Eugene, Oregon

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.

The 19-year-old Williams, the lead-off runner on Jamaica’s women 4x100m relay team that won the gold medal in a national record of 41.02s at the Tokyo Olympics, is the youngest in the field but wants to go well below her personal best of 10.97 that was run at the Ansin Sports Complex in Florida in June.

"My coach keeps saying I still haven't run the time he was expecting this season. I'm looking forward to lining up with these amazing women to see if the field can push me to a personal best," said Williams, who is still mourning the loss of her grandmother Vive Colquhoun-Simpson, who died the teenager was competing in Tokyo.

Meanwhile, her coach, Ato Boldon believes Williams has earned this moment.

"She is running well and has earned her spot. I expect her to perform well, as she does in all the big races,” he said.

“Training indicates she will be competitive here. I told her to enjoy it. Everyone else your age is at home watching it. You’re in it.”

The Prefontaine Classic 100m Women's final includes the fastest woman alive, Elaine Thompson-Herah, who ran an Olympic record of 10.61 while winning gold in Tokyo, Shelly-Ann Fraser, who ran a lifetime best of 10.63 in June and Sha’Carri Richardson, whose personal best of 10.72 was run in April.

Also in the line-up are Shericka Jackson, who set a brand new personal best of 10.76 while winning the Olympic bronze medal and Marie Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast, who was fourth at the Olympic Games after having run a lifetime best of 10.78 in the semi-finals.

The 30-year-old Malone is the 2019 Pan American Games champion, who boasts a lifetime best of 7.08m in the long jump. A finalist at last year’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Malone was hoping to be able to give of her best for the BVI this summer, but her season was stalled by the injury that will now force her out of Eugene.

“World Championships is upon us and this is the first time since 2011 that I would have to miss the event due to a knee injury that has been wreaking havoc my entire 2022 season,” she posted on Instagram.

“For those who know me and my journey thus far, you know that I will do anything and fight through any obstacle to get where I need to be. With that being said, know that it was not an easy decision to withdraw from the World Champs and forfeit the remainder of my season.

“It was simply the best decision at this point in my career to take the necessary measures needed, rest and heal both physically and mentally so that I can be the best athlete and person for the upcoming seasons.”

She also offered support for compatriot Kyron McMaster and the rest of the BVI team set to compete at the World Championships that begin July 15.

Thompson-Herah, who won the 100/200m double at the 2016 Rio Olympics, created history in Tokyo earlier this month when she became the first woman to successfully defend both titles at the same Olympics.

She won the 100m in an Olympic record of 10.61, eclipsing the 10.62 set by Florence Griffith-Joyner at Seoul in 1988 and followed up by winning the 200m in a personal best of 21.53, which made her the second-fastest woman in history.

She then added a third gold medal as a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m sprint relay team that established a new national record of 41.02.

The 21-year-old Richardson, who ran a personal best 10.72 in April, won the 100m at US trials in July in 10.86. However, she was subsequently banned for a month after testing positive for THC, a derivative of marijuana. Her omission triggered a debate about whether she would have won had she been allowed to compete in Tokyo.

However, the much-touted American will not only be facing the Olympic champion in the blue-ribbon sprint. She is also facing a motivated Fraser-Pryce, the second-fastest woman in the world this year and the third fastest all time, who is likely to be still smarting from her loss in the Olympic 100m final.

The 34-year-old two-time Olympic champion (2008, 2012) was considered the overwhelming favourite to land a third 100m Olympic title following her 10.63s run at the National Stadium in Kingston on June 5. However, she finished second to Thompson-Herah in 10.74.

The Olympic 100m bronze medalist Jackson, who ran a personal best 10.76 in Tokyo, has also been included in the line-up that will also feature, Tokyo relay gold medalist Briana Williams (10.97), Teahna Daniels (10.98), Javiane Oliver (10.96) and Marie Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast, who ran a personal best 10.78 in Tokyo.

Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji who has run a season-best 10.96, is also listed for the clash that is perhaps the fastest field ever assembled.

Bol, who boasts a personal best of 51.45, clocked 51.98s after shaking off a brief challenge from American Shamier Little, to shatter the previous meet record of 52.77 set by Dalilah Mohammad two years ago.

