Elaine Thompson-Herah was the only Caribbean athlete to win on the final day of the Diamond League season in Zurich on Thursday but a few others came very close.
The Olympic 100 and 200m champion set a new meet record of 10.65 to win the 100m going away from Dina Asher-Smith who returned to form with a season-best run of 10.87 for second place. Third went to Ajla Del Ponte who ran a personal best 10.93. Daryll Neita also ran a personal best of 10.93 but was given fourth.
Since she won the gold medal in the 100m in Tokyo in a time of 10.61, Thompson-Herah has run times of 10.54, 10.64, 10.72 and 10.65 and became the first woman to run four wind-legal times under 10.70s.
During the meet where there were several close races, Kirani James narrowly missed out on winning the 400m in a stirring battle down the home stretch with Michael Cherry, whose legs gave out at the line but still managed to clock 44.41, just edging James as the two of them crashed to the track after crossing the line.
Deon Lendore of Trinidad and Tobago made it a Caribbean 2-3 as he clocked 44.81.
Another close finish unfolded in the 110m hurdles that ended with the USA’s Devon Allen being declared the champion even though he and Ronald Levy crossed the line together in 13.06. The time was 0.01 outside Levy’s lifetime best.
Olympic champion Hansle Parchment clipped a couple of hurdles, lost his rhythm and finished third in 13.17.
The 200m dashes were no different as Shericka Jackson ran a personal best 21.81 but just failed to hold off the fast-finishing Christine Mboma, who set a new WorldU20 record of 21.78, which was also an area record, for the victory.
Asher-Smith was unable to stay with them down the stretch and faded to third in 22.19.
Kenny Bednarek held off Andre Degrasse to win the men’s race in 19.70. His winning time was 0.02 seconds ahead of the Canadian who clocked 19.72.
Fred Kerley who won the 100m ahead of Degrasse, finished third in 19.83.
Megan Tapper has been on a tear since she became the first Caribbean woman to win a bronze medal in the 100m hurdles at the Olympics. She was third in Zurich in 12.55, just outside her lifetime best of 12.53 set during the first round of the event at the Tokyo Olympics last month.
It took a personal best and area record of 12.42 from Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan and a personal best and national record of 12.51 of the Netherlands’ Nadine Visser to beat her.
Quanera Hayes won the Women’s 400m in 49.88 over Dominica’s Marileidy Paulino, the Olympic silver medalist, who ran Hayes close to clock 49.96 for second place. Sada Williams of Barbados was third in 50.24, just edging Stephenie-Ann McPherson (50.25).
Candace McLeod was fifth in 50.96.
Karsten Warholm continued his imperious form in the 400m hurdles winning in 47.35 ahead of Alison Dos Santos (47.81) and Kyron McMaster (48.24).
Olympic bronze medalist Femke Bol took the women’s race in a meet record of 52.80. The USA’s Shamier Little ran 53.35 and Anna Ryzhykova, 53.70, for second and third, respectively.
Meanwhile, in the field, Fedrick Dacres finished third in the discus with his best mark of 65.33m.
It was no surprise that Sweden’s Daniel Stahl won the event with 66.49m. Kristjan Ceh of Sloevnia threw 65.39m for second.
The winner of the Women’s triple was also not surprising as Olympic champion and world record holder Yulimar Rojas soared out to a meet record 15.48m to take the win. Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts jumped 14.64 for the runner-up spot with her compatriot Kimberly Williams third with 14.41m.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Megan Tapper disappointed but optimistic after third-place finish at Racers Grand Prix
Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper might have been smiling on the outside, but her inner dissatisfaction was evident after her third-place finish in the 100m hurdles at the Racers Grand Prix held at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday night. Tapper, who made history at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by becoming the first Jamaican female sprint hurdler to win an Olympic medal in the event, expressed her frustration with what she considered a "mediocre" performance.
Clocking a time of 12.80 seconds, Tapper finished behind American athlete Tia Jones, who secured second place with a time of 12.72 seconds, and the world champion and world-record holder Tobi Amusan, who claimed victory with a season-best time of 12.57 seconds. Despite the podium finish, Tapper was far from pleased with her own performance.
