Tuesday was an excellent day for the women of the MVP Track Club at the Meeting Brazzale at the Guido Perraro School Field in Vincenza.

The day started with Tina Clayton (11.47), Tia Clayton (11.52), Serena Cole (11.58) and Krystal Sloley (11.71) all advancing to the 100m final.

The final saw Tia run a personal best-equaling meet record of 11.23. Sloley also ran a personal best 11.27 for second while Tina, a two-time World Under-20 champion, ran 11.32 for third. Cole was fourth in 11.47.

Edwin Allen standout sprinter Serena Cole has signed a professional contract with Nike, well-placed sources have confirmed to Sportsmax.TV.  According to other sources, she will train under the guidance of world-renowned coach Stephen Francis at the MVP Track Club in Kingston.

A talented long jumper, Cole, who turns 19 in June, is the latest Jamaican female sprinter to join the professional ranks straight out of high school following on the heels of World U20 100m champion Tina Clayton, her twin sister Tia and Kerrica Hill, the World U20 100m hurdles champion.

Several calls to Edwin Allen Head Coach Michael Dyke and a call to MVP President Bruce James went unanswered on Thursday.

The two-time World U20 champion was a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m team that set three World U20 records in the Women U20 4x100m relay. She was the lead-off runner when the team ran 42.94 at the World U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya in 2021.

Cole was also the lead-off runner in April 2022 on a team that also included the Clayton twins and Brianna Lyston that established a new record of 42.58 at the 49^th edition of the Carifta Games in Kingston, Jamaica. Unfortunately, that record was not ratified by World Athletics because one member of the team, Tina Clayton, was not drug tested.

However, at the World U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia in August last year, Cole, the Claytons, and Kerrica Hill ran 42.59, which was later ratified as the new world record.

With personal best in the 100m of 11.13, Cole was heading towards an epic showdown with Hydel High School’s Alana Reid at the 2023 ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships in March but suffered a hamstring injury while cruising to victory in her semi-final heat in 11.17.

Reid won would go to win the final in a new ‘Champs’ record of 10.92, becoming the first Jamaican high school girl to break the 11-second barrier. Reid is reportedly matriculating to the University of Oregon in the fall.

Cole is currently with the Edwin Allen team at the Penn Relays in the United States.

Kingston College’s Bouwahjghie Nkrumie and Hydel High School’s Alana Reid established new records and created history in the 100m finals that concluded Wednesday’s second day of the 2023 ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Both athletes delivered massive firsts for Jamaican junior athletes winning in 9.99 and 10.92, respectively, national junior records.

Nkrumie, 19, whose 10.02 at the World U20 Championships in Colombia last year, was a national junior record, lowered his own mark to 9.99 to win the Class 1 Boys 100m final. Nkrumie gave fair warning in the semi-finals when he eased to 10.08 to break Zharnel Hughes’ record of 10.12 set in 2014.

In the final, he left it all on the track becoming the first male athlete to break 10 seconds at the 113-year-old championships and only the third junior in history to break 10 seconds. Only the USA’s Trayvon Brommel and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo have run the 100m under 10 seconds as juniors.

The KC star dragged Herbert Morrison’s Deandre Daley to a personal best 10.14 for the silver medal while Jaiden Reid of Jamaica College was third in 10.26.

Reid became the first female to break 11 seconds at the championships, shattering Veronica Campbell’s record of 11.12 set back in 2001.

It was supposed to be a clash between Reid from Hydel and Serena Cole of Edwin Allen and things were shaping up for a monumental battle between the two who split two races this season. The appetite of the fans gathered at the national stadium was whetted in anticipation of a battle royal in the final when Reid cruised to a personal best 11.16 to win her heat.

The gauntlet thrown down, Cole responded with a seemingly effortless 11.17 but her grimace as she crossed the finish line in her semi-final was ominous.

The news that eventually surfaced confirmed the fear. Cole was out with a hamstring injury but that didn’t faze Reid, who destroyed the field that included World U20 100m hurdles silver medalist Alexis James.

She stormed across the line to break Tina Clayton’s national junior record set in August 2022, less than a year ago at the World U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia. The time that makes her the 11^th fastest Jamaican woman in history is also a world-leading time.

