Top-tier performances lit up the 2025 Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, held Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19 in Gainesville, Florida, as some of the world’s leading sprinters and hurdlers opened their outdoor seasons with blazing times.
Julien Alfred Dominates in Season-Opening 200m
Saint Lucia’s Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred kicked off her 2025 campaign with authority, clocking 21.88 (0.2m/s) to dominate the women’s 200m. The performance is the second-fastest wind-legal time ever recorded this early in the year and narrowly missed her national record of 21.86 from London 2024. Alfred’s margin of victory—nearly half a second—underscored her form. Nigeria’s Favour Ofili took second in 22.34, followed by Tamari Davis (22.37) and Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke (22.57).
Women’s 200m Olympic Dev. Heat 1 Results
POS. NAME MARK
1 Julien Alfred 21.88
2 Favour Ofili 22.34
3 Tamari Davis 22.37
4 Rhasidat Adeleke 22.57
5 Daryll Neita 22.89
6 Niesha Burgher 23.09
DNS Thelma Davies
Charamba Breaks 20 Seconds, Fahnbulleh Impresses
Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba made headlines in the men’s 200m, running a lifetime best of 19.99 (-0.8m/s) to break the 20-second barrier. In a separate heat, Liberian Olympic finalist Joseph Fahnbulleh posted a strong 20.07 (1.3m/s) to secure the win.
Sprint Hurdles: Cunningham and Stark Upset the Olympic Champions
In Saturday’s sprint hurdles, USA’s Trey Cunningham edged out Olympic champion Grant Holloway, posting a sharp 13.09 (1.5m/s) in his season debut—just 0.09 off his personal best. Holloway, returning for his first race since his World Indoor 60m hurdles triumph, finished second in 13.18. Dylan Beard rounded out the top three in 13.33.
On the women’s side, Grace Stark opened her season in style, winning the 100m hurdles final in 12.59 (-0.7m/s). She had earlier qualified with a swift 12.51 (0.2m/s) in the heats. Masai Russell finished runner-up in 12.65, with Christina Clemons third in 12.82.
Men’s 400m Produces Early World Lead
The men’s 400m saw two world-leading marks fall within minutes. First, Jacory Patterson won his heat in 44.27, while Noah Lyles, contesting his first professional 400m, ran 45.87 for fifth. Just two heats later, Chris Robinson—primarily a 400m hurdler—surged to a massive PB of 44.15, overtaking Patterson’s mark to claim the new world lead. Matthew Boling followed in 44.92.
Lyles, though out of his usual distance, also delivered fireworks in the 4x100m relay, anchoring a stacked Team USA alongside Christian Coleman, Pjai Austin, and Erriyon Knighton to a commanding win in 37.90.
Women’s 400m and 100m Sparkle
Aaliyah Butler delivered the day’s fastest women’s 400m, slicing more than half a second off her previous best to clock 49.44, signaling her arrival on the global scene.
Meanwhile, Anavia Battle became the first woman in 2025 to break the 11-second barrier in the 100m, recording a new personal best of 10.98 (1.6m/s).
In the men’s Olympic Development 100m final, Kanyinsola Ajayi, clocked wind legal 9.96 for the win (the 2nd fastest time this year in the world.
With multiple world leads, personal bests, and promising season openers, the 2025 Tom Jones Memorial delivered a powerful preview of what’s to come this year in global track and field.
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