Many pundits and fans alike have predicted a clean sweep of the medals for the women in the 100m, by no means a stretch with the Jamaican trio of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson having run the fastest times this year.
Two-time winner of the event Fraser-Pryce leads the way with her time of 10.63, which is the second-fastest ever run over the distance. Reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah is next, having run her best of 10.71 last week.
Finally, is Jackson, whose 10.77 puts her in elite company and is the third-fastest time, per athlete, this year. American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson has gone faster than Jackson this year, with a best of 10.72, but will miss out on the Games after testing positive for marijuana.
Some believe the 200m could provide a similar result but that event looks like a different kettle of fish entirely. Six women have run below 22 seconds this year. The list is led by the USA’s Gabrielle Thomas, who clocked 21.61 last month, the second-fastest time ever recorded over the distance. Fraser-Pryce (21.79) and Jackson (21.82) are next on the list but Jeanna Prandini (21.89), Anavia Battle (21.95), and Tamara Clark (21.98) have also achieved the feat.
Reigning Olympic champion Thompson (22.02) is seventh on the list with World Champion Dina Asher-Smith (22.08) and Shaunae MIiller-Uibo (22.03) certain to be in contention.
“All of these women have run below 22 seconds, five of them this year. Who will win, nobody has a clear picture of that,” Levy said on this week’s episode.
"You can’t discount 21.61 and even though I don’t see Gabby Thomas running another personal best in Toyko, even if she doesn’t, she’ll be good enough to be on the podium,” he added.
“When we factor in Miller-Uibo’s personal best of 21.74, coupled with her 47.38 capability in the 400m, it’s hard to imagine her not being on the podium either. That leaves one spot and we have not mentioned any of the Jamaicans yet.”
The American quartet of Tamari Davis, Twanisha Terry, Gabrielle Thomas and Sha’Carri Richardson, topped the event in a Championship record 41.03s Championship Record, ahead of their Jamaican counterparts – Natasha Morrison, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shashalee Forbes and Shericka Jackson –who ended in season’s best 41.21s.
Great Britain’s quartet of Asha Phillip, Imani Lansiquot, Bianca Williams and Daryll Neita, was third in a season’s best 41.97s.
During the event, Fraser-Pryce who has been braving a chronic knee injury, suffered what is reported to be a muscle strain, but like a warrior, pushed through the difficulty to safely hand off the baton, ensuring the country ended with a medal.
The six, a Jamaican trio of reigning champion Shericka Jackson, Kevona Davis and Natalliah Whyte will be joined by Bahamian Anthonique Strachan, St Lucian Julien Alfred and young British Virgin Islands sensation, Adaejah Hodge. Another Jamaican Ashanti Moore was the only Caribbean athlete to miss out.
Strachan, running from lane nine, got the show going in the first heat, where she was comfortable from start to finish, stopping the clock in 22.31s, ahead of Great Britain’s Daryll Neita (22.39s), with Jael Betsue (22.58s) of Spain taking the third automatic spot.
Moore, who was giving the opportunity to run the event following Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s withdrawal, found herself in a tough second heat. Though she went out hard, Moore had to settle for fifth in 23.12s, which was not good enough for one of the six non-automatic qualifying spots.
The heat was easily won by newly minted 100m champion American, Sha’Carri Richardson in 22.16s, ahead of Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou, who clocked a season’s best 22.26s. Olivia Fotopoulou of Cyprus clocked a new personal best 22.65s for the third spot.
Jackson, the reigning 200m champion, expectedly made light work of rivals in heat three, as she cruised to 22.51s. Singapore’s Veronica Shanti Pereira, was second in a national record 22.57s, with Jessika Gbai (22.78s) of Ivory Coast in third.
Though Hodge was fourth, her time of 22.82s, was good enough to progress as one of the non-automatic qualifiers.
St Lucia’s Alfred was tops in heat four, as she powered her way to 22.31s, ahead of Jamaica’s Whyte 22.44s, with Great Britain’s Bianca Williams (22.67s) in third.
The fifth and penultimate heat saw another young Jamaican Davis (22.49s), also booking her semi-final spot with a second-place finish behind American Gabrielle Thomas, who clocked 22.26s.
Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith justified favouritism in the final heat which she won in 22.46s.
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