Richards takes Diamond League Bronze
At the London Diamond League, Jereem Richards clocked an impressive time of 44.18 seconds in the men’s 400 metres at the Olympic Stadium in London, England.
Running in lane eight, Richards broke his personal best, improving on his 44.54 clocking he set in the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) one-lap title in El Salvador on July 6 last year.
Richards is now the second fastest T&T quarter-miler on record. Only Machel Cedenio, with his 44.01 national record, has run faster.
He moved past Ian Morris (44.21), Deon Lendore (44.36), Lalonde Gordon (44.52), and Renny Quow (44.53).
However, Richards performance only scored him third place, as two-time World Championships medallist Mathew Hudson-Smith, won in 43.74, breaking his own European record of 44.07 set on May 30. American Vernon Norward also finished ahead of Richards with a personal best of 44.10.
Charles Dobson of Great Britain (44.23b) and former World and Olympic champion Grenadian Kirani James (44.38) were fourth and fifth, respectively. US Collegiate winner Christopher Morales-Williams of Canada finished in sixth (44.90).
The race was Richards’ final run before the Paris Olympics, which open on July 26.
He is now seventh fastest in the world. However, he has yet to indicate if he will run the 400m or 200m, as he has achieved the Olympic standard in both sprints.
Jamaican Nikeisha Pryce was in London. Pryce won the women’s 400m in a new national record of 48.57, improving on the former mark of 48.89 she clocked in taking the USA Collegiate Crown on June 8.
Runner-up Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland also set a national record of 48.90. The ladies’ one-lap sprint was similarly fast as the men’s event, as the first five finishers dipped under 50 seconds.
Reigning World 100m and 200m champion Noel Lyles of the USA took the 100m sprint in a personal best of 9.81, ahead of South African Akini Sambine (9.86) and Botswana’s Letsile Tebago (9.88).
Keely-Hodgkinson set a Great Britain national record in the women’s 800m, clocking 1:54.61, and led a home sweep of the three spots as Jeema Reekie (1:55.61) and Georgia Bell (1:56.28) followed her to the finish line. Jamaican Natoya Goule-Toppin was fourth (1:58.81).
St. Lucia’s World Indoor 60m gold medallist Julien Alfred was second in the women’s 200m in 21.86. American Gabrielle Thomas, who produced a strong finish to win in 21.82. Great Brit Dina Asher-Smith ended in third (22.07).
The London Diamond League was the final major meet before the start of the Paris Olympics. The track and field will get underway on August 1–11.