The diminutive sprint hurdler, known for her tenacity and determination, revealed that she has been facing various physical challenges that for the first time manifested themselves in a race, further hindering her performance.
In an interview following the race, Tapper shared her disappointment, saying, "I was ready to run, ready to compete, do my best, and run the fastest time I've ever achieved before the national trials at home in front of the Jamaicans, who show me so much love, but it just wasn't in the cards for me unfortunately."
Nevertheless, Tapper maintained a positive outlook and expressed relief that the subpar performance occurred at the Racers Grand Prix rather than during the upcoming National Trials. She acknowledged the significance of running in front of her fellow Jamaicans and saw the race as a learning opportunity and a chance for growth.
Tapper's time of 12.80 seconds, which she considered mediocre, has not dampened her determination. Looking ahead to the national championships in the next four weeks, she remains optimistic and hopeful for a better outcome. She remarked, "12.80 in a mediocre performance for me, but it gives me hope, and I'll continue to look forward with great expectations as I prepare for the national championships."
The hurdles specialist also opened up about the challenges she has been facing, stating, "It's really hard to come to terms with the idea that a lot of things that worked for you, that you literally can attribute to your past success, are roadblocks or hindrances now." Despite these ongoing obstacles, Tapper emphasized her resilience and growth, highlighting that she is handling the challenges better than she would have in the past.
As Megan Tapper continues her preparations for the national championships, her unwavering determination and ability to overcome obstacles will undoubtedly fuel her pursuit of success on the track. Jamaican fans eagerly await her next performance, ready to support and cheer on their history-making athlete as she strives to reach new heights in her career.
Blake runs season’s best 10.05 for second at FBK Games in Hengelo
2011 World 100m Champion, Yohan Blake, produced a season’s best 10.05 for second in the Men’s 100m at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games in Hengelo on Sunday.
The 33-year-old was beaten by British star Reece Prescod, who ran a season’s best 9.99 for victory. Dutchman Raphael Bouju ran a personal best 10.09 in third.
This was Blake’s third 100m race in the span of seven days. He ran 10.18 for sixth at the Rabat Diamond League meet on May 28 and 10.15 for seventh at the Florence Diamond League meet on June 2 before Sunday.
In the field, Trinidadian 2012 Olympic Gold medalist, Keshorn Walcott, threw a season’s best 83.56m for second in the Men’s javelin behind Germany’s Julian Weber (87.14m). Finland’s Oliver Herlander was third with 80.50m.
Elsewhere in the field, 2019 World Championship silver medalist, Danniel Thomas-Dodd, followed up her national record 19.77m at the USATF LA Grand Prix last week with a 19.21m effort for second behind American Maggie Ewen’s 19.61m. Portugal’s Auriol Dongmo was third with 18.89m.
Jackson, Lyles, van Niekerk shine on a night of electrifying performances at Racers Grand Prix
Shericka Jackson and Noah Lyles unleashed jaw-dropping runs at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday night during the revival of the Racers Grand Prix where world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk set a new stadium record in the 400m and Tyler Mason electrified the thousands who braved the heavy rain that threatened to dampen proceedings.
Earlier, on Saturday afternoon, Jackson, the World 200m champion, wrote in her notebook that she wanted to run between 10.75 and 10.78 in the 100m later that evening. She duly delivered speeding to a season-best 10.78 to win the race by some distance over the ever-improving Anthonique Strachan, who ran a season-best 10.99.
Sasha Lee Forbes, who ran a lifetime best of 10.98 in Bermuda on May 21, produced another solid performance while finishing third in 11.07, her second fastest time ever.
The withdrawal of Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake from the men’s 100m final, took much of the sheen off what was expected to be a barn-burner that also featured American Christian Coleman. Nonetheless, the race delivered an exciting finish with the American holding off the challenge of Kadrian Goldson, who produced a lifetime best of 10.08 for second place.
Emmanuel Archibald of Guyana ran 10.23 to take the final podium spot.
The ‘B’ finals were also good value for money.
In September 2017, 20-year-old Michael Campbell suffered life-threatening injuries in a motor-vehicle accident that claimed the life of his friend and fellow athlete Jordon Scott. That same year, Campbell, a promising young prospect ran a lifetime best of 10.07 at a meet in Kingston.
