Ackera Nugent leads Caribbean surge with record-breaking hurdles win in Rome

Ackera Nugent of Jamaica continued her incredible form at the Rome Diamond League on Friday, setting a new world-leading time and breaking her own national record in the 100m hurdles.

Nugent, who recently made headlines with a meet record of 12.29 seconds in Silesia, Poland, outdid herself in Rome, crossing the finish line in a blistering 12.24 seconds. This time not only shattered the previous meet record of 12.37 seconds, set by Jasmine Camacho-Quinn in June 2022, but also bettered her own Jamaican record of 12.28 seconds set earlier this year.

The race took place under challenging conditions, with a slight headwind of -0.4m/s, making Nugent's achievement even more impressive. Her victory was a statement of resilience, coming just weeks after she crashed out of the 100m hurdles final at the Paris Olympics.

Despite beating American Masai Russell, who won the event in Paris and finished second in Rome with a time of 12.31 seconds, Nugent was quick to clarify that her win was not about seeking revenge but rather about taking advantage of her current peak form.

'I’m just running on adrenaline'

“This wasn’t about revenge for me; it was about making the most of where I’m at right now,” Nugent said. “I was injured before, and now I’m experiencing this fresh, new phase. I’m still young, still learning. Honestly, I haven’t fully processed it yet—I’m just running on adrenaline.”

Nadine Visser of the Netherlands completed the podium, taking third with a time of 12.52 seconds.

In the men's 110m hurdles, Frenchman Sasha Zhoya claimed victory in 13.18 seconds, just ahead of Spain's Azier Martinez, who narrowly beat Jamaica's Omar McLeod for second place with times of 13.27 and 13.28 seconds, respectively.

Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford achieved a personal best in the men's high jump, clearing 2.30m to secure second place. The top spot went to Sanghyeok Woo, who also cleared 2.30m but won due to fewer missed attempts.

The men’s 400m saw a thrilling race, with Zimbabwe’s Muzala Samukonga taking first place in 43.99 seconds. Grenada’s Kirani James and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards finished second and third with times of 44.30 and 44.55 seconds, respectively.

Stona secures second place

In the men’s discus, Jamaica’s Olympic champion Roje Stona secured second place with a throw of 67.85m. The event was won by Slovenia’s Kristjan Čeh, who threw 68.61m, while world record holder Mykolas Alekna finished third with a distance of 67.68m. Reflecting on his performance, Stona expressed mixed feelings: “This was my first Diamond League event, and it’s a bit disappointing to lose on the last throw, but that’s part of the sport. I had my chances, but overall, it’s still a good result.”

Shian Salmon of Jamaica gave a strong performance in the women’s 400m hurdles, finishing second behind American Olympic silver medalist Anna Cockrell, who clocked a dominant 52.59 seconds. Salmon finished in 53.20 seconds, with Shamier Little of the United States taking third in 54.15 seconds. Jamaica’s Janieve Russell and Andrenette Knight finished fourth and fifth, respectively, with Knight fading after an early lead.

The meet concluded with a stunning 100m final, where the Olympic 200m champion delivered a remarkable performance to win in 9.87 seconds, easing past Americans Christian Coleman, who finished in 9.92 seconds, and Fred Kerley, who clocked 9.95 seconds. Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake took fourth place with a time of 10.03 seconds.

Nugent’s record-breaking run and the strong showings by other Caribbean athletes underscored the region’s growing influence in global athletics, making it a memorable day at the Rome Diamond League.