Featured image: Go Team Liberia (Destiny Smith-Barnett representing Liberia at the 2025 World Indoor Championships)

*Corrections note, March 22, 2025 — An earlier version of this article incorrectly spelled the runner’s name. It’s Destiny Smith-Barnett, not Destiny Barnett-Smith.

Liberia’s participation in the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships just wrapped in Nanjing, China. This year’s championships is being held from March 21 to 23.

Sprinter Destiny Smith-Barnett, who made her Olympic debut just last year at the Paris 2024 Summer Games, started her race on day two of the championships, but did not advance to the finals of the women’s 60 meters race.

“I didn’t think I would be able to bounce back so quickly, but God and my body had other plans and now we’re here.”Smith-Barnett told Go Team Liberia in regards to an Olympic injury she recovered from.

This is a first-time appearance at the Indoor Championships for the 28-year-old sprinter, who went into the meet ranked 29th in the world. She breezed through her first race placing third in her heat with 7.21 seconds and advanced to the semifinals along with Jamaica’s Jodean Williams in first (7.20) and Luxembourg’s Patrizia Van Der Weken in second (7.21).

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Hours later, Liberia returned to the track for the semifinals, where Smith-Barnett’s time at the Championships ended. She placed 7th in her heat clocking 7.29, while Poland and Belarus advanced, joining Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland, New Zealand, Great Britain, and China in the finals.

Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji finished the meet as the 2025 World Indoors women’s 60m champion (7.04). Zaynab Dosso took silver for Italy (7.06) and Patrizia Van Der Weken took bronze for Luxembourg (7.07).

What’s next after 2025 World Indoor Championships

Liberia’s national track and field coach, Sayon Cooper told Go Team Liberia that Smith-Barnett failed to find her rhythm during the competition, probably due to the long travel and time difference. She did not meet her season’s best time of 7.14, but he is sure she will be at the outdoor championship later this year.

“Despite the outcome, she should bounce back during the outdoor season,” Cooper told Go Team Liberia. “Semi-final on first indoor Championships is a step forward and something to build on — she will be back.”

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