamaica’s national record holder and the fastest woman in the world this year over the distance with a time of 48.57, displayed her class by cruising to victory in the second of six heats. Pryce clocked a comfortable 50.02, ensuring her place in the semi-finals without expending unnecessary energy.

Her compatriot, Stacey-Ann Williams, also delivered a strong performance, securing second place in the opening heat with a season’s best time of 50.16. Williams finished behind the 2019 world champion Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain, who posted a swift 49.91, signaling her intent to reclaim her dominance in the event.

Bromfield rounded out the Jamaican qualifiers with a solid third-place finish in the final heat, crossing the line in 51.36. This heat was dominated by Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke, who looked impressive with a winning time of 50.09, while the USA’s Alexis Holmes followed closely in 50.35.

Barbados’ Sada Williams, a two-time world championship bronze medalist, continued to impress with a third-place finish in Heat 4, clocking 50.45. Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek, the European champion, won the heat with a sharp 49.98, indicating that she will be a formidable competitor in the semi-finals.

Paulino of the Dominican Republic, the reigning world champion, demonstrated why she is a favorite for gold by easily winning her heat. Paulino clocked a blistering 49.42, the fastest time in the qualifying rounds, with Cuba’s Roxana Gomez finishing second in 50.38.

In other heats, Great Britain’s Amber Anning, a fellow Razorback of Pryce, won Heat 3 with a time of 49.98, narrowly edging out Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver, who finished in 49.96.

However, not all Caribbean athletes had a smooth path to the semi-finals. Aliyah Abrams of Guyana will have to navigate the repechage round to secure her spot, adding an element of uncertainty to her Olympic journey.

Jamaica’s quartet had to settle for fifth in the 4x400m Mixed Relay final as the Netherlands, anchored by 400m hurdles stalwart Femke Bol, upstaged United States at the Stade de France on Saturday.

With the Jamaican team of Raheem Hayles, Junelle Bromfield, Zandrion Barnes, and Stephanie Ann McPherson never really in it from the start, Bol, who got the baton in fourth position, bided her time before exploding in the stretch to sweep past American anchor Kaylyn Brown.

The Dutch team, which also included Eugene Omalla, Lieke Klaver, and Isaya Klein, won in an Area Record of 3:07.43, just outside the American’s World Record of 3:07.41. The Americans were second in 3:07.74, with Great Britain third in a National Record 3:08.01.

Jamaica initially crossed the line sixth in 3:11.67, but were later upgraded to fifth after the disqualification of the French team.

Jamaica was the only Caribbean team to secure a lane in the final of the 4x400m Mixed Relay as they were dragged in qualifying by United States, which registered the first World Record of the Paris Olympic Games at the Stade de France on Friday.

Running from lane six in heat one, the Americans—Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon, and Kaylyn Brown—left the field in their wake to stop the clock in 3:07.41, bettering their own previous mark of 3:08.80 set at last year’s World Championships in Budapest. Poland’s Olympic Record of 3:09.87 set in Tokyo, was also erased.

France (3:10.60) and Belgium (3:10.74) were second and third with national record times, while Jamaica’s quartet of Raheem Hayles, Junelle Bromfield, Zandrion Barnes, and Stephanie-Ann McPherson also clocked a national record of 3:11.66 for fourth. They progressed as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers, along with Poland (3:11.43).

Bahamas struggled throughout and ended at the back of the pack in 3:14.58. The same is true about Dominican Republic (3:18.89) in heat two.

That heat was won by Great Britain in a national record 3:10.61, ahead of Netherlands (3:10.81) and Italy (3:11.59).

Last Sunday at the Jamaica National Championships, Stacey-Ann Williams secured her spot as the runner-up in the 400m, earning her place on the Jamaican Olympic team for the first time as an individual competitor. After missing out for three consecutive years, Williams expressed immense joy and relief at finally achieving this milestone.

Reflecting on her journey, Williams shared, "This is my first individual Olympic team. I’ve been in fourth position for like three years. Last year I had an injury, so I’m happy and excited." Her perseverance and dedication have paid off, and she is now set to represent Jamaica on the grand stage of the Paris Olympics.

Williams clocked a season-best time of 50.56 seconds at the championships, inching closer to breaking the coveted 50-second barrier. She remains optimistic about her chances, stating, "I feel like it’s 100 percent possible. The aim was to make top three and, honestly, once it was top three that’s all that matters, for now." With her sights set on further improvement, Williams is determined to get even faster in time for Paris.

