By JONATHAN BURROWS
Tribune Sports Reporter
jburrows@tribunemedia.net
THREE-time consecutive World Indoor Women's 60-metre hurdles champion Devynne Charlton returned to the track where she began her journey at the old Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on Saturday to share her knowledge with the next generation of Bahamian hurdlers by hosting a free clinic through the Devynne Charlton Barrier Breakers Foundation.
The one-day clinic, held from 10am to 1pm, brought young athletes together for an opportunity to learn from the Bahamian world indoor record holder and three-time world indoor champion, with American Olympic hurdles finalist Alaysha Johnson joining as a special guest.
Charlton said giving back to the community had become an important part of her responsibility as an athlete who has reached the highest levels of international competition, particularly through helping young Bahamians develop their skills and confidence in track and field.
“Once I achieve a certain level, I kind of owe it to the community to come back in and kind of pour into the kids,” Charlton said. “That’s one of the things I’m passionate about, which is the hurdles, track and field, the Bahamians and Bahamian youth.”
She explained that the clinic provided an opportunity to bring those interests together while giving young athletes access to knowledge that could help them progress in the sport.
Charlton also acknowledged the role other athletes played in her own development, noting that she had people she looked up to who helped her along the way. She views the clinic as an opportunity to return that favour by passing on what she has learnt to future generations of Bahamian track and field athletes.
Whenever she has the opportunity to return home and share her knowledge, Charlton said she takes it, while also trying to bring other athletes with her who can contribute their experience and expertise to the development of young Bahamians.
Her accomplishments have provided a strong example for the athletes who attended Saturday’s session.
Charlton won the women’s 60 metres hurdles at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in 2024 and successfully defended her title in 2025 before claiming a third consecutive championship in March 2026. She equalled her world record of 7.65 seconds in that final, becoming the first athlete to win the event three consecutive times.
Johnson, an Olympic finalist and NACAC champion, welcomed the opportunity to work alongside Charlton and contribute to the development of the young athletes. “I’m excited and honoured that Devynne invited me,” Johnson said. “It’s always an honour when someone so amazing, who has accomplished so much, is giving back to their community.”
Johnson, who has experience conducting children’s camps, said she was eager to share her knowledge and help the participants leave the clinic with something they could apply to their development.
“I do a lot of children camps, so I was super excited to bring my knowledge and what I know about just interacting with the children and really giving them something that they can take away from this experience,” she said.
The practical sessions focused on the technical demands of hurdling, with athletes working on setting their starting blocks, developing their starting technique and counting their steps between hurdles. They also worked on hurdle clearance, lead leg and trail leg technique, maintaining rhythm between barriers, body positioning and accelerating out of each hurdle.
These fundamentals are important in sprint hurdling, where an efficient start and a consistent stride pattern can determine how quickly an athlete negotiates the barriers without losing momentum.
Among the participants was 16-year-old Bahamian hurdler Jahcario Wilson, who recently enjoyed an impressive season that included a fifth-place finish in the men’s 110 metres hurdles at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Wilson clocked 13.08 seconds in the final, setting a new Bahamas Under-20 national record after establishing another national mark in the semi-finals. His performance capped a season in which he continued to make progress against international competition.
Earlier in the year, Wilson won the under-20 men’s 110 metres hurdles at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ (BAAA) CARIFTA Trials in March in 13.71 seconds. He went on to earn silver in the event at the CARIFTA Games in Grenada, finishing in 13.53 seconds.
The young hurdler attended Charlton’s clinic with a specific objective in mind, identifying his opening steps and approach to the first hurdle as areas he wanted to improve ahead of the next season.
“Yeah, I came to improve my start, like my first seven steps to the first hurdle,” Wilson said.
He believes strengthening that part of his race will help him build a more effective performance.
“I think it will help me a lot, because I get to learn how to get powerful in the first few steps, the seven steps to the first hurdle. I know I could build my race from there, because the start of the race, the first seven steps, determine what happens for the rest of the race,” he said.
Wilson’s comments highlighted the importance of the technical work undertaken throughout the clinic, as athletes were allowed to identify weaknesses and receive real-time guidance from two of the best international hurdlers.
Saturday's clinic provided another example of Charlton’s commitment to investing in the future of track and field in The Bahamas.