The American and Bol were neck and neck with three hurdles to go but Bol unleashed her superior speed and strength to pull away from the rapidly fading Little, who finished second in 53.45 just ahead of the rapidly closing Jamaicans.

Clayton, who won her second bronze medal in Budapest clocked 53.56 to just held off Russell, the two-time Commonwealth Games champion, who stopped the clock in a season’s best 53.60.

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.”

It was always expected to be a breathtaking dash and despite Ackeem Blake’s false-start disqualification, the event lived up to its hype with Coleman’s time, like it did in China, again equalled the world lead of 9.83s, which was first set by Noah Lyles in August.

Lyles the World Champion, closed fast for second in 9.85s, while Kenya’s Omanyala Ferdinand was third with a similar time of 9.85s.

Jamaican Kishane Thompson, 22, in his first real competitive season got out well but faded into fourth in 9.87s. Another Jamaican Yohan Blake was sixth in 10.08s.

At the Eugene Diamond League event, Thompson-Herah, known for her blistering 10.54-second victory in the 100m dash at that same venue two seasons ago, clocked a time of 10.79 seconds, securing a respectable third-place finish.

She faced stiff competition from Diamond League champion Shericka Jackson, who delivered a scorching 10.70 seconds, her second-fastest time ever, and Marie Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast, who equaled her lifetime best with a swift 10.75 seconds for second place. Thompson-Herah's performance also surpassed that of world champion Sha’Carri Richardson, who settled for fourth place with a time of 10.80 seconds.

Thompson-Herah's journey through the 2023 season was far from smooth, as persistent injuries disrupted her training regimen to the point where she contemplated ending her season prematurely. Her 100m campaign began in late June, recording a time of 11.24 seconds at Jamaica College. In July, her struggles continued as she failed to secure an individual spot on Jamaica's team for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, finishing fifth in the 100m finals with a time of 11.06 seconds at the Jamaican national championships.

However, a significant turning point occurred in Budapest when Thompson-Herah decided to change coaches, temporarily enlisting the expertise of Shannike Osbourne. This adjustment proved to be a catalyst for her rapid improvement. She delivered a remarkable 9.90 relay split, propelling Jamaica into the 4x100m relay final, where they ultimately clinched the silver medal.

Following the conclusion of the championships, the five-time Olympic gold medalist continued her resurgence, running 11.00 seconds for a third-place finish at the Diamond League meeting in Zurich. She further improved her form, clocking 10.92 seconds for victory in Bellinzona and 10.84 seconds for another triumph in Brussels. Her season reached a crescendo with her 10.79-second performance in Eugene, marking her fastest run since May 2022 when she achieved the same time at the Eugene Diamond League.

Reflecting on her challenging season, Thompson-Herah expressed gratitude for her late-season resurgence, saying, "God is awesome. You know, a couple of months ago, I really thought I'd close up the season due to injuries, and I think I have overcome that. I came out on the track to be tough, I am a tough cookie. I got four times, 11 seconds, 10.92, 10.84, and 10.79 today to close off. I think that is amazing. I am grateful to get those times to put me in a position for next year, so I am really happy for that."

Based on her current trajectory, Thompson-Herah seems set to re-take her place at the top of women’s sprinting and cement her legacy as the fastest woman alive.

Thompson-Herah's return to the Prefontaine Classic holds special significance. In August 2021, at this very meet, she clocked a blistering 10.54 seconds in the 100m, a performance that solidified her status as the fastest woman alive. Only Florence Griffith-Joyner's legendary world record of 10.49 seconds stands ahead of her on the all-time list.

The Prefontaine Classic will see Thompson-Herah and Richardson, two of the most electrifying sprinters in the world, go head-to-head. Richardson, who has already competed in two 200m races this season, will be running her first 100m of the year. This clash is eagerly awaited by athletics fans worldwide, as it brings together the fierce competition and star power of two dominant figures in women's sprinting.

Thompson-Herah's season opener at the Prefontaine Classic is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting year. She is scheduled to run her second 100m of the season at the Grenada Invitational on June 6, at the Kirani James Stadium in Grenada. This continuous competition will help her build momentum as she eyes further successes and potentially more record-breaking performances.