James of Petersfield High was a distant second in 11.45 while Tonie-Ann Forbes of Edwin Allen High was third in 11.47.

The Class II finals were not as spectacular but were nonetheless impressive as Calabar High School’s Shaquane Gordon won in 10.40 barely holding off Tremaine Todd of St Elizabeth Technical who was a close second in 10.42.

Dontae Watson of Jamaica College ran 10.72 for third.

Meanwhile, Abigaile Wolfe of Holy Childhood High ran a personal best 11.59 for the gold medal. Shemonique Hazle of Hydel won the silver medal clocking 11.65 with Lavanya Williams of William Knibb breathing down her neck in 11.66.

Kingston College’s Joshua Spence took the Class III Boys crown in 10.92 ahead of Jamaica College’s  Malique Spence 11.01 and Shaun Lewis of St Elizabeth Technical 11.07.

Among the girls, Theianna-Lee Terrelonge of Edwin Allen successfully defended her title winning in a smart 11.49. The 2022 Carifta Games silver medallist held off a fast-closing Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls, who ran 11.59.

St Jago High School’s Poshanna-Lee Blake was third in 11.89.

Immaculate High School enjoyed a 1-2 finish in the Class IV 100m finals with Kayla Johnson clocking 11.97 to win gold ahead of her teammate Naje Brown 12.20.

Gabrielle Morgan of Hydel ram 12.24 for the bronze medal.

At the end of proceedings on Wednesday,  Jamaica College leads the boys standings with 74 points with defending champions Kingston College 13 points behind on 61. Calabar lie third with 29 points, one more than St Jago and two clear of St Elizabeth Technical.

Among the girls, defending champions Edwin Allen lead with 55 points with St Jago not far behind on 47 points.

Holmwood Technical are third with 41 points while Hydel are fourth with 39.

Immaculate High’s 23 points see them lie fifth on the standings.

Class One 100m favorites Bouwahjgie Nkrumie of Kingston College and Serena Cole of Edwin Allen both safely advanced from the preliminaries as the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships got underway at the National Stadium in Kingston on Tuesday.

Nkrumie, the national junior record holder and World Under-20 silver medallist, got left in the blocks but recovered well to win his heat in 10.51 ahead of St. Jago’s Tajai Duffus (10.88) and St. Catherine high’s Sajay Campbell (10.91) who both also advanced to the semis.

JC’s Caymanian junior record holder Jaiden Reid, who ran a new personal best 10.25 earlier this season, also secured a spot in the semis with 10.52 to advance second fastest overall.

The third fastest to advance was Camperdown’s Junior Harris who looked impressive for his 10.56 in the preliminary round.

Herbert Morrison’s De Andre Daley (10.65), STETHS’s Javorn Dunkley (10.59), JC’s Hector Benjamin (10.67), Manchester’s Javoon Blair (10.93) and Steer Town Academy’s Tay-Shawn Barnes (10.60) were the other heat winners.

The Class Two qualifiers were led by KC’s Nicardo Clarke (10.95), Herbert Morrison’s Class Three champion from last year Tavaine Stewart (11.00) and Muschett’s Johan-Ramaldo Smythe (11.02).

Pre-meet favorite Tramaine Todd of STETHS ran 11.09 to win his heat and safely advance while Calabar’s Shaquane Gordon is also through after an 11.10 clocking in his heat. Other heat winners included Calabar’s Khamani Gordon (11.34), St. Jago’s Detarje Morgan (11.11) and JC’s Dontae Watson (11.34),

In Class Three, JC’s Malique Dennis looked impressive running 11.06 to advance fastest ahead of STETHS’s Rodeeki Walters (11.54) and KC’s Jonathan Clarke (11.55). Other heat winners included STETHS’s Shaun Lewis (11.56), Cornwall College’s Thomas Daley (11.71), St. Jago’s Rayj Reece (11.64), Calabar’s Byron Walker (11.82) and St. Jago’s Kevon McKenzie (11.93).

On the Girls side, medal favourites Serena Cole, Alana Reid and Alexis James are all safely through to the semi-finals after convincing heat wins.

