Reigning Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo will go head-to-head with Jamaicans Stefanie Ann-Mcpherson and Candice McLeod when the 2022 Diamond League season runs off with the Doha meet, in Qatar, on Friday.

The Bahamian will head into the event as favourite, on the back of a strong indoor season where she added the Indoor title to her medal collection, in Belgrade.  The Doha meeting will feature the first match-up between the trio since the Olympics, where Miller-Uibo took gold and Mcpherson and McLeod finished just outside the medals.

In the half-lap event, Olympic 100m bronze medallist Shericka Jackson will battle reigning 200m champion Diner Asher-Smith of Great Britain, who will be opening her season in the event.  The field is also set to feature a rejuvenated Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas and Olympic finalist Gabby Thomas of the US.

There will also be a strong Caribbean presence in the women’s 100m hurdles with the Jamaican duo of Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper facing off with compatriot Britany Anderson.  The Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton will also be part of that field.

Reigning double Olympic champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah, executed a comfortable early-season performance with a dominant showing in the women’s half-lap event at the inaugural JAAA/SDF Jubilee Series on Saturday.

Thompson-Herah left the blocks quickly to effortlessly cover the rest of the field by the top of the curve and shut things down to record a 22.75 winning time.  MVP Track Club's Stephanie McPherson chased her to the line late on and was second in 23.16.  Natasha Morrison was third in 23.52.

In the men’s equivalent, Racer’s Track Club’s Zharnel Hughes finished with the fastest time of the day, after recording 20.56 to win heat 4. 

Olympic 100m bronze medalist Shericka Jackson proved a cut above the rest of the field and powered away midway through the race to claim the women’s 100m in 11 seconds flat.  Her MVP Track Club teammate Anthonique Strachan was second in 11.40 and Sprint Tech’s Remona Burchell third in 11.43.

In the men’s equivalent, Oblique Seville took top spot with a time of 10.00.  The Racer’s Track Club athlete finished comfortably ahead of MVP’s Kishane Thompson, who was second in 10.21, and Kadrian Goldson who was third in 10.24.

Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce registered the fastest women’s 100m season opener in history with a blistering performance at the World Athletics Continental Tour, in Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday.

In her first appearance on Kenyan soil, Fraser-Pryce looked at home as she took apart the rest of the field with a blistering 10.67 seconds run.  In typical fashion, the decorated sprinter left the blocks in blistering fashion before coasting clear to set the season lead, running into a slight headwind (-0.4ms).

Egypt’s Hemdia Bassant was second with a national record of 11.02, while the USA’s Shannon Ray was third with 11.33.  Olympic 200m silver medallist Christine Mboma did not complete the race as she looked to have pulled a muscle.

“It was very good, the atmosphere was fantastic,” said Fraser-Pryce,” following the event.

“I’m not sure if it was perfect – I’d have to see the replay. But the time tells me that my training has been going great.” she

The run was the third fastest of the athlete’s career and her third sub-10.7 run in the last year.

Jamaica track and field superstar Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce insists she will not focus on the absence of American Sha’Carri Richardson ahead of the World Athletics Continental Tour, at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday.

Instead, the nine-time World Champion is more intent on keeping her attention on the rest of the field that she is set to face, which will include 200m Olympic silver medallist Christine Mboma of Namibia.

Ahead of the meet, a lot of attention had been placed on the possibility of another 100m match-up between the Fraser-Pryce and Richardson, no doubt a spillover from last season which feature a highly-anticipated showdown at the Eugene Diamond League meet.  Just two days ahead of the Continental Tour, however, and for the third time this season, it was discovered that Richardson had withdrawn from the meet without a public explanation being provided.

Last year, the Eugene match-up between Richardson and Fraser-Pryce had been billed as a great redemption story of sorts for the American.  The athlete had missed out on facing the Jamaica medal-winning trio of Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Shericka Jackson at the Olympics, after being suspended for a month for marijuana usage. 

Despite the American’s presence, however, the Jamaicans finished in the same order as the Tokyo Games, where Thompson-Herah finished ahead of Fraser-Pryce and Jackson third. Richardson finished in last place.

“As far as I’m concerned there are seven other competitors in the race that I think deserve the same amount of attention and respect as me because when we each line up to compete I don’t think we are fearful of who is beside us or in the next lane.  We are just here to compete and give our best,” Fraser-Pryce told members of the media.

“So, if someone is missing from the competition it doesn’t stop me from focusing on what I’m here to do and getting the job done.”

In addition to Mboma, the 100m field will consist of the USA’s Shannon Ray, Maximilla Imali (Ken), Bassant Hemida (Egy), Rani Rosius (BEL), Patrizia Vanderweken (Lux), and Javianne Oliver (USA).

