Track Ledger

29 May 2024

LSU Women and Arkansas Men crowned 2024 SEC Champions

By Henley Taylor

The 2024 South-Eastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Championship took place at Gainesville, Florida from Thursday, May 9, 2024, to Saturday, May 11, 2024. There was a total of fourteen universities on the women’s side, and thirteen universities on the men’s side that participated at the championship. The University of Arkansas amassed 110 points to secure their 34th SEC title. The Lady Tigers of LSU amassed 126 points to claim the women’s title. The championship was highlighted by impressive performances by Arkansas Nickisha Pryce who ran a collegiate record in the women’s 400m and LSU’s Brianna Lyston 10.91 meet record in the women’s 100m. University of Georgia’s Christopher Williams ran a meet record 44.05 in the men’s 400m while the Arkansas men won the 4x400 relay in a brisk 2:59.03. Below are selected highlights from the championship. Men’s 100m Final – Wind: +0.6 Godson....

14 May 2024

USA dominates, Jamaica falters at the 2024 World Relays in Bahamas

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By Henley Taylor

The 2024 World Relays was held in Bahamas, between May 4 and May 5. The Relays were used as automatic qualifiers for the Paris Olympics, based on placing or time. Of the five contested finals, the USA won four, except the men’s 4 x 400m for which there was disqualification based on a technical rule. Jamaica fielded weakened pool of athletes, as many of its elite athletes did not make the trip for one reason or another. While Jamaica was unimpressive at the World Relays, it was still able to meet the qualifying standard for the Paris Olympics in four relays. These were, the men’s 4 x 100m, women’s 4 x 100, women’s 4 x 400m and the 4 x400m mixed relays. Based on time (3:02.46), the Jamaican men’s 4 x 400m team did not advance to the final. And, its time last year of 2:59.82 placed it seventeenth in the current year’s world ranking, one place outside the automatic sixteen qualifiers for the Paris Olympics. Nevertheless, Jamaica will have an....

14 May 2024

Duplantis, Simbine, Neita impressive at the 2024 Shanghai Diamond League

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By Henley Taylor

The 2024 edition of the Shanghai/Suzhou Diamond League was held on Saturday, April 27, at the Shanghai Stadium, in Shanghai, China. The event covered a total of fifteen disciplines that included eight track events and seven field events. Sweden’s Armand Duplantis posted another victory in the men’s pole vault with a clearance of 6.00m. Daniel Roberts (USA) also posted his 2nd victory on the Diamond League circuit in the men’s 110m hurdles while Marileidy Paulino (Dominica Republic) took the women’s 400m event. South Africa’s Akani Simbine ran a season best in the men’s 100m to get the better of the American duo of Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley. Daryl Neita (Great Britain), Mekedes Alemeshete (Ethiopia), Beatrice Chepkoech (Kenya), Selemon Barega (Ethiopia) also posted impressive victories in their respective events. Women's 200m Final - wind +0.2 Daryl Nei....

14 May 2024

Duplantis World Record Highlights the 2024 Xiamen Diamond League Meet

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By Henley Taylor

The 2024 Xiamen Diamond League Meet took place at the Xiamen Egret Stadium, China, on Saturday, April 20. This was the first of fourteen Diamond League stops, and covered a total of fifteen track and field events for male and female. The meet was highlighted by Armand Duplantis 6.24m world record performance in the men’s pole vault. Marco Arop (Canada), Daniel Roberts (USA), Gudaf Tsegay (Ethiopia) and Beatrice Chepkoech (Kenya) all posted world leading performances, while Shelby McEwen (USA), Pedro Pichardo (Puerto Rico), and Torrie Lewis (Australia) were among several athletes who established meet records. China’s Dezhu Liu set a national record in the men’s 800m race running a time of 1:45.66 to finished in ninth place. Selected races are detailed below. Men’s Pole Vault Final Armand Duplantis of Sweden won the men’s pole vault final in a World Record of 6.24m, while Sam Kendricks of the USA was second with 5.82m ....

08 May 2024

Jamaican High Schools dominate the 2024 Penn Relays

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By Henley Taylor

The 128th staging of the Penn Relays took place at the University of Pennsylvania, Franklin Field Stadium, from Thursday, April 25 to Saturday, April 27. As has become customary, the Jamaican high schools dominated the 3-day relay carnival. Hydel High School (girls), Jamaica College, Kingston College and Excelsior High all posted impressive victories in their respective Championship of America relay races. The Jamaican high-schooler also performed very well in the field events. Credit should also be given to Union Catholic (New Jersey) and the Bullis School (Maryland), two of the numerous US high school that provided some intriguing competition. We cannot overlook the outstanding performance of 16-year-old Quincy Wilson (Bullis School- MD) who posted split of 44.37 in the boys 4x400 relay. High School Girl’s 4 x 100m Championship of America Final The Hydel quartet of Shemonique Hazel, Alliah Baker, Shania Myers and Jody-Ann Daley won the hi....