Edwin Allen’s Cole, the 2022 World Under-20 100m silver medallist, ran 11.57 to advance fastest ahead of Petersfield’s James, and Hydel’s Reid who ran 11.74 and 11.81 to win their respective heats. Other heat winners included Edwin Allen’s Tonie-Ann Forbes (11.80) and St. Catherine high’s Kamaria Knight (11.89). James and Reid also got medals at the World Under-20 Championships last year. James was runner-up in the 100m hurdles while Reid won bronze in the 200m.

Hydel’s Shemonique Hazle advanced fastest in Class Two with 12.17 ahead of St. Catherine’s Kaycian Johnson (12.19) and Edwin Allen’s Doniella Lewis (12.20). Other heat winners included 2021 Class Three double sprint champion Lavanya Williams of William Knibb (12.30), Bridgeport’s Brittney McCormack (12.24), Holmwood’s Akhalia Collins (12.24), Edwin Allen’s Renecia Edwards (12.26) and holy Childhood’s Abigail Wolfe (12.26).

Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge qualified fastest in Class Three with 12.10 ahead of St. Jago’s Poshanna-Lee Blake (12.47) and Vere Technical’s Tiana Oliver (12.53). Other heat winners included Natrece East of Wolmer’s (12.53), Excelsior’s Tashika Thompson (13.03), Immaculate Conception’s Kedoya Lindo (12.76), St. Jago’s Adora Campbell (12.69) and Excelsior’s Paris Pomings (12.67).

Class Four qualifiers were led by Maria Baker of Holmwood Technical (12.47), Giana Murray of Mount Alvernia High (12.62) and Naje’ Brown of Immaculate (12.65).

Moving on to the 400m, the JC pair of Malique Smith Band and Mark Anthony Miller led all qualifiers to the semi-finals for Class One Boys with times of 48.34 and 48.40, respectively.

Edwin Allen’s 2022 World Under-20 finalist Delano Kennedy also easily made it through to the semis with a 48.61 effort, closely followed by the KC pair Emmanuel Rwotomiya (48.89) and Amal Glasgow (49.13) as well as Jasauna Dennis of STETHS (49.31).

In Class Two, Daniel Francis of Alphansus Davis High was the fastest through to the semi-finals with 49.84. JC’s Tyler Ferguson and Holmwood Technical’s Omarie Williamson were the only others to dip below 50 seconds in the heats with 49.87 and 49.92, respectively.

Other qualifiers to semis included KC’s Tahj-Marques White (50.04) who won silver in the same event last year and Calabar’s Nickecoy Bramwell (50.46), who won silver in the 100m and gold in the 200m in Class Three at last year’s championships.

The Class Three qualifiers were led by KC’s Jordan Rehedul (51.63), Maggotty High’s Akeem Honeyghan (51.70) and Ferncourt’s Jevari McKoy (51.84). The Calabar pair of Christopher Ellis (52.56) and Malik Gayle (53.32) also made it through.

On the girls’ side, 2022 Class Three champion Sabrina Dockery of Lacovia ran 55.29 to advance fastest in the Class Two 400m. Holmwood Technical’s Rosalee Gallimore (55.70) and Hydel’s Jody-Ann Daley (55.71) made up the rest of the top three through to the semis.

In Class Three, Hydel’s Nastassia Fletcher (56.29), Excelsior’s Breana Brown (56.84) and Muschett’s Shanoya Douglas (56.90) led the qualifiers to the semis.

The Class One girls will only run semi-finals and finals.

Edwin Allen’s Tonyan Beckford (57.90), Hydel’s Onieka McAnnuff (58.24) and Holmwood’s Annalice Brady (59.50) were the fastest qualifiers into the final of the Girls Open 400m hurdles.

The Class Two qualifiers were led by JC’s Deandre Gayle (53.13), Calabar’s Requel Reid (53.21) and KC’s Taj-Oneil Gordon (54.49) while Class One was led by Edwin Allen’s Tyrece Hyman (51.26), STETHS’s Shamer Blake (51.63) and KC’s Antonio Forbes (52.80).

KC’s Ethan Gioko and Ainsley Campbell led the qualifiers for the final of the Class One 1500m. JC will also have two in the final as Kemarrio Bygrave and Nellie Amberton also made it through. Campbell and Amberton also qualified for the final of the 2000m steeplechase later in the day.

