Buckle up, sports fans! 2023 was a roller-coaster ride with a whirlwind of spikes, sprints, and surprises in Caribbean track and field! Our athletes didn’t just run; they soared, breaking personal records, crafting legacies, and etching their names in the annals of track and field history. From the glitzy Diamond League to the grandeur of NCAA meets, the vibrant CAC Games, and the dazzling Budapest World Championship, they were everywhere!
With such a buffet of world-class performances from our Caribbean athletes, we just HAD to whip up a countdown of the Top Ten Caribbean Track and Field Moments of 2023.
Ready to relive the magic? No false starts here! Let’s leap into those electrifying moments! 🚀🌟🎖️
On your marks, get set, GO! 🚀
#10 Lindon Victor: From Underdog to Bronz Medal In Decathlon!
Grenada‘s very own Lindon Victor has been chasing that decathlon dream since he first stepped onto the global stage at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Back then, he racked up a respectable 7998 points, landing him in the 16th spot. Fast forward a bit, and our two-time Commonwealth Games champ was hungry for more. After a fifth-place finish in the 2022 Eugene World Championship, Lindon was on a mission. Especially since his fellow Grenadian stars, Kirani James and Anderson Peters, missed out on their medals.
Budapest became the stage for Lindon’s decathlon drama. He was in it to win it, giving his all in every event. And when it boiled down to the 1500-meter race, Lindon ran like the wind, securing his spot on the podium.
With a whopping National Record of 8756 points, he clinched the bronze, only bested by the Canadian duo, Pierce LePage and Damian Warner.
And just like that, Lindon Victor sprinted into history, becoming the first Caribbean man to grab a decathlon medal at a major championship. Hats off, Lindon!
#9 Jereem Richards: From 200m Star to 400m Sensation!
Double Commonwealth Games 200m champ, Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago, decided to spice things up in 2023. He thought, “Why not double the distance?” And so, he took a leap into the 400m world. Fans weren’t exactly falling off their seats in surprise, given his smashing win in the 400m at the 2022 Belgrade World Indoor Championship.
Come C-A-C (Central American and Caribbean) Games time, Jereem was on fire! 🔥 He blazed through the track, clocking a personal best of 44.54 seconds, snatching his debut title in the event. And guess what? It was a Caribbean party on the podium with a clean sweep! Michael Joseph of Saint Lucia trailed with a swift 44.90 seconds, while Martinique’s Giles Biron wrapped up the top three with 45.06 seconds.
Jereem’s switcheroo sure did pay off! (live Clip – last 100m of the race)
#8: Jasmine Camacho-Quinn: Hurdling to Stardom at the CAC Games!
All eyes are on Puerto Rico‘s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn! This hurdles heroine was unstoppable in 2023, collecting accolades like they were going out of style. Come CAC Games, and she was ready to dazzle!
Zooming through the rounds, Jasmine didn’t just run; she flew, smashing a Games Record with a blistering 12.60 seconds! Bye-bye old CAC record of 12.64 seconds held by Jamaica’s late Dionne Rose. And in the grand finale? Jasmine gracefully hurdled to victory with a time of 12.61 seconds, clinching her very first CAC Games gold. (live Clip)
But wait, there’s more! 2023 was truly Jasmine’s year. Out of all her races, she only faced two defeats: one at the Budapest World Championship and the Diamond League Final in Eugene. But hey, when you’re soaring high, a few bumps only add to the adventure!
#7. Steven Gardiner: The 400m Bahamian Blitz at Light up the Track at Gyulai István to win in a meeting record of 43.74 seconds!
2023 was the year Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas came roaring back! After missing out on the 2022 Eugene World Championship, he was all set to make a statement. And what a statement it was at the Gyulai István Memorial! Steven didn’t just compete; he dominated, setting a Meeting Record with a blistering 43.74 seconds in the 400 meters. This wasn’t just a win; it was a declaration, marking him as the one to watch at the Budapest World Championship.
