Confident Nugent expected to win

SPRINT HURDLER Ackera Nugent continues to break barriers as she shattered the Jamaican women’s 100-metre hurdles record for the second time this year, storming to an impressive 12.24-second win at the Rome Diamond League meet yesterday.

Nugent lowered her previous national mark of 12.28, set in June at the National Championships.

She also registered the fourth-fastest time on the all-time list as well as a new meet record, erasing Jasmine Camacho-Quinn’s 12.34 done in 2022.

Nugent, the new world leader in the event, was a class above the field, finishing ahead of Olympic champion, the United States’ Masai Russell, who was second in 12.31 and the Netherlands’ Nadine Visser, third in 12.52. Russell’s 12.25 was the previous world lead.

World indoor champion, the Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton, registered an DNF having hit a few hurdles before being forced to abort the race.

Nugent said she was not surprised.

WIN EXPECTED

“Yeah, I kind of expected to win here. I really enjoyed this race. For the next races, I do not promise anything because it will depend on the day and the weather also,” she explained in her post-race interview.

The win is another show of Nugent’s rich vein of form following disappointment at the Paris Olympic Games.

One of those expected to challenge for the Olympic crown, Nugent had to settle for a DNF in the event’s final after impressive performances leading up to the competition.

She said her victory was not a show of revenge following her heartbreak at the Olympics, but rather a case of her enduring past the disappointment and enjoying her career.

“This victory is not like a revenge for the Olympics for me,” she explained.

“I am just in really good shape. I was injured before and this is a new experience for me. I am still so young. I still got to show up. My emotions? I guess they have not kicked in yet because I am still so full of adrenaline.”

Other Jamaicans in action included Shiann Salmon in the women’s 400-metre hurdles. Salmon finished second on the day in a time of 53.20 behind Olympic silver medallist Anna Cockrell who took the podium in 52.29.

Janieve Russell was fourth in 54.46, just ahead of compatriot Andrennette Knight, 54.90.

Former Olympic champion Omar McLeod was third in a tightly contested men’s 110-metre hurdles race with a time of 13.28. Orlando Bennett was fifth in 13.33. The race where the two finished behind French star Sasha Zhoya, who clocked an impressive 13.18 to win the event, did not form part of the Diamond League schedule..

In the field, Jamaica also enjoyed some good performances.

Olympic record holder Roje Stona had to settle for second in the men’s discus throw with a distance of 67.85 metres. He was bettered by Slovakia’s Kristen Ceh, who won with 68.61 on his final throw.

Romain Beckford also placed second in the men’s high jump with a personal best of 2.30 metres, the same height as winner Woo Sanghyeok of South Korea.

In the men’s shot put, Olympic bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell was fifth with a throw of 21.52 metres. The event was won by Olympic champion Ryan Crouser, who won with a new meet record of 22.49.