Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce clocked a season-best 10.84 to record her first win over 100m at the Diamond League meeting in Doha today.
The 34-year-old Jamaican cruised to victory over Blessing Okagbare, during what was a much better performance than the one she delivered in less than ideal conditions in Gateshead five days ago when she was fourth in 11.51.
The Nigerian Okagbare was second in a season-best 10.90, while the USA’s Javianne Oliver was third in 11.03 for third.
Fraser-Pryce’s performance capped what was an encouraging meet for a number of Caribbean athletes, most of whom had podium finishes.
Chief among them were Kimberly Williams and Shanieka Ricketts, who both produced lifetime bests while finishing second and third, respectively, in the triple jump won by the imperious Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas in a new meet record 15.15m.
Ricketts, who won the silver medal at the World Championships in Doha two years ago, uncorked her best-ever jump of 14.98m to advance to the final jump phase of the competition where the person producing the best jump in the final round of the competition is declared the winner.
Williams, who also has a personal best jump of 14.69m, also advanced to the final jump along with Ricketts and Rojas. Her jump of 14.45m temporarily put her in the lead. Ricketts fouled her jump and it was left to the Venezuelan to unseat the Jamaican from the top spot, which is exactly what she did, producing her second-best effort of the competition, 15.11m, to take the gold medal.
Williams finished second while Ricketts finished third.
Natoya Goule, fresh from her win in the 600m at the Boost Boston Games on Sunday, clocked a season-best 1:59.70 to finish second in the 800m won by Faith Kipyegon in a season-best 1:58.26. Rababe Arafi was third in 1:59.83.
Meanwhile, Kirani James ran a season-best of 44.61 but suffered his first loss of the season finishing fourth in the 400m won by Michael Norman in a world-leading 44.27. Anthony Zambrano closed like a runaway train to nip Fred Kerley at the line for second place. The Colombian clocked a season-best 44.57 to Kerley’s 44.60.
Rai Benjamin ran a meet record of 47.38 to win the 400m hurdles, beating the talented young Brazilian Alisson Dos Santos, who ran a personal best of 47.57, which was also a new area record. Kyron McMaster was third in 47.82.
The 200m provided a thrilling finish that saw the USA’s Kenneth Bednarek hold off a fast-finishing Andre Degrasse to win in 19.88, a season-best. Degrasse, who to the naked eye seemed to crossed the line first, was second in a season-best 19.89 with his compatriot, Aaron Brown, third in 20.25.