However, sports can be unpredictable. Despite his earlier triumph, Steven faced a setback in Budapest, pulling up injured in the Semi-Final. But champions like Steven always look ahead. With the 2024 season on the horizon, he’s eyeing greatness, hoping to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Michael Johnson, who clinched back-to-back Olympic 400m titles in 1996 and 2000. Go, Steven!
#6 Kirani James: The 400-meter King Strike Gold Again! 🏃♂️
Age is just a number, and Kirani James of Grenada is living proof! At 31, he’s still got that fiery sprint in his step. Everyone had their eyes on him for a medal at the Budapest World Championship, but a little misstep (literally, stepping out of his lane) led to his disqualification in the Final. Ouch!
But champions don’t dwell; they bounce back! And that’s exactly what Kirani did. Shaking off Budapest, he set his sights on the Diamond League circuit. Come the Diamond League Final in Eugene, Oregon, and Kirani was in beast mode. He tore down the track, clocking a season’s best of 44.30 seconds, and clinched his fourth Diamond League 400m title! That’s right, four titles, making him the reigning king of the 400 meters in the Diamond League realm.
All hail, Kirani!
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#5 Hansle Parchment: The Age-Defying Hurdle Hero of the 2023 Diamond League! 🏃♂️
Jamaica‘s Hansle Parchment is like fine wine; he just gets better with time! With a track career spanning over a decade, Hansle’s trophy cabinet keeps expanding. 2023 was no different! He snagged a silver in the 110-meter hurdles at the Budapest World Championship and then went on a winning spree in his next three races. 🚀
But the real fireworks? The Diamond League Final in Eugene, Oregon! Up against heavyweights like gold medallist Grant Holloway and fellow Jamaican bronze medallist Daniel Roberts, Hansle was in it to win it. And boy, did he deliver! With a stellar start, he took charge by the sixth hurdle and zoomed past the finish line with a personal best and world-leading time of 12.93 seconds, all at the age of 33!
Fans are now buzzing: Could he challenge Aries Merritt’s World Record of 12.80 seconds from 2012? We will just have to wait and see what the 2024 season brings. We’re watching you closely!
#4 Antonio Watson: The 400m Dark Horse of Budapest! 🏃♂️
Jamaica‘s Antonio Watson kicked off 2023 with eyes set on the 200 meters. But after a blazing sub-45 second 400m performance (44.75 seconds to be exact) at the Racers Grand Prix in June, the 200m plans? Tossed out the window! 🌪️
The men’s 400m that season was like a rollercoaster – full of twists and turns. Antonio kept the surprises coming, clocking a personal best of 44.54 seconds at the Jamaican National Championship, just a hair behind Sean Bailey’s 44.48 seconds.
Then came the Budapest World Championship. While many had their favorites, not many eyes were on Antonio for the gold. But, oh, how he proved them wrong! After a stellar 44.13 seconds in the Semi-Final, he was the man to beat. And in the Final? Antonio dazzled, clinching gold with a time of 44.22 seconds, becoming the first Jamaican since the legendary Bertland ‘Bert’ Cameron in 1983 to win the 400m at the World Championship.
Budapest, you’ve been Watson-ed!
#3 Marileidy Paulino: From Silver Streak to 400-meter World Championship Golden Glory! 🏃♀️
The Dominican Republic‘s Marileidy Paulino is here to shine! Bursting onto the international scene in 2019 with the 200 meters, she soon switched lanes to the 400 meters, and boy, was it a game-changer! After grabbing a silver at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, she had her eyes set on gold. But another silver at the 2022 Eugene World Championship had her craving that top spot even more.
Fast forward to the Budapest World Championship, and the 400m was billed as the race of the ages. Big names like Salwa Eid Naseer and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone were expected to challenge, but guess what? They were no-shows. And while the reigning champ, Shaunae Miller-Ubio, did make an appearance, she bowed out early, just four months post-partum.
But Marileidy? She was in her element, unfazed by the drama. Running with heart and soul, she blazed through to a National Record of 48.76 seconds, becoming the first Dominican Republic woman to clinch gold in the 400m at the World Championship! And let’s not forget her Caribbean sister, Sada Williams, who bagged her second consecutive World Championship bronze with a time of 49.60 seconds.