In addition to her individual ambitions, Williams is excited about Jamaica’s prospects in the 4x400m relay. She believes that the team, comprising herself, national champion Nickisha Pryce (50.01), and third-place finisher Junelle Bromfield (51.24), has a bright future ahead. "The future is very bright for the quarter-milers, finally. I am excited to be on the 4x400m with these ladies. It’s just exciting overall," she shared enthusiastically.

When asked about the possibility of winning medals in both her individual event and the relay, Williams responded, "I am, but I feel like for the 4x400m, we don’t know what colour yet. I think we will have to wait until Paris to know what colour it is." Her confidence in the relay team's potential is palpable, and she remains hopeful that they will be among the medals in Paris this summer.

Nickisha Pryce ran away with her second national 400m title on the final day of the Jamaica National Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday.

Pryce, who set a new national record of 48.89 at the NCAA National Division One Championships in Eugene, Oregon in early June booked her ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games winning in 50.01.

Stacey-Ann Williams ran 50.56 for second place with Junelle Bromfield finishing third in 51.24.

Day three of the Jamaica National Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday saw some thrilling performances, headlined by Carey McLeod's victory in the men's long jump and Nickisha Pryce's impressive run in the 400m semi-finals.

McLeod clinched the men's long jump title with a leap of 8.38m but the highlight of the event was Shawn-D Thompson's dramatic qualification for the Paris Olympic Games. Thompson, who previously had a personal best of 8.13m from 2019 and a season’s best of 7.93m, saved his best for last. He produced a massive 8.30m effort in the final round, securing second place and a spot on the Olympic team.

Thompson's jump initially seemed to be a foul, but after review, it was deemed valid. His final leap pushed national record holder and two-time World Championships medallist Tajay Gayle out of contention. Wayne Pinnock finished third with an 8.27m effort.

Nickisha Pryce, competing in Jamaica for the first time since setting a national record at the NCAA Championships, dominated the women’s 400m semi-finals. Pryce clocked 49.63 seconds, the fastest time heading into Sunday's final. Pryce, who also set the NCAA record with 48.89 seconds, was the only Jamaican to run under 50.00 seconds on Saturday.

Barbados' Sada Williams posted a season’s best of 49.80 seconds, while Junelle Bromfield achieved a lifetime best of 50.74 seconds, meeting the Olympic qualifying standard. Stacey-Ann Williams ran 50.93 seconds, with veteran Stephenie-Ann McPherson recording her fastest time in two years at 51.10 seconds. Ashley Williams (51.16s), Charokee Young (51.58s), and Shaquena Foote (51.62s) also made it to the final.

The men's 110m hurdles final on Sunday promises a thrilling showdown, with the last two Olympic champions, Hansle Parchment and Omar McLeod, and Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Broadbell, all qualifying from Saturday’s semi-finals. The trio will compete for the three spots on the Jamaican team for the Olympic Games in August.

The women’s 100m hurdles semi-finals saw World Champion Danielle Williams and Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper advancing to Sunday's final. Ackera Nugent led the qualifiers with a season’s best of 12.46 seconds followed by Williams at 12.57 seconds and Tapper, running with a sore hamstring at 12.71 seconds.

Oneka Wilson of Clemson University clocked a personal best of 12.76 seconds, a similar time as Demisha Roswell, while 2019 World Championships finalist Janeek Brown (12.83s) and Amoi Brown (12.86s) also advanced.

Notably, national record holder and World Championships silver medallist Britany Anderson, running in Jamaica for the first time since 2022, failed to get past the semi-finals.

The action-packed day set the stage for an exciting final day of competition on Sunday, with several athletes looking to secure their places for the Paris Olympic Games.

Reigning World Championships triple gold medalist Noah Lyles expressed his admiration for Jamaica and its vibrant track and field culture during a press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus on Friday. Lyles, who will be competing at the Racers Grand Prix at Kingston's National Stadium on Saturday night, shared how he is treated like a rock star in Jamaica and the influence his Jamaican girlfriend, Junelle Bromfield, has had on him.

Lyles, who donned a full Jamaican-inspired Adidas kit at the press conference, highlighted the stark contrast between the reception he receives in Jamaica compared to the United States.

 "Yeah, I'd say especially in the US, you have to pick and choose your places where you're going to run at. You know, if you go to Eugene, Oregon, of course, they're going to turn out a good crowd for Prefontaine and for US championships, but they're mostly a distance-involved love. Of course, they love all the events, but really distance.

