NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamian hurdler Devynne Charlton etched her name in history at the 116th Millrose Games in New York City by shattering the world record in the women’s 60m hurdles, clocking an unmatched time of 7.67 seconds.
Having secured the silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and another silver at the 2022 World Indoor Championships with a national record of 7.81 seconds in the 60m hurdles, Charlton now stands as the world record holder in the 60-meter hurdles. Charlton’s career resume also includes representing the Bahamas at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she finished sixth in the 100m hurdles event.
The 28-year-old’s achievement follows in the footsteps of Danny Smith, a distinguished Bahamian hurdler from Bimini who set the world record in hurdles in 1974.
Smith, who represented The Bahamas in the 1972 and 1976 Olympics, was a world record holder, NCAA record holder, NCAA champion, and three-year All-American, rewriting the Florida State track record book during his illustrious career. From 1973 to 1975, he emerged as one of the world’s greatest indoor hurdlers, achieving remarkable feats at FSU. Smith made history as the first in NCAA history to win back-to-back NCAA Championships in the 60-yard hurdles in 1974 and 1975. As a sophomore, he tied the world record in the 50-yard hurdles at 5.8 seconds. Over his final two seasons, he either tied or set NCAA marks in both the 60 and 70-yard hurdles, leaving FSU as the owner of seven school records.