Grenada’s javelin bronze medallist Anderson Peters and Jamaica’s 100m hurdles bronze medallist Rasheed Broadbell continued their rich vein of form from the Paris Olympic Games as they secured victories on what was a fairly decent outing for Caribbean athletes at the Wanda Diamond League Meet in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Thursday.

Peters launched the instrument to a new meet record of 90.61m to better the previous best of 90.16m set by Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott in 2015. The Grenadian stalwart won ahead of India’s Neeraj Chopra (89.49 m), with Germany’s Julian Weber (87.08m) in third.

On the track, Broadbell again demonstrated his class to win the 110m hurdles in 13.10s, upstaging American World and Olympic champion Grant Holloway (13.14s), while compatriot Hansle Parchment (13.23s) closed well for third.

Puerto Rico’s Olympic bronze medallist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (12.35s) was also in winning form in the women's 100m hurdles, as Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent produced a credible performance on her Diamond League debut for third. Nugent, who failed to finish at the Paris Olympic Games after hitting an obstacle, clocked 12.38s, the same as second-placed American Grace Stark.

Reigning World champion Danielle Williams (12.53s) was fifth.

Puerto Rico's Jasmine Camacho-Quinn won the women's 100m hurdles.

Jamaica’s trio of Rushell Clayton (53.32s), Janieve Russell (54.38s), and Andrenette Knight (54.93s) were second, third, and fourth, respectively, in the women’s 400m hurdles won by Dutchwoman Femke Bol in a new meet record of 52.25s. She lowered her previous best of 52.76s set last year.

Another Jamaican, Tia Clayton (11.10s), placed fifth in the women’s 100m, won by Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith in a season’s best 10.88s. American Tamari Davis (10.97s) and Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji (11.06s) were second and third.

Meanwhile, Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando (19.94s) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards (21.10s), both season’s best times, were fourth and fifth in the men’s 200m. The event was won by Botswana’s Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo in 19.64s, ahead of the American duo of Erriyon Knighton (19.78s) and Fred Kerley (19.86s).

In the women’s 800m, St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Shafiqua Maloney (1:59.28) and Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin (1:59.68), were sixth and eighth, respectively, as Kenya’s Olympic bronze medallist Mary Moraa (1:57.91) finished tops. Great Britain’s Georgia Bell (1:58.53) and Jemma Reekie (1:58.73) were second and third, respectively.

Jamaicans Rushell Clayton and Janieve Russell were second and third in the women's 400m hurdles.

Elsewhere in the field, Olympic silver medallist Wayne Pinnock secured Jamaica’s best finish in the long jump as he cut the sand at 8.01m, again finishing behind Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou (8.06m) of Greece, while Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer (7.99m) was third.

The other Jamaican competitors, Tajay Gayle (7.92m) and Carey McLeod (7.82 m), were fourth and seventh, respectively.

Danniel Thomas-Dodd’s struggles continued as she placed fifth in the women’s shot with a best heave of 18.78m. The event was won by American Chase Jackson, who achieved a season’s best mark of 20.64s to top Germany’s Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye (19.55m) and Canada’s Sarah Mitton (19.52m).

Jamaica’s Lamara Distin only managed to clear 1.88m for seventh in the women’s high jump, which was won by Urkaine’s Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh at a height of 1.99m. Australia’s Olympic bronze and silver medallists, Eleanor Patterson (1.96m) and Nicola Olyslagers (1.92m), were second and third, respectively.

Jamaican 400m hurdles champion Rushell Clayton has revealed the deep disappointment she felt after failing to secure a medal at the Paris Olympics, despite entering the Games as one of the favorites. Clayton, a two-time World Championship bronze medalist, had been in stellar form leading up to the event, clocking a lifetime best of 52.51 at the Jamaica National Championships in June. However, in the final in Paris, despite running her second-best time of the season—52.68—she finished fifth in a race dominated by American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who shattered her own world record with a time of 50.37.

The final was filled with incredible performances, as McLaughlin-Levrone's teammate Anna Cockrell ran a massive personal best of 51.87 to claim the silver medal. Meanwhile, the Netherlands' Femke Bol, who had been expected to challenge for the gold, finished third in 52.15, leaving Clayton just outside the medal positions.

Mere days following the race, Clayton took to Instagram to share her emotions, revealing that she shed tears of disappointment after coming up short in her quest for an Olympic medal. "It would be a lie to say that I am not sad walking away from the Olympic Games without a medal. (Mi bawl fi couple days)," Clayton admitted, expressing the depth of her feelings after the race.

