Kimar Farquharson, Navasky Anderson and Tarees Rhoden completed a Jamaican 1-2-3 in the men’s 800m on day two of the 2024 Tom Jones Memorial at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida on Saturday.

Farquharson, a junior at Texas A&M, ran 1:46.69 to take top spot. Anderson, Jamaica’s national record holder, ran 1:46.76 in second and Rhoden, a senior at Clemson University, ran 1:46.82 in third.

Vincentian star Shafiqua Maloney finished on top in the women’s equivalent in 1:59.97 ahead of Clemson’s Gladys Chepngetich (2:00.53) and Houston’s Kelly-Ann Beckford (2:00.70).

Jamaica’s Stacey Ann Williams was second in the women’s 400m invite in 50.71. The event was won by American Alexis Holmes in 50.65 with Britton Wilson running 50.74 for third.

Jamaican Clemson junior Marie Forbes threw a personal best 58.31m for second in the women’s discus invite behind Florida’s Alida Van Daalen (62.58m). Ohio State’s Faith Bender was third with 56.91m.

Jamaica’s national 800m record holder, Navasky Anderson, will open his 2024 season at the 2024 Penn Relays set for April 25-27 at Franklyn Field.

Anderson, a bronze medallist at the 2023 Pan Am Games in Chile, will compete in the Olympic Development 800m at the meet.

“May the divine presence guide, protect, and empower me on this profound journey, enabling me to accomplish remarkable feats and inspire greatness,” he said in a statement on Instagram on Thursday announcing his participation.

Anderson’s personal best 1:44.70, which he did to qualify for last year’s World Championships in Budapest, makes him the third fastest man scheduled to line up in the field with only Kenyan Festus Lagat (1:44.31) and Great Britain’s Kyle Langford (1:44.49) going faster.

The field is completed by Kenyan Noah Kibet, Americans Vincent Crisp, Luciano Fiore, Sam Ellis, Japan’s Sho Kawamoto and Spain’s Mario Garcia Romo.

 

Jamaica’s national 800m record holder, Navasky Anderson, can now also call himself a university graduate after graduating from the Mississippi State University with a Master's Degree on Friday.

Anderson, who became the first and only Jamaican man to go sub 1:45.00 when he ran 1:44.70 at the DC Track Championships in July, began his collegiate career at the Essex Community College in 2019 before transferring to Mississippi State in 2020.

“My time at Mississippi State University has been nothing short of transformative, thanks to the exceptional support from both the athletics and academia staff,” Anderson said in an Instagram post on Friday.

“Juggling the demands of coursework and the rigor of track and field requires a delicate balance, and it’s collaboration between the athletic and academic realms that allowed me to thrive,” he added.

During his time at MSU, Anderson claimed 800m silver at the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships and represented Jamaica for the first time, with his best result being a bronze medal at this year’s Pan American Games in Chile in November.

The 23-year-old former St. Jago student also donned the Jamaican colors at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships in Eugene and Budapest, respectively, as well as the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where he placed fifth in the final.

“As I stand here today, wearing the cap and gown that symbolizes the culmination of years of hard work, I extend my deepest gratitude to Mississippi State University Athletics and the academic faculty. Their unwavering support and commitment to my holistic development have been the driving force behind this significant achievement,” Anderson said.

Jamaica’s Navasky Anderson copped his first senior medal for the country with bronze in the men’s 800m at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile on Saturday.

The 23-year-old, who represented Jamaica at the World Championships in Budapest where he was disqualified in the heats, produced 1:46.40 for third in Saturday’s final behind Mexico’s Jesus Lopez (1:46.04) and Venezuela’s Jose Antonio Maita (1:45.69).

Anderson broke his own Jamaican national record earlier this season when he ran 1:44.70 at the DC Track Championships on July 30 to achieve the World Championship qualifying standard.

Navasky Anderson failed to advance from the heats of the Men’s 800m on day four of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Tuesday.

Anderson, who ran a national record 1:44.70 in July to qualify for the championships, was only able to produce 1:45.81 for fifth in heat two.

After seven heats, Anderson’s time was just .05 slower than the final non-automatic qualifying time.

The 23-year-old also failed to advance from the heats at last year’s edition in Eugene.

In a breathtaking display of determination and skill, Navasky Anderson etched his name in the history books as he set a new national record and met the World Athletics Championships qualifying standard for the 800m event on deadline day, Sunday.

With mere hours remaining to secure a spot on Jamaica's team for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest next month, Anderson rose to the occasion and delivered a historic run at the DC Track Championships, held at the Thomas O. Berg Track in Washington DC.

Just a week after running a commendable season's best of 1:45.70 at the Under Armour Sunset Tour meeting in Los Angeles, Anderson shaved off a full second from his time. Crossing the finish line in a remarkable 1:44.70, he not only shattered his own national record of 1:45.02 set during the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships on June 10, 2022, but he also became the first Jamaican man to break the 1:45.00 barrier for the 800m.

The DC Track Championships proved to be a thrilling contest, with Anderson finishing second in the race behind Edose Ibadin, who clocked an impressive 1:44.65. Despite the intense competition, Anderson's remarkable performance secured him a coveted spot on Jamaica's team to Budapest.

