2022 World Athletics Championships

While wearing a stylish wig mirroring her country's national colours, Fraser-Pryce led a Jamaican sweep as Shericka Jackson claimed the silver medal in a personal best of 10.73, which sees her surpass compatriot Merlene Ottey as the third-fastest Jamaican woman. Only Fraser-Pryce (10.60) and Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.54) have run faster.

Thompson-Herah, the Tokyo Olympics 100m champion, was third this time around in a relatively pedestrian 10.81 as the Jamaican women swept the medal places in consecutive global championships.

However, the moment belonged to the 35-year-old Pocket Rocket, who had won the previous 100m titles in 2009, 2013, 2015 and an unprecedented fourth in 2019. She was fourth in Daegu in 2011 because of injury and missed out in 2017 because she was pregnant with her son Zyon.

“I can't even imagine the amount of times I've had setbacks and I've bounced back and I'm here again," said Fraser-Pryce, who became the first athlete to win five titles in the same running event since the World Championships began in 1983.

Only pole vaulter Sergey Bubka, hammer thrower Pawel Fajdek and discus great Lars Riedel have also won the same single disciple five or more times.

 "I continue to remind myself that sometimes it's not because you don't have the ability, but it's the right time. Today was the right time," she continued.

"I feel blessed to have this talent and to continue to do it at 35, (after) having a baby, still going, and hopefully inspiring women that they can make their own journey," added Fraser-Pryce.

"Whenever I'm healthy I'm going to compete. I'm hungry, I'm driven and I always believe I can run faster and I'm not going to stop until I stop believing that."

Fraser-Pryce has now been involved in three 100m medal sweeps for Jamaica. She was the winner in a Jamaican 1-2-2 finish with Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was second to Thompson-Herah in a Jamaican 1-2-3 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Shericka Jackson won the bronze.

Clarke, 47, recruited Amusan from Nigeria in 2016 bringing her to the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) after the then 18-year-old won the 100m hurdles in a time of 14.26 at the Junior African Championships in March 2015.

Since then, she has been the coach and second mother to Amusan, who ran 12.12 in the semi-finals to break the world record of 12.20 that had been held by American Kendra Harrison in July 2016.

Showing it was no fluke, Amusan would go on to win the title in an even faster 12.06 (2.5m/s). The run in the semi-final, Golding-Clarke said, was incredible but looking back, not really unexpected.

“At first it was unbelievable,” said the Golding Clarke who will take up a coaching position at her alma mater Auburn University in the Fall.

“We knew she could come close to running the then world record, we’ve rehearsed it in training a couple of times last year and this year. So, I know what she could do.

“However, I was very happy, excited and pleased because of all the hard work that went into training this season.”

Golding Clarke, the 2002 Commonwealth Games champion, said the work that went into preparing Amusan, the 2018 Commonwealth Games champion, paid off massively.

“This season was the same as before with more speed and rhythm endurance work plus drilling techniques every training day,” she said.

“We focused more on staying healthy, we drilled technique that needed to be taken care of, and, of course, we paid extra attention to her rhythm/speed endurance.”

The proud coach also related that Amusan was driven by the disappointment of finishing fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

In Tokyo, Amusan crossed the line in 12.60 just behind Jamaica’s Megan Tapper 12.550, Harrison 12.520 and gold medallist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn 12.370. According to Clarke, she was motivated to redeem herself in Oregon.

“She wants to be the best she can be; specifically, she wanted to be on the podium, she did not want another fourth place at a global competition so she focused more on herself this time around and executing her race plan,” said Clarke.

The Jamaica coach describes the relationship between her and Amusan as being like family.

“The relationship is more like a mother/daughter type,” she said.

“Her mom sent her far away from home to get her education and to run track for the University of Texas at El Paso and so as a coach, I am her family away from home.

“Tobi is a dedicated and hard-working person, very persistent. She is sometimes goofy with persons she calls friends, very friendly and nice to speak with but mostly a loner.”