KC also had the top two qualifiers in Class Two through their Kenyan duo Nahashon Ruto and Brian Kiprop while Class Three was led by Edwin Allen’s Moses Johnson and Calabar’s Carlos Brison-Caines.

Alphansus Davis’ Alikay Reynolds and Edwin Allen’s Kevongaye Fowler led the qualifiers for Class Three girls. The Class Two and One races will be straight finals.

In the field, JC’s Uroy Ryan led all qualifiers to the final of the Class One long jump with a 7.35m effort in his first round.

The qualifiers for the Class Two final were led by JC’s Michael-Andre Edwards with 7.13m.

Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, Jaydon Hibbert and Serena Cole headline the squad selected to represent Jamaica at the 50^th edition of the CARIFTA Games scheduled for April 8-10 in Nassau, Bahamas.

Nkrumie will compete in the 100m after winning the event in 10.19 at Jamaica’s CARIFTA Trials held at the National Stadium earlier this month.

The 19-year-old ran a national junior record 10.02 for 100m silver at the World Under-20 Championships in Cali last year, a race won in a world junior record 9.91 by Botswanan sensation Letsile Tebogo.

Hibbert, an 18-year-old freshman at Arkansas University, won the NCAA Indoor triple jump title in Albuquerque in March with a magnificent 17.54m, a World Junior Record. He also won gold at the World U-20 Championships last year in a meet record 17.27m.

Cole will compete in both the long jump and the 100m in Nassau. She won the 100m at the CARIFTA Trials in an impressive 11.18 and was third in the long jump with 5.84m. She was also a silver medallist at the World U-20 Championships last year, running 11.14 to finish behind countrywoman Tina Clayton.

The full team is as follows:

Female U-17: Natrece East, Tiana Marshall, Shanoya Douglas, Rosalee Gallimore, Kevongaye Fowler, Kededra Coombs, Bryana Davidson, Camoy Binger, Rhianna Lewis, Sashana Johnson, Shanniqua Williams, Asia Mckay, Sabrina Atkinson, Dionjah Shaw, Shemonique Hazle, Breana Brown, Alikay Reynolds, Abigail Campbell.

Female U20: Serena Cole, Alana Reid, Carleta Bernard, Rickiann Russell, Kacian Powell, Kishay Rowe, Rickeisha Simms, Jody-Ann Mitchell, Kaydeen Johnson, Habiba Harris, Alexis James, Tonyan Beckford, Alliah Baker, Jade-Ann Dawkins, Deijanae Bruce, Cedricka Williams, Abigail Martin, Britannia Johnson, Britannie Johnson.

Male U-17: Tramaine Todd, Khamani Gordon, Donte Mendez, Dontae Watson, Kenrick Sharpe, Nickecoy Bramwell, Rasheed Pryce, Joel Morgan, Delano Todd, Tyrone Lawson, Kahiem Carby, Shakir Lewis, DeAndre Gayle, Demarco Bennett, Euan Young, Courtney Kinglock, Michael Neil, Joseph Salmon, Javontae Smith, Ronaldo Anderson.

Male U-20: Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, De Andre Daley, Malique Smith Band, Javorne Dunkley, Delano Kennedy, Jasauna Dennis, Kemarrio Bygrave, Ainsley Brown, Ainsley Campbell, Shaquane Gordon, Demario Prince, Roshawn Clarke, Antonio Forbes, Royan Walters, Brandon Pottinger, Chavez Penn, Jaydon Hibbert, Kobe Lawrence, Shaiquan Dunn, Tyreese Ebanks.

Management team: Chef De Mission: Maulton Campbell, Manager: Richard Thompson, Assistant Manager: Richard Thompson, Assistant Manager: Desrine Anderson, Technical Leader: David Riley, Doctor: Dr. Jason Dawson, Coach: Keilando Gobourn, Coach: Dave Anderson, Coach: Demar Gayle, Coach: Richard Smith, Coach: Kamille Ellis, Coach: Jeremy Deslliser, Massage Therapist: Orville Crawford.