Oh, and a cherry on top? Marileidy made history by being the only woman to go sub-50 in all three rounds of the 400 meters at the World Championship. Talk about setting the track on fire!
#2 Danielle Williams: The Hurdle Queen’s Surprise Comeback! 🏃♀️
Remember the name, Danielle Williams? The Jamaican sensation who burst onto the scene in 2015, snatching gold in the 100-meter hurdles at the Beijing World Championship? Fast forward to Doha, and she added a bronze to her collection. But as time passed, with stars like Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Tobi Amusan, and Kendra Harrison rising, Danielle’s star seemed to dim a bit in the eyes of many fans.
Barely squeezing into the Jamaican team by clinching third at the National Championship, Danielle had a point to prove. Budapest World Championship was her stage, and she was ready for her encore. While she was impressive in the initial rounds, not many had her pegged for a medal in the Finals. With the spotlight on lanes four to seven, Danielle, in lane two, was the underdog.
But as the gun went off, Danielle was a woman on a mission! Charging like a bolt of lightning, she soared over those hurdles, finishing with a season’s best of 12.43 seconds, reclaiming her gold!
And let’s give a shoutout to her Caribbean sister, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico, who clinched silver.
Now, with this epic comeback, all eyes are on Danielle as she gears up for the Paris Olympics next year. Go get ’em, Danielle!
#1 Shericka Jackson: The 200m Dynamo with a Point to Prove! 🏃♀️
2023 was the year Shericka Jackson stamped her authority on the 200 meters! Everyone had their bets on her sweeping both the 100m and 200m titles at the Budapest World Championship. But, plot twist! She clinched silver in the 100m, with the gold going to the speedy Sha’Carri Richardson from the USA. A tad disappointed? Sure. But Shericka channeled that energy into the 200m, and oh boy, did she bring the heat! Round after round, she kept her best moves under wraps, waiting for the grand finale. And when the Final came, Shericka was on fire! Blasting off with a killer start, dominating the curve, and maintaining impeccable form, she zoomed past the finish line with a jaw-dropping 21.41 seconds.
That’s the second-fastest time ever!
She might’ve missed Florence Griffith-Joyner’s iconic 21.34-second World Record from the 1988 Seoul Olympics by a whisker, but with that kind of performance, 2024 is looking promising. Watch out world, Shericka’s on a mission to rewrite history.
Here are some Honourable Mentions of Outstanding Performances by Caribbean Athletes in the 2023 Track and Field Season:
1. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica earns her sixth 100-meter World Championship medal by taking bronze in Budapest.
2. Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred wins the 100 meters at the CAC Games.
3. Jaydon Hibbert of Jamaica’s 17.87-meter Triple Jump World Under Twenty Record at the Southern Eastern Conference Championship.
4. Roshawn Clarke of Jamaica’s World Under Twenty Record in the 400-meter Hurdles 47.34 seconds at the Budapest World Championship.
5. British Virgin Island’s Adaejah Hodge 22.33 seconds National Indoor Record and World Under Twenty Indoor Record in the 200 meters at the New Balance Indoor Nationals.
The 2023 Track and Field Season was indeed one of the best ones for the Caribbean region and with the Olympics being next year in Paris 2024 should be gearing up to do even better. Most athletes are now expected to be resting and having the intention to return for the 2024 Paris Olympics season to improve their performances and mount podiums.
2023: The Caribbean’s Track & Field Fiesta! 🎉
2023 was nothing short of a carnival for the Caribbean’s track and field stars! 🌴🏃♂️ And with the Paris 2024 Olympics just around the corner, things are about to get even hotter! 🥖🗼
While most of our athletic heroes are probably chilling on the beach right now, recharging those superhuman batteries, you can bet they’ve got one eye on Paris. They’re dreaming of faster times, higher jumps, and even more glittering medals. So, world, better watch out! The Caribbean storm is coming to Paris, and it’s aiming for the top of the podium!