Bahamian athlete Devynne Charlton made history at the 2024 Millrose Games in New York on the weekend by shattering the world record in the 60m hurdles event.
Charlton’s sensational performance came against a formidable field that included world champion Danielle Williams, former world leader Tia Jones, and NCAA 100m hurdles champion Ackera Nugent.
Meanwhile, Julien Alfred, the 22-year-old sprint sensation from St. Lucia, continued to dominate the indoor season with a stellar performance on Sunday. Alfred surged to victory in the 60m dash, clocking a world-leading time of 6.99 seconds, surpassing Ewa Swoboda’s previous mark of 7.01 set earlier in February.
Explosive speed and flawless technique
From the starting blocks, Charlton displayed explosive speed and flawless technique, propelling herself to an early lead. With remarkable precision, she crossed the finish line in a breath-taking 7.67 seconds, setting a new world record and national record. This achievement surpassed the previous record of 7.68 seconds held by Sweden’s Susanna Kallur since 2008.
Despite Charlton’s dominance, Williams, focusing on the Paris Olympics this summer, delivered a strong performance, clocking a season-best time of 7.79 seconds to secure second place. Jones matched Williams’ time, claiming third place in the tightly contested race.
Nugent also showcased her talent with a season-best time of 7.80 seconds, finishing fourth in the fiercely competitive event. Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper achieved a personal best of 7.98 seconds, securing seventh place.
Meanwhile, Alfred’s remarkable achievement not only secured her the win but also established new meet and facility records, solidifying her status as one of the top women sprinters globally.
Sub-seven-second finish
Her sub-seven-second finish reaffirms her position among the elite athletes in the world, building on her success from the previous NCAA season where she broke the seven-second barrier multiple times.
In the highly competitive women’s race, Alfred left her rivals trailing behind, with Shashalee Forbes of Jamaica finishing second in 7.14 seconds. Destiny Smith-Barnett of the USA claimed third place with a time of 7.16, while Jamaica’s Briana Williams secured fourth place in 7.25.
On the men’s side, Christian Coleman of the USA emerged victorious in the 60m dash with a time of 6.51 seconds, narrowly edging out Hakim Sani-Brown of Japan (6.54). Akeem Blake of Jamaica showcased his resilience by overcoming a slow start to finish third in 6.55 seconds, while Ryiem Forde of Jamaica achieved a personal best of 6.60 seconds, securing fourth place.