So sweet was the moment Amusan set the world record that not even the unfortunate comments from Michael Johnson, the multiple Olympic gold medallist and former 200m and 400m world-record holder, could ruin the occasion for Golding Clarke and her 24-year-old charge.

Johnson, who was a pundit during the championships, suggested that the timing system had malfunctioned during the semi-finals of the 100m hurdles. His comments drew the ire of Nigerians on social media. Golding scoffed at the comments.

“I really thought it very absurd,” she said.

“I did not really pay it any mind because that would take away from the joy of winning and breaking the world record.”

Fraser-Pryce led a Jamaican sweep of the event winning in a new championship record of 10.67 as Shericka Jackson ran a personal best of 10.73 for the silver medal while Tokyo Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah was third in 10.81.

It was the third time this season that the 2019 champion has run 10.67 in the 100m. She has now run under 10.70 five times in what has been a glittering career.

In fourth was Dina Asher-Smith, who ran a personal best and new national record of 10.83.

The first seven women all ran under 11 seconds as Mujinga Kambudji was fifth in 10.91, Aleia Hobbs (10.92) was sixth. Marie Jose Ta Lou was seventh in 10.93. USA champion Melissa Jefferson was eighth in 11.03.

The result means that Jamaica won its first three medals of the championship and helped soothe the disappointment the country would have experienced earlier when mere moments before the start of the 110m hurdles final, medal favourite Hansle Parchment tweaked his hamstring while warming up and was unable to take part.

Grant Holloway won the gold in 13.02.

NCAA champion Trey Cunningham won the silver medal while Spain’s Azier Martinez was third in a new personal best of 13.17.

In a display of supreme sprinting from the Caribbean nation of just under three million, Shericka Jackson, Elaine Thompson-Herah and four-time champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce easily won their respective heats keeping alive hopes of a Jamaican sweep.

Jackson, drawn in the first heat with Dina Asher-Smith, Kemba Nelson, Julien Alfred and Twanisha Terry, showed her class while cruising to victory in 10.84 with Asher-Smith finishing second in 10.89 to advance to the final.

Nelson was sixth in 11.25 while Alfred was disqualified after a false start.

Thompson-Herah was equally at ease winning her heat in 10.82 with Marie Jose Ta Lou running a season-best 10.87 for second. USA champion Melissa Jefferson, who was third in 10.92 and Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji (10.97) also advanced to the finals as the fastest losers.

There was some controversy in the final heat as Tynia Gaither of the Bahamas was disqualified for a false start. However, the re-start was delayed when she questioned the starters and claimed that she did not move.

She eventually relented and left the track.

On the re-start Fraser-Pryce, who is going for an unprecedented fifth title, topped the heat in 10.93 with Aleia Hobbs of the United States (10.96) taking the other automatic qualifying spot. Great Britain’s Daryll Neita missed out on a place in the final despite running 10.97 while finishing third.

Meanwhile, Olympic champion Hansle Parchment is the lone Jamaican advancing to the final of the 110m hurdles.

Parchment ran an easy 13.02 to easily win the third of three heats that also included Devon Allen, clocked 13.09 for second place. Shane Brathwaite (13.21) of Barbados and Damian Czykier of Poland (13.22) who were third and fourth, respectively also advanced to the finals as fastest losers.

The Polish hurdler was 0.05 faster than Jamaica’s Rasheed Broadbell who was third in his semi-final in 13.27 despite hitting several hurdlers. The heat was won by NCAA champion Trey Cunningham in 13.07 ahead of Spain’s Azier Martinez, whose time of 13.26 was 0.01 ahead of Broadbell.

Orlando Bennett was sixth in the first semi-final in 13.67. Reigning world champion Grant Holloway ran a season-best 13.01 to win ahead of Great Britain’s Joshua Zeller (13.31). Both also advanced to the final.

Led by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, Jamaica’s women pretty much stole the show, despite being upset in the final of the 4x100m relay by the United States.

It is no surprise then that the Jamaican superstars topped the table for most points accumulated during the championships. Jamaica’s women topped the table with 75 points, one more than that United States’ 74. Ethiopia was third with 60 points.

