Tia Jones vs Devynne Charlton: The world record holders set to go head-to-head at the World Indoor Championships 2024 in Glasgow
Fans will soon witness a stellar show as Tia Jones and Devynne Charlton, the 60m hurdles world record holders, will face off at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships.
The event is scheduled from March 1 to 3, 2024 at the Commonwealth Arena in Glasgow, United Kingdom. Charlton shattered the long-standing world record at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold series - the Millrose Games on February 11, 2024, at the Armory in New York City, United States.
The 28-year-old Bahamian hurdler recorded an impressive time of 7.67 seconds. She left behind Tia Jones and Danielle Williams, both of whom recorded 7.79 seconds.
Within a week, at the 2024 USATF Indoor Championships, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jones displayed her remarkable athletic prowess and equaled the world record. The American hurdler achieved the feat in the first round of the event, leaving behind Masai Rusell and Jasmine Jones, who clocked 7.79 and 7.82 seconds, respectively.
Jones and Charlton came face to face at the third leg of the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold series - New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston, Massachusetts, held on February 4. There, Jones topped the 60m hurdles event by registering 7.72 seconds. She left behind Tobi Amusan and Charlton, who secured the following positions after recording 7.75 seconds and 7.76 seconds, respectively.
Tia Jones secures the 2024 USATF Championships victory by nearly missing the world record
After equaling the world record in the first round of the event, Tia Jones went on to showcase her outstanding athletics skills in the finals.
The 23-year-old clinched the gold medal in the 60m hurdles final after clocking yet another spectacular time of 7.68 seconds, only 0.01 second more than the world record. She left behind Jasmine Jones and Masai Rusell who recorded 7.78 and 7.80 seconds, respectively.
The Adidas athlete broke the previous American record of 7.70 seconds, set by Kendra Harrison in 2018 in Birmingham.
During a press conference before Jones' race, she informed the fans that she was 0.02 seconds closer to the American record, highlighting the efforts she is taking along with her coach.
"The American record is 7.70. I'm sitting on 7.72 now and will stay that if it isn't just one thing so the fact that I went 7.72 and I feel like I have so many things to work on and me being with the coach that I'm now is just refreshing to be with someone that can actually teach you and show you like what's the proper way to do things. So for me, I'm just going to focus on my start for one and staying clean," she explained.