National junior record holder Bouwahjgie Nkrumie ran an easy 10.19 to lead all qualifiers to the final of the Boy’s Under-20 100m on Friday’s day one of the 2023 Carifta Trials at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Kingston College’s Nkrumie, who ran 10.02 to win silver at the 2022 World Under-20 Championships behind Botswanan World junior record holder Letsile Tebogo, easily won the fourth heat ahead of Camperdown’s Jason Lewis who ran 10.57 to also qualify for the final.

Jamaica College’s Hector Benjamin advanced second fastest with a personal best 10.31 to win heat two ahead of defending champion DeAndre Daley of Herbert Morrison who also advanced with 10.56.

Daley’s day was almost disastrous as he was left in the blocks at the start of the heat but, thankfully, recovered to seal his spot in the final.

Manchester High’s Javoon Blair qualified third fastest with a 10.43 effort to win heat one ahead of Steer Town Academy’s Omarion Barrett (10.49).

Also advancing to Saturday’s final were Kingston College’s Yourie Lawrence-Clarke (10.55) and Steer Town Academy’s Tay-Shawn Barnes (10.56).

The qualifiers for the Under-17 final were led by STETHS’ Tramaine Todd, Calabar’s Khamani Gordon and Jamaica College’s Dontae Watson.

Todd looked extremely impressive, producing 10.59 to win his heat while Gordon and Watson produced times of 10.68 and 10.72 to win their respective heats and advance.

Joining them in the final will be Jamaica College’s Nathaniel Martin (10.69), St. Jago High’s Detarje Morgan (10.72), Herbert Morrison’s Tavaine Stewart (10.82), Calabar’s Jamal Stephenson (10.89) and Kingston College’s Kyle Bodden (10.95).

World Under-20 silver medallist Serena Cole of Edwin Allen led all qualifiers to the final of the girls Under-20 equivalent.

Cole ran a comfortable 11.22 to easily win her heat ahead of St. Catherine High’s Kaycian Johnson who also qualified with 11.91.

Petersfield’s Alexis James also looked in good form, running 11.24 to win her heat ahead of MVP’s Tia Clayton (11.53), Edwin Allen’s Tonie-Ann Forbes (11.59) and William Knibb’s Lavanya Williams (11.61). Clayton, Forbes and Williams all advanced to the final alongside James.

Hydel’s Alana Reid, World Under-20 bronze medallist, won her heat in 11.55 to advance while Wolmers’ Mickayla Gardener (11.65) finished second and made it through.

Natrece East of Wolmers ran 11.70 to lead all qualifiers to the Under-17 final. She will be joined in the final by the Hydel pair Shemonique Hazle (11.80) and Camoy Binger (12.00), Wolmers’ Tiana Marshall (11.77), Immaculate Conception’s Shevi-Anne Shim (11.94), St. Jago’s Adora Campbell (12.02), Excelsior’s Janiela Williams (11.95) and St Mary High’s Shagay Sheppy (12.02).

Eliud Kipchoge’s 2:01:09 marathon world record, along with world U20 records set last year by 100m sprinter Letsile Tebogo and Jamaica’s 4x100m team, have been ratified.

At the World U20 Championships in Cali, the Jamaican quartet of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Kerrica Hill and Tia Clayton teamed up to take the title in 42.59, taking 0.35 off the previous record that the same team had achieved on 22 August 2021 at the previous World U20 Championships in Nairobi.

A similar quartet – but with Brianna Lyston on third leg instead of Hill – had clocked a marginally quicker 42.58 at the Carifta Games earlier in 2022, but it could not be ratified as a record.

Double Olympic champion Kipchoge won the Berlin Marathon last year, taking 30 seconds off the marathon world record he had set in the same city on 16 September 2018.

The 38-year-old Kenyan went out hard, passing through 5km in 14:14 and 10km in 28:22 – not just comfortably inside world record pace, but also well inside a projected two-hour finish. He maintained that pace through half way, which was reached in 59:50 – identical to his half-way split when he produced a sub-two-hour run in an unofficial orchestrated race in Vienna three years ago. His pace started to drop slightly from then on, but he was still comfortably inside world record pace.

