Are you ready to witness the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on February 2? The contest will surely be exhilarating in the presence of Olympic victors and the losers. The New Balance Grand Prix wouldn’t bring inequality in the athletes’ status. Rather, the track and field contest will see them starting from the same white line, with zero special notation. Is this competition capable of crowning a clear winner in the US-Jamaican track and field rivalry? 

According to a Jamaican speedster, she will not go deeper in that discussion. Instead, she will continue what she does best- challenge her American rival once again and put her on another test on the track. Can you guess the names of these two athletes? Here’s a hint: both belong to women’s short hurdles events. 

On January 30, the X-handle of Grand Slam Track shared a clip of Ackera Nugent interacting with Tiara Williams. Over coffee, the tête-à-tête could have been something pleasant without any fiery words. But Williams could not help herself from bringing up the US-Jamaican track and field rivalry into the discussion. Being one of the young Turks in the Jamaican squad, Nugent failed to ignore the topic and the questions. 

It was all about Nugent’s competition with Masai Russell in the women’s 60m and 100m hurdles. The Jamaican youngster, meanwhile, claimed, “Both of us are very good competitors. We grew up in different situations. We grew up in different areas. We want this so bad for different reasons, but you know it’s the US against Jamaica.”  

At the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, Nugent will compete against Masai Russell in the women’s 60 m hurdles event. This will mark their first encounter in the event since March 11, 2023. It’s important to note that Russell will be looking to redeem herself on Feb 2nd. Two yeara ago, the Jamaican runner defeated the American athlete to secure the NCAA Division I Indoor title. However, much has changed since then. Masai is now the Olympic champion in the women’s 100m hurdles, having achieved that title by overcoming her Jamaican rival on the track.

Furthermore, two weeks ago, Russell crushed Devynne Charlton in the women’s 60 mH event in the Corky Classic. Sounds easy? Well, Charlton has two crowns in the event—she is the world record holder and the reigning world champion in women’s 60 mH. And in her next station, she will stand against Nugent. What does Ackera Nugent have to say about the whole situation?

“We don’t duck,” Ackera Nugent confirmed. We are so looking forward to another exciting battle in the US-Jamaican track and field rivalry! It will be quite a show and we expect to be on the edge of our seats throughout! But before moving to watch the duo lock horns again, here are a few details about the rivalry between Ackera and Masai Russell. 

The track and field battle from the college to the elite 

The women’s 60m hurdles and the 100 m hurdles—two names have constantly made rounds in the sport and among the fans, starting from the American college circuit all the way up to the elite contests. We are referring to Ackera Nugent and Masai Russell. Among them, Nugent has consistently maintained the upper hand in the contest. 

In the women’s 60 mH event, Nugent holds 3 victories against Russell while losing only one. In the 100m hurdles event too, Nugent has let Masai Russell taste the dust 11 times between 2019 and 2024. In reply, the American athlete has secured five victories against the Jamaican hurdler. But wait! Russell has the grandest victory. On August 10 last year, she snagged the Olympic gold in the event. So that achievement should give her an added boost in the upcoming competition. 

We are surely looking forward to Russell repeating her Olympic performance. In an interaction this year, she said, “The Olympic gold was just the beginning.” The former Kentucky star claimed, “Mentally in the front half of my season, but now like it’s a consistent flow of like I know what I’m at, I know what I’m doing. I’m training consistently, like my mindset is in the right place. So like, yeah, it can only be better.” After hearing these words, we surely cannot wait any longer! The showdown between Nugent and Russell at the NB Grand Prix will be one for the history books, that’s for sure.