St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred, the reigning 100m Olympic champion, continues her stellar performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning her heat in the semifinals of the Women’s 200m. Alfred clocked an impressive time of 21.98 seconds, securing her place in the final with the second fastest overall time. With USA’s Gabrielle Thomas clocking the fastest time, winning her heat in 21.86 seconds.

Meanwhile, in heat two, Jamaica's Niesha Burgher finished seventh in 22.64 seconds and received a penalty for a first-lane infringement. Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands finished eighth heat one, clocking 22.70 seconds. In heat three, Jamaica's Lanae-Tava Thomas finished seventh in 22.77 seconds.

Despite their incredible efforts, Burgher, Hodge, and Thomas did not make it to the finals ranking 12th,17th,18th respectively.

The women's 200m final is scheduled for August 6, with Julien Alfred representing the Caribbean and looking to add another Olympic medal to her haul. Fans and supporters eagerly await what promises to be an exciting race.

In a turn of events that has left Jamaican athletics fans reeling, two-time world 200m champion Shericka Jackson is a late withdrawal from the 200m at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This news comes on the heels of another significant setback for Jamaica, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrawing from the 100m semi-finals just the day before.

Jackson, who sustained an injury while running the 200m at the Gyulai István Memorial in Hungary on July 9, had been hoping to recover in time to compete in Paris. She withdrew from the 100m event 48 hours before its start on Friday, focusing her efforts on being fit for her favoured event, the 200m. However, hopes were dashed on Sunday when it was announced that Jackson would not be competing in the 200m.

This withdrawal is a significant blow to Jamaica's medal prospects at the Paris Games. With both Jackson and Fraser-Pryce out of contention, Jamaica failed to secure a medal in the women’s 100m for the first time in over 30 years. The last time Jamaica did not medal in 100m at the Olympics was in Seoul in 1988.

The absence of Jackson leaves a heavy burden on the shoulders of Niesha Burgher and Lanae-Tava Thomas to deliver for Jamaica in the 200m.

Shericka Jackson successfully defended her national 200m on the final day of the Jamaica National Championships in Kingston on Sunday but it did not come easy.

Jackson, who defended her 100m title on Friday night running a season-best 10.84, held off a strong challenge from Lanae-Tava Thomas and Niesha Burgher both of whom booked their tickets to their first-ever Olympic Games in Paris this summer.

Jackson, the fastest woman alive at 21.41, produced a winning time of 22.29 just ahead of Thomas who clocked 22.34 and Burgher 22.39.

The men race was an equally thrilling affair in which 2023 champion Andrew Hudson was dethroned by rising star Bryan Levell.

Hudson and Levell both exploded from the blocks and came off the curve together battling down the straight towards the line. With a few metres to go, Levell edged ahead to win in a lifetime best of 19.97 with Hudson a close second in 20.02. Both will make their way to France this summer.

Javari Thomas was third but his time of 20.32 is outside the Olympic qualifying standard.

Two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and two-time World 200m champion Shericka Jackson officially got their bids to make it to the Paris Olympics underway by getting through to the semi-finals of the Women’s 100m on day one of the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Thursday.

Fraser-Pryce, in her second race of the season, eased to a season’s best time of 10.98 to advance to Friday’s semi-finals as the fastest qualifier.

Tia Clayton ran a personal best 11.02 to also advance from Fraser-Pryce’s heat while Ashanti Moore ran 11.24 in third to also advance.

Jackson also looked in cruise control, jogging to a season’s best 10.99 to win her heat. Jodean Williams came agonizingly close to dipping below the 11-second barrier for the first time with a personal best 11.01 in second while Alana Reid also advanced with 11.20 in third. Niesha Burgher's 11.32 was also enough to take her through.

The third heat produced five semi-finalists with Natasha Morrison (11.12), Kemba Nelson (11.16), Shockoria Wallace (11.24), Briana Williams (11.25) and Lanae-Tava Thomas (11.27) all getting through to the semis.

Shashalee Forbes (11.03), Krystal Sloley (11.12), Tina Clayton (11.13) and Jonielle Smith (11.23) advanced to the semi-finals from heat four.

The semi-finals and final are scheduled for Friday.

USC Junior Travis Williams equaled his personal best to win the men’s 60m at the Arkansas Qualifier in Fayetteville on Friday.

Williams won the event in 6.59, a meet record, ahead of Grenadian 2021 World U-20 Championships 100m finalist and Ohio State Junior Nazzio John (6.68) and UTEP’s Xavier Butler (6.74).

Williams, who previously represented the University of Albany, was a silver medallist in the 100m at last year’s NACAC U-23 Championships in Costa Rica.

The men’s 60m open saw a Caribbean 1-2-3 through Barbados’ Mario Burke (6.56), BVI’s Rikkoi Brathwaite (6.67) and Jamaica’s Christopher Grant (6.74).

The open women’s 60m saw 2023 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion and World Championship finalist Ackera Nugent run 7.30 for second behind American Jada Baylark (7.22). Kristina Knott of the Philippines was third in 7.35.

Grenadian Arizona State Senior Gamali Felix ran a season’s best 45.90 to win the men’s 400m ahead of Arkansas’ Steven McElroy (46.09) and USC’s Johnnie Blockburger (46.20).

The women’s 200m saw Jamaican UTEP Sophomore Niesha Burgher run 23.09 for second behind USC’s Madison Whyte 23.01. Whyte’s USC teammate Jassani Carter was third in 23.19.

In the field, seven-time Jamaican national champion Kimberly Williams produced 13.83m to win the women's triple jump ahead of ULM's Eunice Ilunga Mbuyi (13.13m) and Oregon's Ryann Potter (12.84m).

The men's equivalent was won by Bermuda's Jah-Nhai Perinchief with 16.36m. Bahamian Kaiwan Culmer was second with 16.26m while Jamaican Arkansas Junior Apalos Edwards was third with 15.86m.

Bahamian Laquan Nairn jumped 7.64m for second in the men's long jump behind South Plains Freshman Andrew Stone (7.70m). Oklahoma Senior Anthony Riley was third with 7.57m.