The Eugene meet is set to be a highlight of the Diamond League series, with Thompson-Herah's participation adding to the event's prestige. Her remarkable career, highlighted by her Olympic triumphs and her record-setting performances, continues to inspire and captivate the athletics world. As she lines up against ShaCarri Richardson, all eyes will be on this epic showdown, anticipating another memorable chapter in the storied careers of these two sprinting superstars.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympic 110m hurdles champion Hansle Parchment and Tokyo Olympics 400m finalist Stephenie-Ann McPherson have been named team captains as the athletes look forward to getting into action on Friday.

Of the 64-member team selected by the Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association to represent the country at the Championships set to run from July 15-24, quarter-miler Gregory Prince, 100m sprinter Jelani Walker, discus thrower Chad Wright as well as long jumper Chanice Porter and 800m runner Chris-Ann Gordon-Powell have not yet arrived in the athletes’ village.

Media liaison Dennis Gordon revealed that Prince received his US visa on Tuesday and is expected to arrive in Oregon by either late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

Walker’s situation is more concerning as the athlete has tested positive for Covid-19 and has been advised to remain away from the camp until he is advised by the medical team.

Chad Wright, Gordon explained, will not be joining the team because of “visa issues”.

As it relates to Porter and Gordon-Powell, the team’s technical leader, Maurice Wilson, at the request of their agent Claude Bryan, has granted permission both to join the camp on July 15.

Otherwise, Gordon said, all the other athletes are in camp and are said to be in high spirits ahead of the start of the competition, welcome news against the background of some challenges the delegation faced over the past few days.

Flight cancellations delayed the arrival of some athletes to the pre-camp late last week before the athletes moved into the village on July 10.

There were also issues with delays in accrediting some athletes because of matters relating to their Covid-19 status, Gordon confirmed.

He explained that some of the athletes faced issues with uploading forms issued electronically by World Athletics, that required information on athletes’ vaccination status. This was confirmed by some coaches who spoke with Sportsmax.TV earlier this week.

However, that matter has now been resolved and all athletes have now been accredited, Gordon said.

Another relatively minor issue that athletes faced was with the rooms to which they were assigned. Gordon explained that a list was created assigning athletes to specific rooms.

However, some of the athletes had preferences about whom they wanted to room with and as such when some athletes reported to the rooms to which they were assigned, they found there was another athlete already occupying what should have been their space.

That situation has also now been resolved, Gordon assured.

Several athletes who spoke with Sportsmax.TV confirmed that they are now settled.

 “For the most part, people seem to be okay. I haven’t heard any complaints really,” one athlete, who wanted to remain unidentified said.

“The rooms are dorms, and that was expected seeing that we are on a campus.”

Jamaica’s men 400m runners will be among the first to get into action on Friday morning in the 4x400m heats after which the preliminary round of the men’s 100m will get underway.

The heats of the men’s 100m will get underway in the afternoon session on Friday with the mixed relays finals scheduled to close out the day.

The German apparel manufacturer made the announcement on Thursday that they secured the signature of the 30-year-old Jamaican, dubbed the fastest woman alive.

“(She) will further boost the company’s impressive roster of track and field athletes ahead of the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon,” Puma said.

Last summer, Thompson-Herah became the first woman in Olympic history to win the 100/200m double at consecutive Olympic Games (2016, 2021). She further enhanced her status as one of the greatest female sprinters when she ran a world-leading 10.54 while winning the blue ribbon dash at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting on August 21, 2021.

She also became the first woman to run sub-10.7 times four times.

“We are thrilled that Elaine has chosen to join the Puma family,” said Puma CEO Bjorn Gulden.

“With her speed she embodies everything we stand for as a brand. Elaine ran the second fastest time in women’s history last year and is only 0.05 seconds off the world record. She really targets the world record and we want to help her achieve that goal with our own innovative performance products.”

Meanwhile, Thompson-Herah, formerly signed with Nike, said Puma was the right fit for her.

“Puma just felt like the right fit, a company that has been working with the world’s fastest man for decades. I am excited to be part of such an elite group and can’t wait to get started,” she said, while revealing her ambitions regarding the 100m world record that has stood since 1988.

“I really want to break the 100m world record. The current one has been undefeated for 34 years. Now is the time. I still think there’s a lot I can unleash.”