Despite the disappointment, Clayton expressed gratitude for her performance and the journey she has been on this season. "I’m extremely grateful and thankful that I was able to run three solid races which is inclusive of my second and third fastest times ever. I ran that final with pure confidence and a big heart yet I fell short," she said.

Clayton reflected on how this year has been the best of her career, even as she dealt with the heartbreak of missing out on an Olympic podium finish. "It’s kinda crazy because I’ve been having the best year of my career," she wrote. "It was my utmost pleasure representing team Jamaica on the biggest stage ever."

However, she remains optimistic and determined to push forward, noting that with the hurt will also come happiness, and that she will continue to trust in the journey ahead. "If the hurt comes, so will happiness. I will forever exercise patience knowing that the Lord has my back always," she declared.

As she looks ahead to the rest of the season, Clayton expressed her appreciation for the support she has received from her fans and vowed to keep striving towards her goals. "Shout out to all y’all who sent me encouragement and love, it was felt and appreciated. I still got a hella races before the season ends and crazy goals to achieve. See you in a few days."

Clayton is now set to compete at the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne on August 22, where she will look to continue her impressive season and potentially add another highlight to what has already been a remarkable year.

The 2024 Diamond League resumes with the meeting in Lausanne on August 22 that is set to be a thrilling showcase of elite track and field talent, with three standout Jamaican athletes headlining the event. Two-time world champion and Olympic semi-finalist Danielle Williams, Olympic silver medalist Wayne Pinnock, and Olympic finalist and two-time World Championship bronze medalist Rushell Clayton are all confirmed to compete, bringing their world-class abilities to one of the most prestigious stages in athletics.

In the women’s 100m hurdles, Danielle Williams will face a formidable field that promises to deliver one of the most exciting races of the meet. Williams, who captured the world title in Budapest last year, will go up against Puerto Rican Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the reigning Olympic champion from Tokyo 2021, and France’s Cyréna Samba-Mayela, who claimed silver in the 100m hurdles at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Swiss star Ditaji Kambundji will also be in the mix, adding local flavor to a race that features some of the world’s best.

The men’s long jump is another event that will be packed with talent, as Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock takes on a star-studded field. Pinnock, fresh off his silver-medal performance at the Paris Olympics, will be looking to challenge the likes of Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou, the double Olympic champion and current world leader in the event. Also in the competition are Italy’s Mattia Furlani and Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer, who placed third and fourth respectively in Paris, setting the stage for a highly competitive showdown.

Rushell Clayton, another Jamaican star, will compete in the women’s 400m hurdles, an event where she has consistently proven her mettle. As a finalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics and a two-time World Championship bronze medalist, Clayton will be aiming to continue her strong season in Lausanne against some of the best in the world.

The Lausanne Diamond League meeting will also feature a host of other top international athletes. British sprinters Daryll Neita and Dina Asher-Smith, along with Ivorian speedster Marie-Josée Ta Lou, will battle it out in the women’s 100m. In the shot put, reigning Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye of Germany and New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche, the Olympic silver medalist, will go head-to-head. The men’s javelin will see Grenada’s Anderson Peters, and Norway’s Narve Nordas will be a key contender in the 1500m.

By her own very high standards, double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah has not quite achieved the soaring heights of the Tokyo Games this season but insists she is still finding her way around a new system.

On the back of a season where she claimed the sprint double at the Olympics, and went on to register the second fastest time ever recorded for a woman over 100m, Thompson-Herah was in the news again following the announcement to split from longtime coach Stephen Francis.

If the majority of the athlete’s times and performances are anything to judge by that decision, an alliance with husband Derron Herah is yet to bear fruit.

“My expectations coming off last year were high and I was looking forward to this year.  Right now, the way I want my story to be written is not the way I want it to go but whatever God has in store he will put it together at the right time,” Thompson-Herah told members of the media ahead of Friday’s Diamond League meet.

“I’m just staying patient and I’ll keep working.  I always wanted to get my first World title but I’m still working towards that, I want that to be a part of my tally to be a defending World champ.  I was really grateful and excited to achieve my first 100m medal, a bronze…the 200m was not the best but I’ve moved past that,” she added.

“I think I’m having a good season so far.  The fact that I’m adjusting to a new system, new coach, and everything.  I’m still learning.”

After missing out on the World Championship titles Thompson-Herah went on to win the sprint double at the Commonwealth Games.