Great Britain (39), Kenya (39), Netherlands (20), Nigeria (13), Kazakhstan (12), Bahamas (10) and the Dominican Republic (10) round out the top 10 nations.

Eight points are accumulated for first place and a point for eighth.

At the championships, Fraser-Pryce led a Jamaica 1-2-3 finish in the 100m. Shericka Jackson won silver and Elaine Thompson-Herah, the bronze medal.

Shericka Jackson turned the tables in the 200m winning in a championship record 21.45, the second fastest time in history. She was followed by Fraser-Pryce who won silver.

Thompson-Herah was seventh.

Britany Anderson won a silver medal in the 100m hurdles won by Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan. Danielle Williams finished sixth.

Meanwhile, Rushell Clayton finished sixth in the final of the 400m hurdles won by the USA’s Sydney McLaughlin in a world-record 50.68.

Jamaica also won silver in the 4x100m relay and bronze in the 4x400m relay.

However, it was a bittersweet morning session for the Caribbean quarter-milers as Jamaican champion Juvaughn Powell and Dwight St Hillaire of Trinidad and Tobago both crashed out finishing fourth and sixth, respectively in their respective heats. Their times were not good enough to be among the six fastest losers who advance.

With the top three finishers in each heat automatically qualifying for the next round, James, the fastest qualifier from the Caribbean, finished second in 45.29 with Allen in third in 45.61 in the penultimate of the six heats that was won by Botswana’s Boyapo Ndori in a personal best 44.87.

Taylor was also second in his heat, running 45.68, to finish behind gold-medal favourite Michael Norman who cruised to 45.37.

Jones took second in the opening heat won by world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk in 45.18. The Barbadian, who ran impressively during the NCAA season, ran 45.46 to be among the automatic qualifiers.

Also advancing was Mixed Relay gold medallist Lidio Andres Feliz from the Dominican Republic, who was third in the final heat in 45.87.

McPherson ran a season-best 50.15 to win the second heat as the cast of Caribbean women stamped their class on the opening round. Also through was Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo who won her heat in 51.10, after literally jogging the last 80m.

Also enjoying safe passage through to the next round were Olympic silver medallist Marileidy Paulino, who was also impressive while winning her heat in 50.76. Her compatriot, Fiordaliza Cofil, who was also impressive while winning her heat in 51.19.

Sada Williams of Barbados cruised to victory in her heat in 51.05. Aliyah Abrams of Guyana was also an automatic qualifier after finishing second in her heat in 51.98. Jamaican champion Candice McLeod eased up and finished second in her heat clocking 50.76 to automatically qualify for the next round.

A tired-looking Charokee Young, who finished fourth in her heat, qualified as one of the fastest losers while Puerto Rico’s Gabby Scott and Cuba’s Roxana Gomez are also through to the next round.

Jackson, who won the 200m world title in Eugene, Oregon, last year in a then championship record of 21.45, which at the time was the second fastest time ever run by a woman over the distance, also won a silver medal in the 100m behind compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. She was also a silver medallist in the 4x100m relay.

The 29-year-old track and field superstar, who successfully defended her title in Budapest last month, was one of 11 recipients of the award that the Gleaner bestows on Jamaicans who were outstanding in their respective fields of pursuit.

Stunningly beautiful and statuesque, dressed in a black strapless sequined gown and white track shoes, Jackson collected her award in during the ceremony that was recorded Tuesday night and is to be aired on Television Jamaica later Wednesday evening.

“Thank you to the RJR/Gleaner Communications Group for acknowledging my hard work by presenting me with the RJR/Gleaner Honour Award in the field of Sports for my World Championships performance of 21.45. It was a pleasure,” she wrote on Instagram.

At the world championships in Budapest in August, Jackson smashed her own championship record when she ran 21.41 to win her second world title and capped her season by winning the 100m in 10.70 and the 200m in 21.57s at the Diamond League finals in Eugene on September 16 and 17.