Bahamian quarter milers Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steve Gardner have reportedly been confirmed for next month’s Paris Diamond League meeting.

The meet will be the seventh in the series, which runs off with the Doha Diamond League meet on May 13.  An appearance at the Paris meeting, scheduled for June 18, could mark a long-awaited return to the city for the reigning 400m Olympic Champions.

Miller-Uibo, who has won the 200m event at the 2017, 2018, and 2019 editions and the 400m, at the 2017 event, has not appeared at the Paris meet since 2011.  Gardiner has yet to win the title and last made an appearance in Monaco in 2019. 

The duo has been in splendid form early this season with Miller-Uibo claiming the 400m title at the World Indoor Championship and Gardiner registering a number of impressive times indoors before opening the outdoor season with world-leading 44.22 seconds at the LSU Alumni Gold meet.

Jamaica high jumper Lamara Distin has been named the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association National Athlete of the Week and Southeastern Conference Field Athlete of the Week.

The former Hydel standout has been recognized on the back of an exceptional performance last week where she set a world-leading high jump clearance of 1.97m to win the Texas A&M Alumni Muster.

The performance saw the jumper set yet another national record for her country and moved her up to No. 4 on the all-time collegiate list.  It also bettered the previous Texas record, which she also held.

Diston, who was born in Hanover, has been on fire this season, clearing 1.93m in four of the five meets entered so far.  Two of those meets have seen the athlete jumping over 1.96m.

For her country, Distin’s assault on the national record this season began with an opener of 1.96m, set during the Texas Relays, which bettered the previous national best of 1.93 held by Sheree Ruff since May 2010.

Olympic champion Steve Gardiner turned in a quality performance to open his outdoor season after clocking a world-leading 44.22 seconds at the LSU Alumni Gold meet on Saturday.

The 26-year-old Gardiner continued to build momentum from a series of impressive indoor performances earlier this season, where he competed in the 200m.  On Saturday, the Bahamian beat back a challenge from the USA’s Vernon Norwood, who ran 44.59 for second place.  The time was the fourth-fastest of Norwood's career.

Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith finished third in 44.61 seconds and the USA’s Tyler Terry was fourth in 45.00.  The time was Gardiner’s fastest ever 400m season opener and seems to set him in good stead to defend his world title at the Eugene 2022 World Championships later this summer.  Gardiner’s time bettered the earlier mark of 44.28 seconds, set by the USA’s Michael Cherry last weekend.

Elsewhere, Jamaica’s LSU hurdles star Damion Thomas finished third in the men’s 110 metres hurdles.  Thomas’ time of 13.79 saw him finish just behind Canada’s Joey Daniels who clocked 13.78 for second, while the event was won by LSU’s Eric Edwards Jr who took top spot in a time of 13.34.

Former Merlene Ottey High School sprinter Akeem Blake and Bahamian Olympian Anthonique Strachan stole the show at the 2022 staging of the John Wolmer Speed Fest at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Blake sped to 10.13 to win the Men’s 100m, a new personal best, ahead of former national champion Oshane Bailey (10.18) and 400m specialist and former Petersfield High standout Antonio Watson (10.21).

Just last week in Florida, Blake ran a then-personal best 10.17 to finish second in the Men's 100m at the Hurricane Invitational.

Strachan dipped below the 11-second barrier for the first time in her career, running 10.99 to win the Women’s 100m ahead of Shashalee Forbes (11.24) and Jodean Williams (11.54).

400m Hurdles semi-finalist at the Tokyo Olympics Jaheel Hyde ran a big personal best to win the Men’s 400m. The former Wolmer’s man clocked 45.78 to win ahead of Anthony Cox (46.09) and Keeno Burrell (47.65).

2011 World 100m champion Yohan Blake looked impressive, easing down before crossing the finish line in 20.95 to win his 200m heat. Also looking impressive in the Men's 200m was former STETHS man Nigel Ellis who won his section in 20.43.

Double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah opened her outdoor season with a third-place finish in the Women’s 400m. She ran 56.72 to finish behind the 2019 World Championships 400m hurdles bronze medallist Rushell Clayton (54.41) and Gabrielle Matthews of the Queen's School (56.42).

World-class cyclist Nicholas Paul and Olympian Tyra Gittens walked away with the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year titles at the 59th edition of the First Citizens Sports Awards in Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday.

T&T’s Olympic 4X400m metre relay team of Machel Cedenio, Jereem Richards, Dwight St. Hillaire and the late Deon Lendore, who won the Lytsra Lewis Award, were also recognized at the ceremony hosted by 2013 400m hurdles World Champion Jehue Gordon and aired on CNC3 Television in the twin-island republic.