Throughout the race, Anderson showcased his speed and endurance, running the first 400m in 50.43 before closing the final lap in 54.27.

The performance was the result of his unwavering dedication and perseverance which allowed him to overcome the challenges of battling through injuries for much of the season.

Just a week prior to this outstanding achievement, Anderson had expressed his struggles with injuries during the past collegiate season, which affected his performance at the NCAA Division Championships. However, his faith and determination never wavered, and he continued to work tirelessly towards his goals.

“All glory to God, 1:45.70,” he posted after his season best last week.

“I would be lying if I didn’t say it’s been a rough season, tempted with injuries I felt like I was just failing at everything but through it all I survived and still had faith.”

That faith paid off on Sunday.

 

Jamaican 800m national record holder, Navasky Anderson, expressed gratitude after running a season’s best 1:45.70, the second fastest time of his career, to finish second at the Under Armour Sunset Tour in Los Angeles on Saturday.

American Isaiah Harris took the win with 1:44.85 while John Rivera was third in 1:45.80.

The 23-year-old has had what he described as a “rough” 2023 season following up from an outstanding breakthrough year in 2022.

Prior to Saturday’s race, only his fifth race of the season, the Mississippi State Junior had a season’s best of 1:47.67 which he did to finish as runner-up at the National Championships earlier in July.

“I would be lying if I didn’t say it’s been a rough season, tempted with injuries, moments I felt like everything was going wrong, times when I felt like I was just failing everything but, through it all, I survived and I still had faith,” Anderson said in a post in Instagram after the race.

Anderson had an excellent season in 2022. The high point came at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June where the former St. Jago man ran a personal best and national record 1:45.02 to finish second.

He went on to claim his first maiden Jamaican title later that month before competing at both the World Championships in Eugene and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. He reached the final in Birmingham, running 1:48.75 for fifth.

Although he won’t be at this year’s World Championships in Budapest having failed to achieve the 1:44.70 qualifying standard, Anderson believes that he will be able to get back to his 2022 self in the future.

“It’s not going to be easy, it’s going to be a challenge but those bad moments can be channeled into great performances. I’m still learning and stepping out into a new world…the world of elites and I’m ready to take on the world and do what I was born to do,” he said.

 

 

 

Terrence Jones and Kion Benjamin both booked their spots in the semi-finals of the Men’s 100m at the 2023 NCAA Championships scheduled for June 7-10 at the Mike A. Myers Stadium in Texas.

The pair advanced from the quarterfinals held on day three of the NCAA West Regionals in Sacramento on Friday.

Jones, the Bahamian Texas Tech junior, produced a time of 9.93, just .2 seconds slower than his personal best and national record-equaling 9.91 done earlier this season, to advance to the semis second-fastest from the West region. The 20-year-old also ran 20.21 to advance in the 200m.

Benjamin, the Trinidadian Minnesota Junior and reigning Big 10 100m champion, set a new personal best of 10.11 to advance. His countryman and Minnesota teammate, Carlon Hosten, ran 20.49 to advance in the 200m.

In the 400m, St. Lucian Kansas Junior Michael Joseph, advanced with 45.23

Jamaican Arkansas Junior Phillip Lemonious ran 13.45 to progress in the 110m hurdles. Joining him in Texas will be Bahamian Texas Tech freshman Antoine Andrews (13.74).

In the field, world leader and world junior record holder, Jaydon Hibbert, produced 16.81m to advance in the triple jump alongside teammates and countrymen Ryan Brown (16.25m) and Carey McLeod (15.88m).

Hibbert, still only 18, famously jumped an absurd 17.87m at the SEC Outdoor Championships on May 13, setting a new world lead, collegiate record and world under-20 record in the process.

Roje Stona (65.54m) and Ralford Mullings (61.74m), both of Arkansas, advanced in the discus. Stona also threw 19.89m to advance in the shot put.

On Wednesday, the Arkansas pair of Wayne Pinnock and Carey McLeod jumped 8.05m and 7.80m, respectively, to advance in the long jump. The Jamaican pair were the top two finishers at the SEC Outdoor Championships.

Meanwhile on the women’s side, their countrywoman, Texas sophomore Ackelia Smith, jumped 6.69m to lead all qualifiers. Nebraska’s Velecia Williams (6.37m) also advanced.

Smith is fresh off a personal best 7.08m, the furthest legal jump in the world this year, to win at the Big 12 Championships earlier in May.

At the Eastern Regionals in Jacksonville, Florida’s Jevaughn Powell (46.68), and North Carolina A&T’s Shemar Chambers (46.89) both made it through in the 400m.

In the sprint hurdles, Caymanian Tennessee senior Rasheem Brown ran 13.45 to advance alongside Jamaican Syracuse junior Jaheem Hayles (13.67).

Defending Jamaican national champion Navasky Anderson of Mississippi State (1:49.43) and Tarees Rhoden of Clemson (1:49.70) both made it through in the 800m.

Jamaicans Tarees Rhoden and Navasky Anderson will both contest the finals of the Men’s 800m after advancing from their respective heats at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday.

