Track Ledger

27 December 2023

Penn Relay Partners with World Athletics to add Global Relay to 2024 Events

By Press Release

PHILADELPHIA – As we quickly move to the turning of the calendar year, all eyes fall on to the 128th running of the Penn Relays presented by Toyota on April 25-27. On top of bringing back some of the most premier college programs in the country and welcoming the top high school talent from the United States and Caribbean Islands, the Penn Relays in partnership with World Athletics are excited to announce the addition of the Global Relays for the upcoming year. “The Penn Relays is proud to welcome athletes from around the globe to Philadelphia,” said Steve Dolan, the Frank Dolson Director of the Penn Relays. “In 2019, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Athletics Heritage Plaque was presented to the University of Pennsylvania and Franklin Field as acknowledgment of the Penn Relays contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track & field. We are honored to build on th....

26 December 2023

Lyles and Kipyegon copped 2023 World Athletics Awards

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By Henley Taylor

The 2023 World Athletics Awards took place on Monday, December 11, 2023 at Monte Carlo, Monaco. Interestingly, there was a welcome change to the original format, recognizing and awarding six athletes in three distinct performance areas. These areas included on-track, field and out of stadia performances. Three males and three females were awarded in the respective categories. Noah Lyles of the United States of America copped the male athlete of the year for his on-track performances, while Armand Duplantis of Sweden copped the award in the field events category and Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya did same in the designated out-of-stadia category. Kipyegon, Rojas and Assefa recognized Consistent with popular expectations, Faith Kipyegon of Kenya won the World Athlete of the Year for her on-track performances, while Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela copped the award in the field events category and Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia did same in the designated out....

26 December 2023

The Highs, Lows and Disappointments of the 2023 Track and Field Season

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By Henley Taylor

The Highs One of the high points of the 2023 track and field season was Sha’Carri Richardson winning the women’s 100m final at the Budapest World Championship in a Championship Record of 10.65. Richardson has had her fair share of problems that have affected her achieving greatness. And it was good to see her putting together a good season in the 100m that culminated in her finally becoming a World Champion. While it was almost a given that Noah Lyles would have won the 200m at the Budapest World Championship, it was debatable whether he could win the 100m title to take the sprint double. But the twenty-six year old American half-lap specialist defied the odds, and did exactly that. In addition, Lyles add the 4 x 100m gold, to complete the triple. All season long Lyles had promised that he would win both the 100m and 200m. And, he delivered! From virtual obscurity in the women’s triple....

26 December 2023

Who will win Male World Athlete of the Year?

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By Henley Taylor

Eleven male athletes have been nominated for the 2023 Male World Athlete of the year. These included Neeraj Chopra of India (Javelin), Ryan Crouser of the USA (Shot Put), Mondo Duplantis of Sweden (Pole Vault), Souflane El Bakkali of Morocco (Steeplechase), Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway (1500m 2000m, 5000m, 1-mile and 2-mile), Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya (Marathon), Pierce Le Page of Canada (Decathlon), Noah Lyles of the USA (100m and 200m), Alvaro Martin of Spain (20Km), Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece (Long Jump) and Karsten Warholm of Norway (400mH). This field is a very impressive field. However, there are a few front runners who stand head and shoulders above the rest. The obvious contenders The reigning Olympic Champion, Neeraj Chopra was nominated on the strength of his achievement at the Budapest World Championship, where he won gold in the Javelin, with an impressive throw of 88.17m. Ryan Crouser of the USA has ....

26 December 2023

Will Shericka Jackson win Female World Athlete of the Year?

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By Henley Taylor

Shericka Jackson is the sole Jamaican nominee among a shortlist of eleven female athletes, for the 2023 Female World Athlete of the Year. The shortlist is a very strong one that includes Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia (Marathon), Femke Bol of the Netherlands (400mH), Shericka Jackson of Jamaica (100m and 200m), Faith Kipyegon of Kenya (1500m, mile and 5000m), Haruka Kitaguchi of Japan (javelin), Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine (high jump), Maria Perez of Spain (20km), Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia (10,000M), Sha’Carri Richardson of the USA (100m), Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela (triple jump) and Winfred Yavi of Bahrain (Steeplechase). Jackson’s resume To-date, the 2023 season has proven to be the most successful for Shericka Jackson. She won gold in the 200m at the Budapest World Championship in a Championship Record of 21.41 that bettered her previous Championship Record time of 21.45. Jackson also won silver in the 100m in 10.72, and of course, s....