Swimmer Nikoli Blackman was crowned the Youth Sportsman of the Year 2021 for the consecutive year while tennis player Jordane Dookie was selected as the Youth Sportswoman of the Year 2021 title. Meanwhile, the Jeffrey Stollmeyer Award went to The Tennis Association of Trinidad & Tobago for outstanding administrative work.

Overall, 46 of T&T’s top athletes were honoured during the ceremony for their outstanding achievements over the past year. The country’s Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe praised the awardees for what he described as their “unrelenting spirit, sense of pride and purpose, and the larger than life persona they exude every time they set out to represent the red, white and black.

“You are our true heroes, who serve as a symbol of hope, perseverance, courage and strength, not only to our youth but to our nation,” she said.

Chairman of the First Citizens Sports Foundation, Dr Terry Ali, echoed similar sentiments while adding that the Sports Foundation would continue with its collaborative work with key stakeholders to support the successful restart of sporting events in Trinidad and Tobago.

Karen Darbasie, Group Chief Executive Officer at First Citizens, expressed gratitude at being able to honour the country’s best athletes. “The First Citizens Sports Awards is yet another proud moment, not only for those being honoured but also for us, who have been privileged to uphold that responsibility of bestowing honour,” she said.

Among the youth finalists who received awards were Alan-Safar Ramoutar – Chess; Ryan D’Abreau – Cycling; Shakeem Mc Kay – Track & Field; Zara La Fleur – Chess; Janae De Gannes – Track & Field; and Natassia Baptiste – Volleyball.

Among the senior finalists were Nigel Paul – Boxing; Dylan Carter – Swimming; Andrew Lewis – Sailing; Teniel Campbell – Cycling; Kennya Cordner – Football; Felice Aisha Chow – Rowing, and Samantha Wallace – Netball.

Former Hydel High standout Lamara Distin, now competing for Texas A&M, produced a personal best and Jamaican national record 1.96m to win the Women’s High Jump at the Texas Relays at the Mike A. Myers Stadium on Saturday.

This lifetime best continues a phenomenal start to the season for Distin who jumped a national indoor record 1.92 to win at the NCAA Indoor Championships in in Birmingham, Alabama earlier this month.

1.96m is a school record, the fifth best collegiate jump of all time and also sees Distin achieve the World Championships qualifying standard.

Jonathan Jones from Barbados and Shafiqua Maloney from St. Vincent & the Grenadines were both victorious at Thursday’s second day of the 2022 Texas Relays at the Mike A. Myers Stadium.

The 23-year-old Jones, competing for the University of Texas, ran a personal best and Barbadian national record 1:45.83 to win the Men’s Invitational 800m ahead of Moad Zahavi of Texas Tech (1:46.02) and his Texas teammate Crayton Carrozza (1:46.89).

Maloney won the Women’s equivalent in 2:04.59 ahead of Brooke Jaworski of Texas (2:04.90) and Grand Canyon’s Kelly Moodry (2:05.64).

On Friday, Jamaica’s Charokee Young was a member of the Texas A&M quartet that ran 3:38.93 to win the Women’s Sprint Medley. Former Edwin Allen star Kevona Davis ran a leg for Texas who finished second in 3:38.95 while Texas Tech finished third in 3:45.71.

STETHS alumni and 2021 Olympian Stacey Ann Williams helped Texas advance to the Women’s 4x400m final as the second fastest qualifiers. Their time of 3:32.60 was only bettered by Arkansas with 3:31.87. The final is scheduled for Saturday.

Jamaica and Texas A&M sophomore Lamara Distin claimed the women’s Long Jump title at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday.

Distin, who set the NCAA’s leading mark and national indoor record last month, got the better of Trinidad and Tobago and Texas Longhorns jumper Tyra Gittens.  The Jamaican jumper equalled her best of 1.92 metres to win the event, with Gittens recording a season best of 1.89m to earn the silver medal.  Third place went to South Carolina’s Rachel Glenn who recorded a mark of 1.86m.

Elsewhere, University of South Carolina’s Davonte Burnett claimed the men’s 60m title with a new personal best of 6.50.  The Jamaican finished ahead of Indiana’s Rikkol Brathwaite, who was second in 6.52, with Tennessee’s Favour Ashe third in 6.55.

In other events, Wayne Lawrence of Iowa finished 7^th in the men’s 400m, an event won by North Carolina’s Randolph Ross and Texas Tech’s Vashaun Vascianna finished just outside the medal places in the men’s 60 MH, which was won by Florida State’s Trey Cunningham.

