Peters claims another European podium; James seventh in Brescia

by Michael Bascombe

BERLIN, Germany, Aug. 30, 2026 - Anderson Peters secured his second podium finish in four days with a runner-up effort in the men’s javelin at ISTAF Berlin on Sunday, while fellow Grenadian Kirani James ran under 45 seconds but placed seventh at the Grand Prix Brescia in Italy.

Peters recorded a best throw of 83.32 metres, finishing behind Germany’s Julian Weber, who delighted the home crowd with a winning effort of 89.54m.

The two-time world champion entered the final round in second place with 83.10m before improving by 22 centimetres with his last attempt.

Weber also saved his best for the final round, moving from 85.59m to 89.54m to secure the victory.

American Marc Anthony Minichello finished third with 83.28m, just four centimetres behind Peters. Germany’s Nick Thumm was fourth with 83.10m.

Sunday’s result gave Peters another runner-up finish after his season-best throw of 86.93m at the Zurich Diamond League on Thursday.

In Brescia, James completed the men’s 400m in 44.92 seconds but had to settle for seventh in a race separated by narrow margins.

South Africa’s Leendert Koekemoer won in 44.52, with Dutch runner Jonas Phijffers second in 44.61. Australia’s Reece Holder secured third in 44.63.

James finished only four-tenths of a second behind the winner and 0.29 outside the podium. His performance was his second sub-45-second clocking in four days, following his season best of 44.83 for third in Zurich.

There were two victories for OECS athletes at the Brescia meeting.

St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Shafiqua Maloney won the women’s 800m in one minute, 58.03 seconds.

Ireland’s Sophie O’Sullivan finished second in 1:58.60, narrowly ahead of Italy’s Eloisa Coiro, who took third in 1:58.62.

Dominica’s Olympic champion Thea LaFond won the women’s triple jump with 14.50m, achieved in the third round against a 1.6 metres-per-second headwind.

Bulgaria’s Gabriela Petrova placed second with 14.17m, while Jamaica’s Ackelia Smith completed the podium with 14.13m. 

Kirani James set to headline Barbados Grand Prix on July 4

by Michael Bascombe

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, June 13, 2026 - Grenada's Olympic and world champion, Kirani James, is expected to headline an impressive list of international athletes for the second edition of the Barbados Grand Prix, scheduled for July 4 at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex.

The announcement was made by Barbados Grand Prix founder and organiser Aren Spencer during an appearance on the TalkSports programme on Saturday, where he outlined the unique team-based format that distinguishes the meet from traditional track and field competitions.

Spencer revealed that fans can expect a diverse field of competitors ranging from promising junior athletes and NCAA Division I performers to established professionals, Olympians, and international stars.

"We're very excited about the names that we were able to attract," Spencer said. "There are some professional athletes, some Olympians, some names that Barbados really gets excited about - Shade Williams, Akela Jones, and even internationally, Andrew Hudson from Jamaica, Davonte Howell, Kelly-Ann Beckford, Shafiqua Maloney, and most importantly, Kirani James."

According to Spencer, one of the exciting features of the competition is that the elite athletes are spread across four teams - Lions, Panthers, Eagles, and Falcons - creating a highly competitive and entertaining atmosphere throughout the meet.

"As I mentioned earlier, they're all kind of spread out amongst the teams, so that makes it very, very exciting," he explained.

The organiser also highlighted the participation of several emerging stars, including NCAA Division I athletes such as Grenadian sprinter Nazzio John, who recently qualified for the NCAA Championships in the United States.

Another athlete expected to generate interest is Amir Thompson, the son of former Barbadian sprint star Obadele Thompson.

Spencer confirmed that James has been assigned to Team Panthers, one of the four squads competing for overall honours.

The inclusion of the Grenadian superstar is particularly significant for the organisers, as securing his participation was a lengthy process that took several months of negotiations.

"The announcement of Kirani was huge," Spencer said. "That was something that was in the works for a long time. I have to shout out my dad for that. He was so persistent about Kirani. We negotiated with his agent for a long time."

He noted that uncertainty surrounding James' competition schedule and the timing of the Prefontaine Classic meant organisers had to wait for official confirmation before finalising arrangements.

"We had to wait until the official announcement. That's something we've been negotiating for a couple of months now. We were so happy when that came through, and he agreed to be a part of the event," Spencer said.

For Spencer, James' commitment represents a major milestone in the young competition's growth.

"He's a legend not only in the Caribbean but in the world of track and field," Spencer added. "For somebody like him to be involved in a meet that I conceptualised in my bedroom last year, that's a testament to how far we've come in such a short space of time."