Ackeem Blake Sizzles with 9.96 at Velocity Fest 17 as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Skips A Final After 10.94 Season Opener

Written by Leighton Levy. Posted in Athletics. | 20 April 2025 | 647 Views
Tags: Ackeem Blake, Rasheed Broadbell, Rusheen Mcdonald, Sada Williams, Tina Clayton, Velocity Fest 17

Ackeem Blake delivered a commanding performance at Velocity Fest 17 on Saturday night, clocking a blistering 9.96 seconds to win the men's 100m B final at the National Stadium in Kingston. The time, which came with legal wind, marked a meet record and season best for the Dynamic Speed Track Club sprinter, who looked sharp and in control from start to finish.

Blake’s time stood comfortably ahead of Elite Performance’s Nigel Ellis, who ran a season-best 10.11 for second, while Bryan Levell of Uptimum Track Club clocked 10.19 to take third in the same race.

Earlier in the evening, five-time world 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce had made her season debut in one of the preliminary races, posting a wind-aided 10.94 — her earliest season opener since 2022. However, the two-time Olympic gold medallist did not return for the women's 100m A final later in the night. The reason for her withdrawal remains unclear.

In Fraser-Pryce’s absence, MVP Track Club’s Tina Clayton took top honours in the A final with a season-best 11.17, edging teammates Natasha Morrison (11.29) and Serena Cole (11.30). Kemba Nelson of Elite was just fractions behind in 11.30 as well.

On the men’s side, Guyana’s Emanuel Archibald won the C final in 10.27, while Adrian Kerr of Motorcade Track Club topped the D final in 10.34.

Elsewhere on the track, Commonwealth champion Rasheed Broadbell opened his 110m hurdles campaign with a smooth 13.37 to win comfortably ahead of MVP stablemate Odario Phillips, who crossed in 13.61.

Rusheen McDonald ran 20.57 to claim victory in the men’s 200m A final, finishing well clear of World 400m champion Antonio Watson (21.08) and Dominican Republic’s Yancarlos Martínez (21.27). On the women’s side, Tia Clayton posted a personal best 23.09 to secure victory over Roneisha McGregor (23.34) and rising Elite Performance talent Alliah Alicia Baker (23.37), who also ran a lifetime best.

In the longer sprints, Zambia’s Patrick Nyambe of Racers Track Club took the men’s 400m A final in 45.80, with Demish Gaye (46.03) and Javier Brown (46.11) rounding out the top three.

Barbados’ Sada Williams was an easy winner in the women’s 400m A final, stopping the clock in 51.27 ahead of SprinTec’s Shiann Salmon (52.20) and Jodean Williams (53.01).