08 May 2024

Jamaica dominates 2024 Carifta Games, T&T’s De Gannes wins Austin Sealy Award

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By Henley Taylor

The 51st Carifta Games were held in St. George’s, Grenada, between March 30 and April 1. There was a total of twenty-seven countries that participated at the 2024 edition of the Carifta Games. Essentially, there were two distinct age groups that participated at the Carifta Games, these were, the under-17 age group and the under 20 age group. At the end of the three days of competition, Jamaica stood atop the medal table with 84 medals, to include 45 gold, 23 silver and 16 bronze. This was Jamaica 38th straight win, and its 43rd overall. The Bahamas was the next best performing team, with 35 medals, to include 9 gold, 13 silver and 13 bronze. With her record-breaking performance in the Under-20 long jump competition, Trinidad and Tobago's Jaenae De Gannes won the Austin Sealey Award that is given to the most outstanding performer at the games. Under 17 Girls 100m Final - NWI Athaleyha Hinckson of Guyana won the under 17 girls 100m in 11.....

22 March 2024

Roshawn Clarke and Kerrica Hill golden at the 2024 Camperdown Classic

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By Henley Taylor

The nineteenth edition of the Camperdown Classic was held at the National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica, on February 10, 2024. Like so many track and field events, the Camperdown Classic is a staple on the annual track and field Calendar which has contributed greatly in providing opportunities, by unearthing and promoting many talents in the local high school system. Roshawn Clarke, Kerrica Hill both posted impressive performances in the 400m races while high school athletes geared-up for the Boys and Girls Championship scheduled for March 19- 23, 2024. Clarke best Watson in Men’s Senior Invitational 400m World Under 20 400m Hurdles World Record Holder, Roshawn Clarke of Swept Track Club, surprised the 400m World Champion, Antonio Watson, to win the men’s senior invitational 400m timed final, posting a Season Best of 46.05. Watson of Racers Track posted a Season Best of 46.10 for second and Terry Richards of Titan International Track Clu....

22 March 2024

Review of the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championship, Glasgow

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By Henley Taylor

The 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championship was the nineteenth edition, and was hosted by World Athletics, in Glasgow, Scotland, between March 1 -3. The Championship hosted more than six hundred-and-fifty competitors from approximately one-hundred-and-thirty countries that competed in twenty-six disciplines, that is, thirteen for men and thirteen for women. The Championship was highlighted by excellent performances by Femke Bol (Netherland), Devynne Charlton (Bahamas), Julien Alfred (St. Lucia) Christian Coleman (USA) and Elle St. Pierre (USA). Julien Alfred wins first Global title in the Women’s 60m Julien Alfred won gold in the women’s 60m final in an impressive 6.98, to hand St. Lucia its first global title, and in the process remains undefeated during the indoor season. This was Alfred second sub-7.00-seconds performance this season as she posted 7.99 at the Millrose Games in New York on Feb 11. Alfred was closely followed ....

16 March 2024

Alfred, Coleman and Charlton dominate 2024 Millrose Games – World Indoor Tour

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By Henley Taylor

The 116th staging of the Millrose Games held at the Armory Track and Field Centre in New York, between February 9 and 11 was a complete success based on the superb performances of several international stars. Julien Alfred (St Lucia), Christian Coleman (USA) and Devynne Charlton (Bahamas) all posted impressive performances. The Millrose Games which is one of the marquee events of the indoor season did not disappoint track fans. Yared Nuguse and Elle St. Pierre captured the Games signature event, the Men’s and Women’s Wanamaker Mile respectively. Alfred sizzles in the Women’s 60m Final Fresh off her 2023 Bowerman Award win, as the best college female track athlete, Julien Alfred has signal to the track world that she is still fine-tuning her start when she took the women’s 60m finals in a world-leading, facility record and meet record time of 6.99 seconds. Alfred, the 22-year-old St Lucian fin....

27 December 2023

Jaydon Hibbert and Julien Alfred win 2023 Bowerman Award

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By Henley Taylor

The fifteenth edition of the Bowerman Awards took place on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Convention in Denver, Colorado. The Bowerman Award is the highest and most prestigious US Collegiate track and field award. History was created when there was a Caribbean sweep (men and women) for the very first time. The Jamaican Jaydon Hibbert emerged the winner in the men’s category, while the St. Lucian Julien Alfred won in the women’s. Both Hibbert and Alfred were the two most dominant and impressive US Collegiate athletes for the 2023 track and field season. Hibbert impressive season Jaydon Hibbert, a freshman at the University of Arkansas, hails from the community of Arnett Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica. The phenom is also a graduate of the Vaz Preparatory School and Kingston College, where he excelled in the triple jump, setting a Champs Record of 16.66m in 2....