"I'll go to New York, but all the other cities, it's like, 'Ah, you might get something good, you might not'. It's a coin flip, unless it's the Olympics. When you go to Jamaica, I tell everybody you're treated like a freaking rock star. It's nothing that you're gonna get anywhere else.

"Like all of a sudden, people know who you are and they're giving favours for you and they act like you're freaking Will Smith or something. I'm like, goodness gracious. Me and Junelle were here last year in October, late October, and we were just here for three days, and I went to the hotel and once they figured out who I was, and it was like, 'Oh, no, no, you can't stay in that room, you gotta stay in this room.' I'm just like, 'it's just three days.'

 "It's like, 'no, no, no, no, you gotta stay here. You gotta stay here.' I'm just like, oh, wow. I'm not used to that treatment."

 Lyles also spoke about the significant influence of his girlfriend, Junelle Bromfield, on his style and connection to Jamaica. Bromfield, herself a notable athlete, encouraged Lyles to embrace the local culture through his attire.

 "So, you know, my girlfriend, Junelle Bromfield, she saw that the kit on the Adidas website probably about two, three weeks ago, and she was like, 'Oh, we all gotta get the kit. Cause, you know, she's gonna be here and my pops is probably gonna come down with her during Olympic trials just to have somebody close by. And she was like, 'We all gotta have our kits.' And she's like, 'Well, we should go down in matching gear, so I got mine.

 "She doesn't like the media, so she's not here, so you can't see her physically, but she also has hers."

 Lyles' presence at the Racers Grand Prix is highly anticipated, with fans eager to see him perform in the Jamaican capital. His enthusiasm and respect for Jamaican culture, coupled with his stellar track record, make him a standout figure in the athletics world. On Saturday night, he will line up in a quality field of sprinters that will include Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala, Great Britain's Zharnel Hughes and Jamaica's Oblique Seville, who will be making his 100m debut.

 As Lyles prepares to take the track at Kingston's National Stadium, his embrace of Jamaican culture and his charismatic personality continue to endear him to fans both locally and internationally. The Racers Grand Prix promises to be an exciting event, with Lyles undoubtedly adding to the thrill and spectacle of the night.

There was no fortune for Caribbean countries at the backend of Saturday’s first day of the World Athletics Relays, as the various teams failed to progress in the men’s and women’s 4x400m events at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas.

In the female qualifiers, Jamaica’s quartet of Charokee Young, Ashley Williams, Junelle Bromfield, and Roneisha McGregor placed third in heat three in 3:29.03, behind Poland and France, who clocked 3:27.11 and 3:28.06.

Earlier, Cuba (3:31.56) and Dominican Republic (3:40.93) placed third and seventh, respectively, in heat two.

Ireland headlined the team’s that progressed, as they clocked a National Record 3:24.38 in qualifying. United States (3:24.76), Great Britain (3:24.89), Italy (3:26.28), Norway (3:26.89), Poland (3:27.11), and Canada (3:27.17), also booked their spots in the final, as well as for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, it was more of the same on the male side of action, as Trinidad and Tobago’s quartet of Asa Guevara, Timothy Frederick, Shakeem McKay, and Jereem Richards, clocking 3:04.15 for third in heat one, where Japan (3:00.98) and Germany (3:01.25) secured the coveted spots.

United States initially won the heat, but they were later disqualified for an infringement.

Jamaica’s Malik James-King, Zandrion Barnes, Assinie Wilson, and Demish Gaye, clocked 3:02.46 for third, behind Belgium (3:00.09) and Nigeria (3:01.70). Guyana (3:09.91) was eighth in that heat.

The Bahamas (3:07.45) placed sixth in heat three, which was won by Italy (3:01.68), ahead of the fast-finishing Great Britain (3:02.10).

In the last heat, Barbados (3:03.72) and Dominican Republic (3:08.15), placed third and sixth, respectively, as Botswana (2:59.73) and South Africa (2:59.76) took the top spots.

Despite missing out on this occasion, the teams will have another shot at Olympic qualification in Round 2 action on Sunday.

Rising sprint sensations Ackeem Blake and Alana Reid have been included in a 31-member squad named by the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA) to represent the island at the World Athletics Relays, scheduled for May 4 and 5 in Bahamas.

Jamaica’s athletes are expected to contest the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays, as well as the Mixed 4x400m relay, at the two-day spectacle which will take place at the refurbished Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

Blake and Reid have been listed among the respective 4x100m relay pools, which also includes Kemba Nelson, Natasha Morrison, and reigning University champion Kadrian Goldson.