After overcoming injury early in the season, Distin rebounded to clear a personal best height and end her sophomore season on a high. Now, she is looking for more.

“Well, I’m definitely trying to get the Olympic standard of 1.96m,” she said responding to whether she will be competing at the national championships.

“I’m continuing to be patient with myself and hoping for the best. I am young and still have a bright future ahead of me.”

Distin cleared a personal best of 1.90m to finish second to South Carolina freshman Rachel Glenn, who needed a personal best of 1.93m to take the gold medal and head of teammate Tyra Gittens, who cleared 1.87m for third.

Distin said she was grateful she was able to achieve one of her main goals for the season.

“All I can say God is good. Before the start of the season my main goal was to jump 1.90 or higher so finally being able to jump it and also at the biggest meet of my collegiate career is one I’ll never forget,” she said.

“I always try to stay patient even after a rocky start to my season. I have my coaches and teammates to motivate me, which helps me a lot. It was a very great experience competing at the biggest collegiate meet and jumping with some great athletes.”

In the heat of battle and as the bar was raised higher and higher, Distin and Glenn maintained clean records. As the contest neared its climax, the former Hydel and Vere Technical jumper, revealed that she harboured the belief that she could pull off the win but knew she had to do something special to achieve it.

“Actually, I did at some point, but I knew it would take over 6ft 2inches to win. We are both great jumpers and at a point, I thought count-back would determine who wins the competition. If I had cleared 6ft 4in on my first attempt, then I would have definitely thought I had it in the bag,” she said.

“I honestly did not want to put any pressure on myself thinking about high bars because doing that can hinder me from doing what’s important such as my run-up and my technique.

“However, I took it one step at a time. Each time the bar got higher, it’s just to always make it on my first attempt. My focus was to just go out there and get a personal best and I know for sure if I did it would take a big jump to do that. Although my target was to get the Olympic qualifying standard of 1.96m, I am still pleased with my performance.”

Having Gittens, the NCAA’s leading high jumper also in the competition was also a boost. Each offering the other words of advice and reassurance.

“Yes, we always do because we know what we are capable of doing. If it comes to the point where we miss an attempt, we just forget about it and talk about how to correct the mistake. We’re also very supportive of each other regardless of the outcome,” she said.

  Overall, it was a good end to a season that came with significant challenges, Distin said, happy that she was able to close on a high note.

“The start of the indoor season, I had a minor injury which kind of slowed down the process of performance. I was putting pressure on myself because I know what I am capable of doing and it just wasn’t happening but I stayed true to myself and stayed patient,” she said.

“I qualified for the indoor championship at the very last meet before indoor SEC because of not competing and trying to get back healthy. Overall, I definitely met my expectations for the outdoor season but I am eager for more as I am starting to surpass my goals.”

The Bahamian speed queen will be making her outdoor 200m debut against a very strong field that will also include compatriot Athonique Strachan, who has been in good form this season, following a lifetime best 10.99 over the 100m and 22.55 over 200m in Kingston in late March.

Fraser-Pryce, who broke 22 seconds for the first time last year and finished fourth in the half-lap sprint in Tokyo, has run 22.79 this season easing down 50m from the finish line and could be looking to go much faster this weekend while she decides whether to take on the sprint double at the World Championships this summer.

Two-time USA 200m champion Jenna Prandini ran a personal best of 21.89 at the USA trials last year and will be hoping to replicate that time when she goes up against this field that will also have 2021 NCAA Champion, who has run 22.40 so far this season.

The field is completed by the promising Brittany Brown, Tamara Clarke and Dezerea Bryant.

Young, an 800m runner turned quarter-miler, ran 51.13 for fifth place in the 400m last week Saturday and then split 49.75 on the second leg as Texas A&M shattered the four-year-old collegiate record that was held by Oregon.

It put a cap on a successful season for Young, who was also a member of the team that ran a collegiate indoor record in March. She doesn’t believe the exertions of last weekend will have an impact on her come next week.

“I most definitely think I can come into trials refreshed after a heavy workload during the championships,” she said.

“It’s just like another track meet and I don’t think it’s right to mentally tell yourself that you’re drained from another championship because stuff like that can affect your performance when you’re competing, it all starts with your mental aspects, so if you have any doubt, that can definitely mess with your performance so I definitely feel I can come into trials refreshed.”