17 October 2023

Richardson, Jackson and Lyles sizzle at 2023 Zurich Diamond League (Review)

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By Henley Taylor

At the 2023 Zurich Diamond League meet held on August 30-31, 2023. The first Diamond League meet held after the Budapest World Championship, there were some great performances posted by several newly crowned champions including Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Danielle Williams, Armand Duplantis and Yulimar Andrea Rojas. India’s Neeraj Chopra and Norway’s Karsten Warholm has to settled for second places in their respective events. Women’s Results Richardson wins again in Women’s 100m World Champion, Sha’Carri Richardson of the USA won the women's 100m final in 10.88 (-0.2 mps), to defeat Natasha Morrison and Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica, who were credited with 11.00 for second and third, respectively. The field was rounded-out by Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland (11.08), Shashalee Forbes of Jamaica (11.12), Twanisha Terry of the USA (11.13), Zoe Hobbs of New Zealand (11.14),....

17 October 2023

Lyles, Richardson, Jackson dominate 2023 Budapest World Championship (Review)

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By Henley Taylor

The nineteenth edition of the World Athletics Championship was held between August 19 and August 27, in Budapest, Hungary. There were several notable athletes, who either never participated in an individual event, withdrew from the Championship due to injuries or who got hurt during the Championship. These included the likes of Elaine Thompson-Herah, Michael Norman, Salwa Eid Naser and Sydney McLaughlin, as also, Steven Gardiner, who picked up a hamstring injury during the semifinals of the men’s 400m. Nevertheless, the Championship was a very successful one, with highs and lows, surprises and disappointments. Lyles and Richardson dominate 100m Final The American, Noah Lyles, promised and delivered, when he won his first of three gold medals in the men’s 100m. Lyles won the event in 9.83 seconds, ahead of Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and Zharnell Hughes of Great Britain, both of whom were given the same time of 9.88 seconds, for second ....

19 August 2023

The defending Champions, will they successfully defend titles in Budapest

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By Henley Taylor

Men’s 100m Will American Fred Kerley defend his 2022 World Championship title in Budapest or will there be the crowning of a new champion? To date, Kerley has posted the third fastest time of 9.88 seconds for the season. However, Zharnell Hughes of Great Britain and Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya have posted faster times of 9.83 and 9.84, respectively. The American has a personal best of 9.76; he won the 100m at the 2022 World Championship in 9.86, slower than the 9.79 that he posted in the semifinals. Will the World Champion repeat or will he be dethroned? Just how will Kerley fare against these and other quality sprinters like Marcell Jacobs, Cravont Charleston, Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles, Rohan Watson, Oblique Seville and Akani Simbine? It is the opinion of the writer that there will be a crowning of a new Champion. Women’s 100m The defending 100m Champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, has not been active on ....

19 August 2023

Preview of the 2023 Budapest World Championship from a Jamaica Perspective

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By Henley Taylor

The 2023 Budapest World Championship will open in another few days, on August 19, and promises much from a Jamaican standpoint. In fact, based on the all-round strength of the Jamaican team, Jamaica could top its best medal haul of thirteen (13) that was done in 2009 and 2013. In 2009, Jamaica won seven (7) gold, four (4) bronze and two (2) silver, while in 2013, Jamaica won six (6) gold, two (2) silver and five (5) bronze. In looking at the team that has been selected for Budapest, Jamaica should be very competitive on the track, and in the field. Indeed, it is quite conceivable that Jamaica could secure as many as twenty medals across all disciplines. And should this happen, it would be an historic feat of accomplishment. But, just where does Jamaica intend to garner these medals? Women’s 100m Notwithstanding the competitiveness and openness of the women’s 100m this year, Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce should....

19 August 2023

Who is the GOAT of female sprinting?

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By Henley Taylor

The Greatest of All Times (GOAT) must be determined by individual effort and results obtained at global championships and not by team efforts like relays or by performance at any other type of championship, except of course, where there is need for a tie-breaker. To determine the GOAT of the short sprints, only three women enter the conversations. In chronological order, these are Florence Griffith-Joyner of the United States, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah, both of Jamaica. Top -Three Florence Griffith-Joyner enters the conversations based on her two World Records of 10.49* and 21.34 in the 100m and 200m, respectively, along with the two individual gold medals that she won at the 1988 Seoul Olympics Games. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce enters the conversations based on the two individual gold medals that she won at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics and the six individual gold medals that sh....