Rushell Clayton (born 18 October 1992) is a Jamaican athlete specialising in the 400 metres hurdles.[1] She won the bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships and again at the 2023 World Championships, setting her personal best of 52.81 seconds, In 2024, she became the first Jamaican woman since 2011 to break the 53-second barrier in the 400m hurdles.
Career
In 2014 Clayton competed at the NACAC U23 Championships in Kamloops, where she won bronze medals in the 4x100 m relay and 400 m hurdles.[1]
Clayton had a breakthrough year in 2019, winning the 400 m hurdles at the Jamaican Championships in a personal best time of 54.73 s. She won a bronze medal over the same distance at the Pan American Games.[2] At the World Championships in Doha, Clayton claimed a shock bronze medal in a big personal best of 53.74 s, her first time under the 54-second barrier.[3]
She was unable to compete for the majority of the 2021 season due to a leg injury.[4] But returned in the 2022 season, finishing sixth at the 2022 World Championships.[5] Clayton also placed fourth at that year's Commonwealth Games.[6] She set a personal best to win her first Diamond League in Monaco, clocking 53.33 s.[7] She ended her season by setting a meet record of 53.89 s at the Hanžeković Memorial.[8]
On 13 April 2024, Clayton set a new personal best of 51.81 s over 400 m at the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville. She set a new personal best over 400 m hurdles in winning the 2024 Jamaican Championships, with a time of 52.51 s.[1] At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Clayton finished fifth in a time of 52.68 s.[12]
On 22 October 2024, Clayton signed with Grand Slam Track to be a Racer for the 2025 season.[13]