Without saying as much, Young was not satisfied with her performance in the finals of 400m where she didn’t at least match her season-best 50.85 set the week before in the qualifiers and which would have been good enough for third place in the finals.

She did, acknowledge, however, that inexperience played its part.

“I didn’t think I had the best execution in the open 400. I think that over time you perfect your execution and I don’t think I am 100 percent there where I am perfect with my execution but I am working on it with each race. I am trying to make adjustments and try and get it right and I think I am heading in the right direction with that,” she said.

She takes satisfaction from the fact that her sub-50-second split in the relay helped her team to victory in 3:22.34 that broke the championship, meet and facility record of 3:23.13 set by Oregon in June 2017. Young’s 49.75 was only bettered Athing Mu, the 400m champion, who split 48.85 on the anchor leg.

“It definitely did make up for not being in the top three (of the 400m) because I got a very outstanding split and performed well in the 4x400, running faster than I ran in the open 400m,” she said, explaining that while running the second leg, all she was thinking about was putting her team in a position to win.

“I just wanted to give my team everything I got because I knew that all the other girls on the team were going to give it everything they got so I wanted to go out there and give my very best,” she said.

“After I handed off the stick in first position I heard my split time and I was like ‘wow, that’s crazy’, and it made me very happy and that’s something I’ve never done so I knew doing that would put us on track the break the record.”

Texas A&M now holds both indoor and outdoor records for the 4x400m relay, which has cemented Young in the annals of her school’s and NCAA history.

“Indoors, it was pretty exciting to break the collegiate record but we knew that the (outdoor) collegiate record was pretty hard, it was a pretty tough target but I knew if we all did our best it was very possible to break and when we got the record we were really excited and happy because it was a really special performance.”

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.

Goule-Toppin took the Jamaican national record into new territory eclipsing her previous record of 1:56.15 when she clocked 1:55.96 to claim third behind Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson and the USA’s Athing Mu, who battled down the stretch in a desperate bid for the Diamond League trophy.

The American just edged ahead late to win in 1:54.97, a USA national record and world lead. It was also a new meet record and a personal best for Mu.

Hodgkinson finished second in a national record and personal best 1:55.19.

Like the men’s event, the women’s dash was just as explosive, with Jackson, the World Championships silver medallists, registering her first 100m victory over American World Champion Sha’Carri Richardson to end that chapter of her season on a high.

Jackson, who is also favoured for the 200m crown, clocked 10.70s with a storming finish from lane six, as she swept by the fast-starting Marie-Josee Ta Lou, who clocked a season’s best equaling 10.75s.

Double Olympic champion Thompson-Herah once again demonstrated that she is gradually overcoming her struggles with injuries with a season’s best 10,79s.

Richardson was fifth in 10.80s, while another Jamaican Natasha Morrison clocked a big personal best 10.85s in sixth.

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.

The team, who is in a rebuilding phase after dominating men’s track and field for almost a decade, finished in a three-way tie for fifth on the table with 20 points. Eight points are accumulated for first place and a point for eighth.

Hosts USA, thanks to standout performances from the likes of Noah Lyles, Michael Norman and Fred Kerley to name a few, absolutely dominated the Championships and finished at the top of the table with 118 points.

The rest of the top ten was rounded out by Kenya (46), Great Britain (28), Canada (24), Jamaica (20), Ethiopia (20), Uganda (20), Norway (17), Spain (17) and South Africa (12).

Jamaica’s only medal came in the 4x400m where the team of Akeem Bloomfield, Jevaughn Powell, Nathon Allen and Christopher Taylor ran 2:58.58 for silver behind the USA.

They also finished just outside the medals in the 4x100m where Akeem Blake, Oblique Seville, Yohan Blake and Jelani Walker combined to run 38.06 to finish behind Canada (37.48), USA (37.55) and Great Britain (37.83).

Individually, Seville had the best performance finishing fourth in the 100m in 9.97 behind the American trio of Fred Kerley (9.86), Marvin Bracy (9.88) and Trayvon Bromell (9.88).

Jamaica’s other two individual finalists to place in the top eight were Jaheel Hyde who finished sixth in the 400m Hurdles and Christopher Taylor who finished seventh in the 400m.

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.