Ethiopia’s Andamlak Belihu had been level with Kipchoge up until that point, but the Kenyan superstar then gradually pulled clear and was out on his own. He passed through 30km in 1:25:40, then reached 35km in 1:40:10. By the time he passed through 40km in 1:54:53, his lead had grown to move than four minutes.

Kipchoge went on to cross the line in 2:01:09, making this the eighth consecutive men’s marathon world record to be set in Berlin.

"I am overjoyed to have broken the world record," said Kipchoge. "I wanted to run the first half so fast. After 38km I knew I would be capable of breaking the world record. The circumstances were great, and so was the organisation.”

Botswana’s Tebogo successfully defended his 100m title at the World Athletics U20 Championships Cali 22. He had broken the championship record in his heat with 10.00, then won his semifinal in 10.14 before going on to dominate the final in 9.91 (0.8m/s).

His winning time took 0.03 off the world U20 record he had set in Eugene on 15 July in the heats of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22.

“When the gun went off, I had to make sure I made the best start of my life – and it was the best start of my life,” said Tebogo. “As soon as I took my first step, I knew the title was mine. I didn’t worry about the time. I didn’t look.”

World Athletics U-20 Championships 100m silver medalist Serena Cole admits she still prefers the long jump event despite an outstanding performance in the final on Wednesday.

A fast-finishing Cole powered home to come in behind compatriot and high school teammate Tia Clayton, who stopped the clock in a championship record of 10.95.  Cole finished a respectable 11.14 for second spot.

The athlete is, however, also a strong competitor in the long jump event and in fact, claimed the title at the Caribbean’s Carifta Games earlier this year.  Despite not competing in the event at the U-20 World Championships due to a scheduling conflict, she has no intention of giving it up.

“It (Long Jump) was going to be right in the time of the 100m so my coach said I shouldn’t do it this year,” Cole explained.

“Last year I was supposed to be in the 100m but had some difficulties in my season, so I didn’t get a chance but I came out and did my best this year and I am so proud of my performance,” she added.

Heading back to high school in September, however, the athlete will return to her preferred long jump event with a view to balancing it with the sprints.

“Right now, my pet event is the long jump.  I really prefer the long jump to the 100m.  Going back to training, I know coach Jeremy will have a lot of programs for me to do with the long jump and the same with coach Dyke.  So, I just have to put everything into the programs and train really hard.”

Cole has a personal best of 6.36m in the long jump.

Tina Clayton set a new championship record on the way to defending her 10m title and winning Jamaica's first gold medal at the 2022 World U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia on Wednesday.

Clayton ran a lifetime best and new national U20 record of 10.95 to claim gold ahead of teammate and schoolmate Serena Cole who clocked 11.14 for the silver medal. American Shanti Jackson ran a personal best 11.15 for the bronze medal.

Clayton won her first U20 title in Nairobi, Kenya in 2019.

Earlier, Brian Level advanced to the finals of the men’s 200m. Level won his heat in a new lifetime best of 20.34.

In the final, he will face the 100m champion Letsile Tebogo of Namibia, who set a WorldU20 record of 9.91 in the final of the 100m on Wednesday. Jamaica’s Bouwahgjie Nkrumie ran a new national U20 record of 10.02 for the silver medal.

Jamaica has won five medals so far at these championships.

There was a surprise winner in the 110m hurdles with Bahamas’ Antoine Andrews taking the gold in a World U20 leading 13.23.

He capitalized massively after gold medal favourite Matthew Sophia crashed into the final hurdle and stumbled across the line in third in 13.34, having to take solace in the fact that he set a national U20 record.

The USA’s Malik Mixon clocked a personal best of 13.27 for the silver medal.

Jamaican national junior 100m champion Tina Clayton showed fine form to advance to the semi-finals of the Women’s 100m at the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia on Tuesday.

Clayton, who ran 11.09 to win the World Junior title in Nairobi last year, cruised to 11.38 to win the first heat. The Edwin Allen High standout sped to a personal best and national junior record 10.96 to win the Jamaican junior title in June.

Lirangi Tejada of the Dominican Republic finished fourth in heat one in 11.66 to advance as a fastest loser.

Joining her in the semis will be high school teammate Serena Cole, who was equally impressive in heat two, running 11.38 for victory. 

