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Flawless Tapper not surprised by PB
June 30, 2025
Megan Tapper is back!
The diminutive sprint hurdler made the pronouncement -- on the track and her own words after reclaiming her national hurdles title.
Tapper and Orlando Bennett stole the spotlight on yesterday's final day of competition at the National Senior and Junior Championships at the National Stadium, as both were crowned national champions.
Olympic bronze medallist Tapper of Elite Performance Track Club, who fell in last year's final and failed to finish, made up for that disappointment by capturing her fourth senior title in the women's 100m hurdles, winning in a personal best of 12.34 seconds.
"Megan is back," Tapper exclaimed in a post-race interview. "This year is just the halfway for Megan as there is much more to come in the future.
"First, I must give thanks to God and to the people around me, including my sponsor, Sandals. This win is for all of them," she said.
Like she did in the semi-finals, Tapper was flawless. She got a bullet start and maintained her form throughout the race, upstaging pre-race favourite and defending champion Ackera Nugent, who finished second in 12.41. Amoi Brown rounded out the top three with 12.67, while Kerrica Hill of Elite Performance finished fourth in a personal best 12.69.
"I know that Ackera is a fantastic athlete, but once I got my lead leg perfect, I knew I would have won," the confident Tapper shared.
"Running a personal best didn't surprise me because in training I was running fast times equal to my PB today," she added.
NEW CHAMPION
With defending champion Rasheed Broadbell withdrawing from the men's 110m hurdles final after picking up an injury during warm-up, the stage was set for a new champion.
Undoubtedly the most consistent male sprint hurdler in the country since leaving high school, Orlando Bennett finally got his first senior title, clocking 13.10 seconds -- just one-hundredth of a second off his personal best.
The former Calabar High School athlete, who finished a close second in a three-way photo finish last year with the same time as winner Broadbell, kept his composure to stave off the challenge from young Demario Prince of Baylor University.
Prince ran a strong race to finish second in a personal best 13.12, while Tyler Mason ended third in 13.22. Jaheim Stern of Louisiana State University was fourth in 13.29.
Former champion Hansle Parchment could only manage sixth, in 13.39.
Ashanti Moore of Sprin Tec was crowned the new champion in the women's 200m, winning in 22.66 seconds ahead of Gabrielle Matthews (22.80), with Roneisha McGregor third in 22.86.
Briana Williams' woes at the championships continued. After failing to make the 100m final, she was disqualified from the 200m for a false start.
Defending champion Bryan Levell made up for his disappointing performance in the men's 100m -- where he finished at the back of the pack due to injury concerns -- by winning the final event of the Championships, the 200m, in 20.10.
The time also met the automatic 'A' qualifying standard for the World Championships.
Christopher Taylor was second in 20.28, with Adrian Kerr third in 20.49.
In the field events, defending champion Jordan Scott continued his good form this season in the men's triple jump, winning with a distance of 17.15 metres. Schoolboy Chevez Penn of Jamaica College was second with 16.53, and Romaine Lewis of Calabar High took third with 15.54m.
Shaquane Dunn took top honours in the men's shot put with a heave of 18.33 metres. Christopher Young (17.93m) and Moses Parkinson (17.38m) completed the podium.
Nayoka Clunis continued her dominance in the women's hammer throw, winning with a distance of 69.05 metres.
FIRST SENIOR FINAL
In the first senior final of the day, the women's 400m, defending champion Nickeisha Pryce retained her title and made it three wins in a row, clocking a season-best 49.97 seconds.
Pryce made her move after the final curve and held off the challenge of Stacy-Ann Williams in the final 50 metres. Dejanea Oakley, who was left behind early in the race, finished fast to edge Williams for second, with both athletes credited with 50.08.
National record holder Rusheen McDonald, who has been showing good form this season, captured his first 400m senior title -- but nearly threw it away at the end.
Defending champion Deandre Watkins was the fastest away out of lane eight, followed by Shameer Uter and Jevaughn Kelly. However, McDonald of MVP kept his cool and took control in the final 50 metres, opening up a good lead. But as he slowed down in celebration close to the finish, Delano Kennedy of Uptimum Performance made a late surge. McDonald just held on for the win in a season-best 44.89 seconds.
Delano Kennedy finished second in a personal best 44.91.
