Coming on the back of a blistering win in Clermont, Junelle Bromfield failed to repeat the trick at the USATF Bermuda Grand Prix. Bromfield’s pre-event practice schedule with her boyfriend, Noah Lyles, in the Florida Adidas facility which yielded results last weekend didn’t help her secure a podium finish this time around. Thus, the two sprinters had contrasting fortunes in Devonshire.
Bromfield finished in fifth position clocking a time of 54.09 seconds while fellow Jamaican, Stacey-Ann Williams, earned the top position with 51.71. Bromfield left behind other Jamaican athletes like Rushell Clayton, who chased Junelle in the final 50m rigorously but finished the race with a timing of 54.48 sitting at the sixth position on the leaderboard. Still, the difference between Bromfield’s and Williams’ time shows a disappointing outing for Noah Lyles’ girlfriend.
Perhaps the +3.0 wind could be a factor affecting her performance but she would not be pleased given her last week’s performance had garnered a lot of expectations ahead of the USATF Bermuda Grand Prix.
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USATF Bermuda Grand Prix: women's 400m results
51.71🇯🇲Stacey-Ann Williams
53.00🇨🇮Jessika Gbai
53.21🇲🇽Paola Moran
53.57🇵🇷Gabby Scott
54.09🇯🇲Junelle Bromfield
54.48🇯🇲Rushell Clayton
54.77🇺🇸Courtney Okolo pic.twitter.com/ZgzczCBHxN— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) April 28, 2024
The practice session with Noah Lyles had a positive effect for her last weekend in Clermont. Her searing pace helped her achieve the top podium of the 400m event in 52.13 seconds. However, in Devonshire, that performance went missing in tune with her efforts so far this season which have remained topsy-turvy.
Junelle Bromfield appeared in the Tom Jones Memorial Classic as well. But in the final, she gained the fifth position. On the other hand, in the Glasgow Indoor Championship, she earned the runner-up position in the second heat. In contrast, she ended her New Balance Indoor Grand Prix contest with a fifth-place finish in the 400m event.
In comparison, Noah Lyles won the 100m in 9.96 seconds in his first outdoor race of the Olympic season at the Flora Duffy Stadium. While there is no concrete information regarding Noah Lyles’ girlfriend’s next track and field endeavor, she could possibly appear in the Jamaican track and field Olympic trials and she has been named in the 4x400m & Mixed Relay team by Jamaica at the World Athletics Relays, scheduled for May 4 and 5 in Bahamas. So she will need to step up her game and be more consistent.
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Will Noah Lyles’ Bermuda Grand Prix success motivate her?
A comeback tip from Noah Lyles
While Junelle Bromfield had to settle for the fifth position in the 400m event on April 28, her boyfriend, Noah Lyles, did a fine job of resurrecting his sub-9 finishing ability. Lyles’ performance remained special as he stepped into the Flora Duffy stadium, defeating his soreness. Eventually, that soreness had been at the core of his defeat in the Tom Jones Memorial Classic a few weeks ago.
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So, Noah Lyles’ performance could act as a motivation for Junelle Bromfield just before the Paris Olympics trial. However, in the past, she showcased her firm will.
After her mother’s demise, Junelle’s motivational comeback in the Tokyo Olympics has worked as an inspiration for many. So, she would have to show a similar iron-cast will in the ongoing season as well. Surely, Noah Lyles will play his role to become her pole star in that journey.