Barbados’ Kishawna Miles ran 11.58 for third in heat three to advance.

In the 400m, Jamaica’s Dejanea Oakley won heat four in 53.70 to advance. Her teammate Rickiann Russell ran 54.63 to finish fifth in heat five and advance as a non-automatic qualifier.

Javonya Valcourt of the Bahamas also advanced as a non-automatic qualifier after finishing fifth in heat three in 55.31.

On the Men’s side, Jamaica’s Delano Kennedy and Shaemar Uter both safely got through to the semi-finals. Kennedy ran a personal best 46.24 for third in heat two while Uter finished second in heat three in 46.66.

Moving to the 400m hurdles, Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands was the second fastest qualifier to the semi-finals after running 58.33 to win the third heat. Jamaica’s Oneika McAnuff will also be in the semi-finals after a third-place finish in heat five in 59.45.

In the field, Jamaica’s Brandon Pottinger cleared 2.08m to advance to the final of the Men’s high jump.

The Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) Board of Directors has accepted the recommendations of their disciplinary committee to issue sanctions to the persons involved in the matter of failing to test all four members of Jamaica’s Women’s U-20 4x100 World Record team at the CARIFTA Games in Kingston in April.

Jamaica’s team of Briana Lyston, Tina Clayton, Tia Clayton and Serena Cole sped to a time of 42.58 to break the under-20 world record, however, the time wasn’t ratified due to JADCO personnel failing to test all four members of the team.

In a press release on Friday, the commission announced the sanctions facing the personnel involved.

“All JADCO personnel who had responsibility and oversight for the testing and acted in accordance with internal practice rather than explicit instructions are to participate in a continuous education programme on in-competition testing through a WADA-approved facility as recommended by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports,” JADCO said in the statement.

The statement continued: “Failure to comply with this directive will result in further disciplinary action in accord with the Labour Relations Code. The current discontinuance of the internal practice which barred repeat testing of an athlete within 24 hours during competition, be made permanent. Each JADCO personnel is to be issued a written warning.”

The Board also explained that they took into account the fact that this was a first infraction for the persons involved.

Jamaica’s Women’s U20 4x100m relay team has been denied the ratification of the world record set at the 2022 Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston in April.

The record of 42.58 set by Serena Cole, Brianna Lyston, Tia and Tina Clayton while winning gold on April 17, 2022, will not be ratified, World Athletics said, because ‘not all team members were subjected to doping control’ at the completion of the race.

The Executive Director of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) did not respond to calls from Sportsmax.TV. JADCO was responsible for anti-doping controls during the championships/

 Chairman of the JADCO Board Alexander Williams was unable to comment on the matter when he spoke with Sportsmax.TV Wednesday morning. However, he promised to respond to questions once he received the relevant information pertaining to the matter.

Calls to Garth Gayle, President of the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA) went unanswered.

Despite the setback, Jamaica still holds the U20 world record. At the World U20 Championships in Kenya in August 2021, Serena Cole, Tina and Tia Clayton as well as Kerrica Hill established a time of 42.94, which was the time surpassed at the National Stadium in Kingston last month.

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo’s U20 record of 9.96 set in Gaborone on April 22, was also not ratified because no zero gun test was performed for the timing equipment.”

Edwin Allen was once again in dominant form to win the Championship of America High School Girls 4x100m at the 2022 Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Friday.

The team of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brandy Hall and Tia Clayton were flawless in speeding to a new meet record 43.18, smashing their own 43.62 which they set in 2019.

Hydel (Alana Reid, Brianna Lyston, Kerrica Hill and Oneka Wilson) ran 43.69 for second while St. Jago (Makada Linton, Shenese Walker, Abigail Martin and Breanna Clarke) ran 46.09 for third.

Lyston and Hill then returned to help Hydel take the win in the Championship of America 4x400m alongside Alliah Baker and Onieka McAnuff.

The quartet ran a new record 3:32.77 to eclipse their own mark of 3:39.99 set back in 2017.

Edwin Allen with Amoya Jamieson, Tonyan Beckford, Kacian Powell and Natasha Fox were second in 3:39.76 while Bullis School from Maryland were third in 3:40.88.

