KINGSTON, Jamaica – Two-time World Championships medallist Rushell Clayton ran a world leading 53.72 seconds to win the women’s 400m hurdles at Saturday’s inaugural Jamaica Athletics Invitational at the National Stadium.

Clayton got off to a fast start and held off American Anna Cockrell, who ran a season’s best 53.76 seconds, and former world under-20 silver medallist Shiann Salmon who was third in a season’s best 54.57 seconds.

Clayton took over the world lead from American Rachel Glenn who ran 54.02 seconds earlier in the weekend. It was her fastest-ever run to open her competitive season.

Meanwhile, Malik James King ran a massive personal best 48.39 seconds to upset the men’s field, bettering his previous best 49.51 seconds set in 2021 and moving from 37th all-time on the Jamaican list to 11th.

He finished ahead of World Champs and Olympic finalist Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands (49.00 seconds) and national champion Jaheel Hydel who was third in 49.48 seconds.
-Paul A Reid