Rhoden, a junior at Clemson University who set a national indoor record 1:46.61 earlier this season, ran 1:47.84 to finish third in heat three and advance while Mississippi State senior Anderson, the defending Jamaican national champion, ran 1:49.67 to finish second in heat two and progress.

In the 400m, St. Lucian Kansas junior Michael Joseph ran 45.81 to finish second in heat one and make it through to Saturday’s final.

Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper, 2015 World champion Danielle Williams and 2022 World Indoor silver medallist Devynne Charlton all advanced to the final of the Women’s 100m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Friday.

Jamaica’s Tapper and The Bahamas’ Charlton ran times of 12.68 and 12.70, respectively, to finish first and second in heat two and advance.

Williams advances after finishing second in heat one in 12.80 behind England’s Cindy Sember (12.67).

World Champion and world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria qualified for the final fastest with a time of 12.40 to win heat three.

Jamaica also qualified for the final of the Men’s 4x400m relay after a second-place finish in heat one.

The quartet of Karayme Bartley, Anthony Cox, Navasky Anderson and Javon Francis combined to run 3:05.20 to finish behind Botswana (3:05.11).

Trinidad & Tobago (3:07.12) and Barbados (3:07.23) finished third and fourth in heat two and also booked spots in the final.

In the field, Jamaica’s Ackelia Smith (6.35m) and Trinidad & Tobago’s Tyra Gittens (6.28m) both advanced to the final of the Women’s long jump.

Jevaughn Powell and Candice McLeod were crowned 400m champions on Sunday’s last day of the 2022 Jamaican National Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Running in rainy conditions, Powell, a finalist at the NCAA Championships earlier in June, produced a late burst in the final 50 metres of the race to produce 45.50 to win ahead of Nathon Allen (45.64) and Anthony Cox (45.65).

McLeod, a finalist at the Tokyo Olympics last year, produced a strong season’s best of 50.29 to win ahead of Stephenie Ann McPherson (50.49) and Charokee Young (50.76).

There was an upset in the Women’s 800m as eight-time national champion Natoya Goule ran 2:00.83 for second behind Chrisann Gordon-Powell (2:00.35). Adelle Tracey ran 2:01.18 for third.

National record holder and NCAA Championships silver medallist Navasky Anderson ran 1:48.53 to win his first national title ahead of Kimar Farquharson (1:49.36) and Tarees Rhoden (1:49.89).

Newly minted Jamaica 800m record holder Navasky Anderson says he is feeling fresh and confident as he prepares to bow into battle against the best of his compatriots at the Jamaica National Senior Championships set to get underway at the National Stadium in Kingston Thursday afternoon.

Mississippi State’s Jamaican Junior Navasky Anderson finished second in the Men’s 800m at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene on Friday and made history in the process.

The former St Jago man broke Seymour Newman’s 45-year-old national record of 1:45.21 with a 1:45.02 effort to finish second behind Texas Tech’s Moad Zahavi who ran 1:44.49 for victory. Texas A&M’s Brandon Miller finished just behind Anderson in third with 1:45.09.

Anderson also achieved the World Championship qualifying standard of 1:45.20 with his performance.

In an interview with Sportsmax.TV after achieving a then-personal best 1:45.89 last month, Anderson spoke about putting Jamaican 800m running on the map and, one day, breaking Newman’s national record which was set in 1977 in Helsinki.

“My job here is just now getting started,” he said.

“My goal is not only to be the best 800m runner from Jamaica but also to bring the awareness and the spotlight to the younger generation letting them know that we can be dominant in the 800m as well,” Anderson added.

The former Essex Community College man can now say he's achieved one of those goals.

Tennessee freshman Wayne Pinnock added to his trophy cabinet by securing the Men’s long jump title as the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships got underway on Wednesday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

The former Kingston College standout jumped out to 8.00m to secure victory ahead of Florida State’s Jeremiah Davis, who also achieved 8.00m, a new personal best, while his Florida State teammate Isaac Grimes was third in 7.97.

Pinnock has now completed the NCAA double having won the indoor title in Alabama, in March, with a 7.92m effort.

The Caribbean will be well represented in the final of the Men’s 400m through Barbadian Olympian and Texas athlete Jonathan Jones and Jamaican UTEP and former Edwin Allen and Kingston College quarter miler Jevaughn Powell.

Jones ran a comfortable 44.97 to win his semi-final while Powell advanced after finishing third in his semi-final with 45.47.

Jamaican Mississippi State junior Navasky Anderson will contest the Men’s 800m final after running 1:45.94 to win his semi-final.

Barbadian New Mexico senior Rivaldo Leacock advanced in the Men’s 400m hurdles with a 49.86 clocking.

Jamaicans Jaheem Hayles of Syracuse and Lafranz Campbell of Clemson both advanced in the Men’s sprint hurdles with times of 13.44 and 13.48, respectively.

Trinidadian Olympian Eric Harrison of Ohio State ran 20.18 to win his 200m semi-final.

The Men’s finals will take place on Friday, June 10th while the Women’s section gets underway on Thursday, with the finals coming on Saturday.

 

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