Edwin Allen got their second win of the day in the Championship of America 4x800m with Rickeisha Simms, Leanna Lewis, Rushana Dwyer and Jessica McLean combining to run 8:54.58 for victory.

Cuthbertson High School from North Carolina was a distant second in 9:04.67 while Union Catholic Regional High School from New Jersey was third in 9:06.14.

Edwin Allen High School was the fastest qualifier to the final of the High School Girls 4x100m at the 2022 Penn Relays which got underway on Thursday morning at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

The team of the Clayton twins, Brandy Hall and Shenequa Vassell scorched the track to run a time of 44.64 to win their heat. Hydel High (46.37) and IMG Academy (47.03) were second and third fastest to the final.

Holmwood Technical (47.12), Immaculate Conception (47.15), St. Catherine High (47.56) and St. Jago (47.37) will also be in Friday's final.

Holmwood Technical’s Cedricka Williams was dominant in winning the High School Girls discus with a throw of 54.00m. Camperdown’s Victoria Christie was second with 44.88m while Ella Lucas from Warwick High School was third with 42.53m.

Edwin Allen’s Serena Cole, who ran the first leg on Jamaica’s world record-breaking U-20 girls 4x100m team at the recently concluded Carifta Games, jumped 5.98m for second in the High School Girls long jump behind Avery Lewis of Friends’ Central (6.05). Hailey Rios of Somerset jumped 5.84m for third.

St. Jago’s Annishka McDonald was third in the High School Girls' high jump after clearing 1.69m. The event was won by Spring-Ford’s Nene Mokonchu (1.72m) while Conard’s Audrey Kirkutis was second with 1.69m.

The 2022 Penn Relays will run from April 28-30.

It was a record-breaking evening session on day two of the 49^th Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday as Jamaica’s U-20 Girls 4x100m team of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brianna Lyston and Tia Clayton sped to a new world junior record 42.58 to win gold ahead of Barbados (45.36) and Trinidad and Tobago (46.12).

Jamaica’s U-20 Boys team comprising Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, Bryan Levell, Deandre Daley and Sandrey Davison were also impressive with a Carifta record 39.15 to win gold ahead of the Bahamas (40.41) and the Cayman Islands (40.72).

Camoy Binger, Bryana Davison, Shemonique Hazle and Theianna-Lee Terrelonge combined to win Jamaica’s third sprint relay gold of the evening in the U-17 Girls section in 45.38 ahead of the Bahamas (47.13) and Trinidad & Tobago (48.19).

The hosts completed a clean sweep of the sprint relays as Jadan Campbell, Gary Card, Rickoy Hunter and Shaquane Gordon combined to dominate the Boys U-17 section in 41.74 ahead of Trinidad and Tobago (42.77) and the Cayman Islands (43.40).

Moving into the 400m hurdles, Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands won gold in the U-17 Girls section in 58.61 ahead of the Jamaican pair Jody-Ann Daley (1:02.22) and Deandra Harris (1:02.26).

Jamaica secured gold and silver in the U-20 Girls section through Sahfia Hinds (58.96) and Shackelia Green (59.77). Trinidad & Tobago’s Natasha Fox was third in 1:02.35.

The hosts once again swept the top two places in the Boys U-17 section thanks to Princewell Martin (53.00) and Jordan Mowatt (54.40) while Jermahd Huggins of St. Kitts & Nevis took third in 55.57.

Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke won gold in the U-20 Boys section in 50.68 ahead of Shamiar Bain of the Bahamas (52.83) and Craig Prendergast of Antigua & Barbuda (55.08).

Moving into the field, Jamaica’s Chavez Penn cleared 2.05m to win the U-17 Boys high jump ahead of Andrew Stone of the Cayman Islands (2.00m) and Jamaica’s Aaron McKenzie (1.95m).

Penn was also victorious in the triple jump with 14.63m to win ahead of teammate Euan Young (14.41m) and Jonathan Rogers of the Bahamas (13.99m).

The British Virgin Islands’ emerging star and 100m champion Adaejah Hodge continued her stellar showing at the Games so far with gold in the U-17 Girls long jump with a distance of 6.20m ahead of Jamaica’s Shemonique Hazle (5.85m) and Rohanna Sudlow (5.65m).