McDonald back in top form

World 200 metres champion Shericka Jackson continued her dominance over the half-lap event at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial meet in Hungary yesterday but the Jamaican athlete who really caught the eye was national 400 metres record holder Rusheen McDonald.

McDonald clocked 44.03 seconds for second in the one-lap event behind Olympic champion Steven Gardiner of The Bahamas who produced a world-leading time of 43.74. American Vernon Norwood was third in 44.63.

The MVP Track Club athlete's time was his fastest since he set the national record 43.93 in 2015 and he is now the third fastest man in the world over the distance in 2023. Zambia's Muzala Samukonga is second fastest with 43.91.

McDonald, who won his heat in the preliminaries at the recent National Championships, did not show up for the semi-finals.

In the women's 200m, Jackson clocked 22.02 for victory ahead of Ireland's Rhasidat Adeleke (22.36) and Jackson's MVP teammate Anthonique Strachan who was third in 22.45. Briana Williams was seventh in a season's best 23.38.

In the men's 200m, Andrew Hudson finished third in 20.36, with Julian Forte fourth in 20.41 in his 200m season debut. Michael Campbell was sixth in 20.75 in a race which was won by Dominican Republic's Alexander Ogando who shocked World Championships bronze medallist Erriyon Knighton of the United States. Ogando won in 19.99 with Knighton second in 20.05.

Jamaica's Yohan Blake registered his first win in the 100m this season clocking 10.04. He led a Jamaican sweep with Ackeem Blake finishing second in 10.05 and national champion Rohan Watson third in 10.10.

In the women's 100m, American champion Sha'Carri Richardson was handed the first loss of her season when she was bested by St Lucia's Julien Alfred in 10.89. Richardson was second in 10.97, while American Tamari Davis was third in 11.02. Jamaica's Natasha Morrison was seventh in 11.32.

Andrenette Knight led a Jamaican sweep of the first four places in the women's 400m hurdles, clocking a personal best 53.26 seconds. National champion Janieve Russell was second in 53.72 and Rushell Clayton was third in 53.79. Shiann Salmon was fourth in 55.04.

Charokee Young finished sixth in the women's 400m in 51.35 in a race that was won by Barbadian Sada Williams in 50.34.

In the men's 110m hurdles Olympic champion Hansle Parchment was second in 13.14 seconds. American Daniel Roberts won the event in 13.12. Tyler Mason finished third, also in 13.14, while Damion Thomas was fifth in 13.45.

National champion Adelle Tracey registered a season's best 4:02.61 for fifth in the women's 1500m. Nelly Chepchirchir led a Kenyan one-two finish clocking 4:00.18 while her compatriot Brenda Chebet was second in 4:01.25.

In the field, former world champion Tajay Gayle produced a season's best effort of 8.27m to finish second in the men's long jump. Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece won the event with a distance of 8.29m.