World Indoor bronze medallist Rusheen McDonald, World and Olympic relay medallist Janieve Russell, and World 400m hurdles finalist Roshawn Clarke, headline the pool for the 4x400m and Mixed 4x400m relays respectively.

Full team: Female 4x100m –Kemba Nelson, Alana Reid, Jodean Williams, Remona Burchell, Mickaell Moodie, Natasha Morrison, Yanique Dayle

4x400m & Mixed Relay –Stacey Ann Williams, Charokee Young, Leah Anderson, Ashley Williams, Junelle Bromfield, Janieve Russell, Tovea Jenkins, Roniesha Mcgregor

Male 4x100m –Ryiem Forde, Nigel Ellis, Bryan Levell, Kadrian Goldson, Odaine Mcpherson, Ackeem Blake, Javorne Dunkley

4x400m & Mixed Relay –Malik James-King, Rusheen Mcdonald, Zandrion Barnes, Roshawn Clarke, Demish Gaye, Anthony Cox, Karyme Bartley, Assinie Wilson, Sean Bailey

Management Team –Dennis May (Team Leader), Trevor Campbell (Team Official), Jennifer Brown (Team Official), Maurice Wilson (Technical Director), Paul Francis (Coach), Reynaldo Walcott (Coach), Mark Elliott (Coach), Yanique Weekes (Doctor), Garfield Simmonds (Medical)

In a breathtaking and ground-breaking performance Thea LaFond won gold in the women’s triple jump at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Dominican stunned her rivals and herself when she uncorked a remarkable world-leading 15.01m to win and become the first woman from the Caribbean to achieve that distance indoors and the first from Dominica to win a global gold medal.

LaFond, who achieved a lifetime best of 14.90m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last year to finish fifth, uncorked her historic performance on her second attempt in Glasgow stunning the audience and her rivals. She stared at the mark in disbelief before shedding tears of joy in front of her husband and coach Aaron Gadson.

With the gold medal all but secured, LaFond passed on her remaining jumps but watched as Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez provided a scare when she unleashed a jump of 14.90m to claim the silver medal. The Cuban had a big jump on her final attempt but it was deemed a foul, which sent LaFond skipping away joyfully at winning her first-ever global championship.

Spain’s Ana Peleteiro-Compaore' won the bronze medal with her effort of 14.75m

Earlier, world-record holder Devynne Charlton easily advanced to the semi-final round of the 60m hurdles. The Bahamian barely broke a sweat in winning the third of the six heats in 7.93. Her compatriot Charisma Taylor also advanced one of the six fastest losers. Taylor was fourth her heat in 8.05.

Megan Tapper from Jamaica was an automatic qualifier after she was third in her heat in 8.05.

Jamaica ran well to advance to the final of the 4x00m relay. The quartet of Junelle Bromfield, Andrenette Knight, Charokee Young and Leah Anderson ran a season-best 3:27.35 to finish second, an automatic qualifying spot in the second of two heats that was won by Great Britain who ran a national record of 3:26.40.

Gold medal favourites, the Netherlands (3:27.70) and the USA (3:28.04) are also through to the final.

Ackeem Blake and Sashalee Forbes will lead Jamaica's contingent to the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. Jamaica will compete in the 60m, 60m hurdles, 400m, 4x400m relay, 800m, long jump, triple jump and shot put at the championships set to run from March 1-3.

Blake, the second fastest Jamaican ever,  will be Jamaica's sole competitor in the Men's 60m while Forbes and Briana Williams will contest the 60m dash.

Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper is the lone female in the 60m hurdles. Tyler Mason and Damion Thomas will go in the men's event. Giano Thomas is named as the reserve.

Meanwhile, Stacey-Ann Williams and Charokee Young will take on the world's best in the Women's 400m. Rusheen McDonald will run the two-lapper for the men.

Williams and Young are also named among the relay squad that includes Junelle Bromfield, Stephenie-Ann McPherson, Andrenette Knight, Leah Anderson and Lanae-Tava Thomas.

In the field, Carey McLeod and Tajay Gayle have been selected to contest the long jump competition with Kimberly Williams will take on the triple jump.

Daniniel Thomas-Dodd and Rajindra Campbell will throw the shot put.

Former JAAA president Dr Warren Blake is the team manager with Maurice Wilson being the Technical Director.

Wilson will have on his coaching staff Reynaldo Walcott, Paul Francis, Orville Byfield and Mark Elliott.

Rushell Clayton’s good run of form continued on Tuesday when she won the 400m hurdles at the Palio Città della Quercia, Stadio Quercia in Rovereto, Italy.