Edwin Allen completed a clean sweep of the Girls Under-20 100m, while Herbert Morrison’s DeAndre Daley sprung an upset to claim the men’s equivalent as the Carifta Trials continued on Saturday, at the National Stadium.

The Edwin Allen sweep of the women’s event was led by Tia Clayton who won in 11.49, ahead of twin sister Tina Clayton (11.50), with Serena Cole (11.51) finishing third.

In the Boys Under-20 event, Daley upset the odds, running 10.33 to win ahead of favourite Bryan Levell of Edwin Allen (10.36) and KC’s Bouwahjgie Nkrumie (10.40).

Edwin Allen’s Theianna Lee Terrelonge won the Girls Under-17 100m in 11.96, ahead of St Jago’s Camoy Binger (12.03) and Hydel’s Shemonique Hazel (12.11). Gary Card of Wolmer’s won the Boys Under-17 title in 10.93, ahead of Calabar’s Shaquane Gordon (10.99) and Spot Valley’s Romario Hinds (11.20).

Abigail Campbell, running unattached, won the Girls Under-17 400m in 55.18, ahead of St. Jago’s Quana Walker (55.98) and Vere Technical’s Shevaughn Thomas (56.99).

The Kingston College pair of Tahj-Marques White (48.30) and Marcinho Rose (48.52) were the top two finishers in the Boys Under-17 equivalent, while Edwin Allen’s Antonio Powell was third in 49.29.

Hydel’s Oneika McAnuff won the Girls Under-20 400m in 53.12, ahead of Vere Technical’s Kaylia Kelly (54.09) and Bustamante High’s Shana Kay Anderson (54.25). The Boys Under-20 event saw Edwin Allen’s Delano Kennedy taking the win in 46.97, ahead of Manchester’s Shemar Palmer (47.29) and Kingston College’s Shaemar Uter (47.47).   

Former Kingston College standouts Wayne Pinnock and Carey McLeod, now both competing for the University of Tennessee, finished first and second in the Men’s Long Jump on Day One of the NCAA Division One Indoor Track and Field Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, on Friday.

Pinnock and McLeod jumped 7.92 and 7.91, respectively, to finish as the top two ahead of Georgia’s Matthew Boling who jumped 7.86 for third.

St. Lucian Texas Junior and former St. Catherine High sprinter Julien Alfred turned heads in the Women’s 60m preliminaries with a personal best, collegiate and national record 7.04 to be the fastest qualifier to the final.

Jamaicans Charokee Young and Stacey-Ann Williams were the two fastest qualifiers in the Women’s 400m. Young, formerly of Hydel High and now competing for Texas A&M, advanced fastest with 51.70 while Williams, formerly of STETHS and now competing for The University of Texas, ran 51.89 to qualify second fastest.

An exciting Boys Under-20 100m final is in store after a speedy first day of the 2022 CARIFTA Trials at the National Stadium on Friday.

Herbert Morrison’s DeAndre Daley, who ran 10.55 to win at the Western Championships last week, was the fastest qualifier to Saturday’s final with a time of 10.30.

National Junior Champion Sandrey Davison of St. Catherine High was second fastest with 10.32, while Edwin Allen standout and finalist in the Men’s 100m at the National Senior Championships in 2021, Bryan Levell, was third fastest with 10.39. Jeevan Newby, running unattached (10.41), Bouwahjgie Nkrumie of Kingston College (10.55), Hector Benjamin of Jamaica College (10.57) and the St. Jago pair of Deshaun Gordon (10.59) and Odaine Crooks (10.61) make up the full field for Saturday’s final.

Calabar’s Shaquane Gordon (10.71), Gary Card of Wolmer’s (10.85) and Romario Hines of Spot Valley (10.98) were the fastest qualifiers to the Boys Under-17 100m final.

Edwin Allen’s Tia and Tina Clayton with times of 11.39 and 11.41 were the second and third fastest qualifiers to the Girls Under-20 100m final, respectively. Hydel’s Kerrica Hill was the fastest qualifier at 11.31.

The qualifiers for the Girls’ Under-17 final were led by Edwin Allen’s Theianna Lee Terrelonge (11.73), Hydel’s Shemonique Hazel (11.76) and St. Jago’s Camoy Binger (11.78).

J’Voughnn Blake of JC won the Boys Under-20 1500m in 3:55.45 ahead of STETHS’s Adrian Nethersole (3:59.91) and his JC teammate Omarion Davis (4:01.04). The Girls’ equivalent was won by Holmwood Technical’s Jody Ann Mitchell in 4:37.18 ahead of Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms (4:37.50) and St Mary High’s Shone Walters (4:37.51).