On Saturday night, almost six years later, Campbell was back to his best winning the 100m in a season-best 10.08. He pumped his fist in elation when he looked across at the clock and noticed the winning time that had him well clear of Tyquendo Tracey, who ran 10.26 for second place and Kuron Griffith of Barbados, who ran a personal best of 10.30.
Remona Burchell, 2014 NCAA champion, clocked a season-best 11.17 to win the women’s race ahead of a fast-finishing Tia Clayton, who delivered a personal best of 11.23 and Briana Williams, who finished third in 11.30.
Lyles promised to do something special in Jamaica and he delivered. The super-confident American scorched the damp track to win in a meet record 19.67. Zharnel Hughes finished second in 20.14 while Rasheed Dwyer clocked a season’s best time of 20.53 for third.
The last time Wayde van Niekerk was in Jamaica, it was in 2017 to honour the retirement of his friend Usain Bolt, who had announced that he would walk away from her stellar career that year after a decade of dominance.
Later that same year, during a charity rugby match, the Olympic champion and world-record holder tore both the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus cartilage in his right leg bringing his track career to a screaming stop.
The past few years saw him struggle to regain the form that made him one of the best quarter-milers in history. By all indications, he is now back near to his best. After a 44.17 season best at the South African Championships in April, the now 30-year-old sprinter cruised to victory in 44.21, a new meet record.
Zandrian Barnes finished second in a new lifetime best of 44.90, making him the third Jamaican to break 45 seconds this season. Jamaica’s national record holder, Rusheen McDonald was third in 45.24.
Antonio Watson was the second Jamaican to break 45 seconds this season when he won the ‘B’ final in a lifetime best of 44.75 that had the thousands in attendance cheering wildly.
Promising 400m hurdler Roshawn Clarke also ran a lifetime best of 45.24 for second place with Assinie Wilson finishing third also in a personal best of 45.51.
Charokee Young took control of the women’s race with about 120m to go and held off a strong field to win in 51.10 over Stacey-Ann Williams who ran a decent 51.34 for second place. The USA’s Kendall Ellis was third in a season-best 51.37.
Tobi Amusan arrived in Jamaica coming off a disappointing last-place finish in the 100m hurdles at the LA Grand Prix a week ago. The 12.69 she ran then was well off the Nigerian’s world record of 12.12 set in Eugene, Oregon last year. However, a week later she was much better, hurdling to victory in 12.57, a season’s best time and a marked improvement over a week ago.
Tia Jones, the 2018 World U20 champion, finished second in 12.72 while holding off Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper, who finished third in 12.80.
The 110m further confirmed the resurrection of the career of Tyler Mason, the once promising Jamaica College high school hurdler. After running 13.32 in Costa Rica in 2015, Mason, because of injury and poor form, struggled to fulfill his immense potential and many pundits saw his career as being on life support, especially after a season-best 14.12 in 2021.
There were signs of life in 2022 when he ran 13.34 in Tennessee and again earlier this year when he ran 13.32 at the National Stadium in April. On Saturday night, the 27-year-old Mason, told the world that news of his career’s demise were greatly exaggerated when he ran a slightly wind-aided 13.14 (2.3m/s) to win a close race over Orlando Bennett (13.18) and Damion Thomas 13.29.
Shian Salmon was impressive in victory to open proceedings in the 400m hurdles, winning in 55.10 over Rhonda Whyte 55.55 and Cassandra Tate of the USA, who took third in 55.62.
Two-time World Championships silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts won the triple jump over rival and friend Thea LaFond of Dominica in less than ideal conditions. The cool temperatures and negative headwind notwithstanding, Ricketts’ 14.32m to was enough to secure the victory ahead of LaFond’s 14.15m.
Imani Oliver of the USA could only muster 12.97m for third place.
Samoa’s Alex Rose won the men’s discus with a throw of 65.86m with Traves Smikle taking second place with 65.15m. Kai Change threw 63.19m for third place.
Lushane Wilson cleared 2.20m to win the high jump over Raymond Richards (2.15m) and Christoff Bryan (2.10m).
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