LONDON – Racing in her first Diamond League meet as a professional, Razorback sprinter Nickisha Pryce improved her Jamaican 400m record with a world-leading winning performance of 48.57 seconds at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday.
Pryce moves to No. 7 performer with the No. 13 performance on the all-time world list. Some of the names she passed on the world all-time list include legendary figures in the event and sport – Australia’s Cathy Freeman (48.63), along with Americans Sanya Richards-Ross (48.70) and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (48.74).
The meet record of 49.05 set by Richards-Ross in 2006 was shattered by Pryce in finishing ahead of Poland’s Natalie Kaczmarek, who set a national record of 48.90, and Netherland’s Lieke Klaver, who registered a career best of 49.58.
Amber Anning, the 2024 British champion, finished fourth in 49.63 while another GB sprinter, Laviai Nielson, set a career best with a 49.87 for fifth place.
Pryce bettered her Jamaican record of 48.89 she set in winning the NCAA title this season and she topped the 2024 world-leading time of 48.75 set by McLaughlin-Levrone in New York City a day after Pryce’s 48.89 in Eugene.
Racing in lane 6, Pryce added another notation to her stellar performance. The previous fastest time ever in lane 6 was 48.61 set by Jarmila Kratochvílová of Czechoslovakia in 1981 when she won the World Cup title held in Rome, Italy.
In moving into the world all-time top 10 performers, Pryce is the second fastest Caribbean sprinter behind a 48.36 by Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas from 2021.
Shamier Little placed second in the 400m hurdles with a season best of 52.78 seconds to finish behind Femke Bol of the Netherlands, who posted a winning time of 51.30 to better her meet record of 51.45 set in 2023.
A pair of Jamaicans claimed third and fourth place with Rushell Clayton at 53.24 while Andrenette Knight produced a season best of 53.69 over British hurdler Jessie Knight (54.15).
“I love this stadium, it is so loud and really is what track and field about,” stated Little. “I really wanted to stay upright today, stay focused and get a good a good time.
“With the relay in Paris I am very excited as I love the team environment of the relay and the Olympics. I haven’t raced on a relay at this level before, so I’m very excited. Being Team USA we will expect to medal and get a good time, so I want to part of that of course.”
In a rare defeat, Ryan Crouser finished second in the shot put with a mark of 73-4.75 (22.37) behind Italian Leonardo Fabbri, who claimed the victory with a mark of 73-10.75 (22.52).
Crouser had three fouls in his series after opening the competition with a 72-11.25 (22.23) mark. In the fifth round, Crouser improved to 73-4.75 (22.37) after Fabbri claimed the lead. In the final round, Crouser reached a distance of 72-6.25 (22.10).
Payton Otterdahl placed third (72-7.25 | 22.13) while Joe Kovacs finished fourth (72-3.5 | 22.03).
“Overall, I was pretty happy with today,” noted Crouser, the two-time defending Olympic gold medalist. “Obviously, I would have liked to win but I was pretty consistent out there so overall it wasn’t a bad day.
“It was a good step in getting ready for Paris. I’ve got a couple more weeks, but I can see myself rapidly improving after injury. I’m staying here until Paris so I don’t have to worry about jetlag once we get to the Olympics. It wasn’t perfect today, but it was a lot better than it could have been.”
Sandi Morris tied for third place in the pole vault with a clearance of 15-3 (4.65) to match the height cleared by Molly Caudery of Great Britain. Seven of the nine entrants cleared the 15-3 bar.
Nina Kennedy of Australia won the event with a 15-11 (4.85) height with Canada’s Alysha Newman runner-up at 15-7 (4.75). Morris and Caudery both cleared two bars (14-9 | 4.50 & 15-3 | 4.65) on first attempts and then missed 15-7.
