The 2023 track and field season got underway weeks ago. For Jamaicans, it slipped into second gear after a weekend of outstanding performances by our athletes at home and abroad. The Gibson McCook Relays (GMR) threw up top-notch competition all-round, with a variety of institutions and clubs going home upbeat about the future. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, quite a few young Jamaican student-athletes gave strong performances indoors.

The finals of the GMR started poorly by GMR standards as the prime event, the 60m for women, turned out to be 70 metres, after the first section was completed. After that blunder, continuous excitement covered the obvious embarrassment. The finals (60m) produced the fastest times ever recorded over the distance locally. Tina Clayton proved once more that she is as competitive as they come, fending off the more experienced Sashalee Forbes with 7.02 to 7.03. Akeem Blake solidified his position as a bona fide threat to his more established countrymen, posting a quick 6.42 to hold off Oblique Seville, (same time) for the win. For the first time ever, prize monies were handed out to all eight finalists, with the winners collecting US$10,000.00 and US$6,000.00 for the second place. Good money for equally good performances.

In the relays, the Hydel girls demonstrated good speed and strength, posting a record 1:33.17 for the open two-lap 4x200m relay. Competition among the boys was good but the standards generally were not earth-shattering.

Further afield, some eye-catching marks were registered, mainly by college athletes in the USA. First, we had a 1:46.61 national record for 800m indoor by Tarees Rhoden of Clemson University. This may raise a few eyebrows as Navasky Anderson posted a faster 1:58.58 two weeks ago. However, Anderson ran on a 300m track, so his faster time will not be regarded as a record.

Off the track, long jumper Wayne Pinnock of the University of Arkansas was most impressive, jumping 8.31m in the SEC final. Another Jamaican, Carey McLeod of the same institution, posted 8.19m in the same event.

Teenager Jaydon Hibbert, who also attends the University of Arkansas, continues to impress in the Triple Jump, spanning a good 17.10m to take the South Eastern Conference title. Not too far behind Hibbert was Apalos Edwards of Louisianna State University, who bounded out to 16.84m.

Ackera Nugent also of the University of Arkansas continues to improve, running 7.81 over 60mH for 2nd in the SEC final. She is getting faster, having posted 7.22 in the flat 60m final.

Finally, former long jump world champion, Tajay Gayle, demonstrated a welcome return to form with 8.13m in Birmingham indoor meet in England.