With that in mind, she would have been pleased with her performance at the JAAA Budapest Quest Meet at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday night. The 21-year-old Williams uncorked a season-best 11.04 to emerge the victor in the 100m that was run over seven sections.
The time represented a significant drop from her previous best of 11.21 run on June 10 at the same venue. Second overall was Kemba Nelson, who clocked 11.18 while Remona Burchell was third fastest with a time of 11.20.
The Men’s 100m was run over an exhausting 14 sections but in the end Zharnel Hughes produced a strong finish to win his section in 10.00 ahead of the in-form Ackeem Blake, who was timed in 10.07. Promising youngster, De’ Andre Daley clocked a quick 10.08 to be third overall.
Stacey-Ann Williams was the quickest in the 400m winning her section of four in 51.08 with Tovea Jenkins second overall in 52.15. Two years ago, Candice McLeod was on fire running a number of sub-50-second times including a personal best of 49.51 to finish fourth in the 2020 Olympic finals.
Things have not been the same this season. Seemingly struggling to regain the form from 2021, McLeod once again came up short finishing third in 52.66.
Rasheed Dwyer was the quickest in the 200m with 20.57 with Antonio Watson second with 20.63. Bryan Levell was third best in 20.71.
Sashalee Forbes won the women’s event in 23.25 over Jodean Williams (23.75) and Ashley Williams 24.12.
Malik James-King ran 49.67 in the 400m hurdles while Lushane Wilson and Christoff Bryan both cleared 2.20m in the high jump with Wilson being better on the countback to take victory.
Seville, who earlier this year, expressed a desire to run faster than his lifetime best of 9.86, clocked 9.99 to win the blue-ribbon sprint in a close race with South Africa’s Akani Simbine and Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes.
Simbini and Hughes were awarded a time of 10.01, but the South African crossed the line in 10.005 to Hughes’ 10.010.
Ryiem Forde of Jamaica ran a personal best of 10.07 for fourth.
The Women’s race was not also close as Aleia Hobbs ran 10.99, a mere 0.003 ahead of compatriot Mikiah Brisco’s 11.02. Jamaica’s Ashanti Moore replicated her personal best from the preliminary round with another 11.10 clocking for third place.
It was the second lifetime best for Moore in as many weeks as she ran a personal best 22.49 over 200m a week ago.
Richards won the 150m ‘B’ final in a time of 14.83 over the USA duo of Chris Royster (14.89) and Brandon Carnes (14.97).
They were not nearly as fast as the 14.56 run by 200m World Champion Noah Lyles in his 150m race. Teen prodigy Erriyon Knighton was second in 14.85 while Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala was third in 14.89, just ahead of Jamaica’s Antonio Watson’s 14.93.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Remona Burchell finished second in the Women’s 150m ‘B’ race.
The three-time NCAA champion clocked 16.73 to finish behind Angie Angus, who crossed the finish line in 16.58. Lauren Ann Williams was third in 16.86.
Tamari Davis won the ‘A’ final in a lifetime best 16.44 with Great Britain’s Daryl Neita finishing a close second in her lifetime best of 16.48. Gabby Thomas also achieved a personal best of 16.50 to finish third.
Veteran middle distance runner Natoya Goule lost out on another battle with long-time rival and friend Ajee Wilson in the 600m run. The American emerged a comfortable winner in 1:27.00 to Goule’s 1:28.18.
Sammy Watson was third in 1:28.49.
Bryce Hoppel won the men’s event in 1:17.13 over compatriot Kameron Jones (1:17.43) with Jamaica’s Rajay Hamilton clocking 1:17.94 to finish in third place.
Parchment used an excellent start to win ahead of Rasheed Broadbell (13.31) and Michael O’Hara (13.52).
Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper was also in fine form running 12.80 to win the Women’s 100m hurdles ahead of Crystal Morrison (13.02) and Amoi Brown (13.33).
Nine-time World Championship gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also made her 2022 season debut with a second-place finish in the 200m.
Fraser-Pryce had her trademark fast start before jogging the last 50m of the race to finish with a time of 22.79. Bahamian Anthonique Strachan ran a season’s best 22.55 to take the win while Natasha Morrison was third in 23.06.
Remona Burchell ran 11.13 to win the Women’s 100m ahead of Jodean Williams (11.51) and Krystal Sloley (11.74).
The Men’s 100m was won by Ackeem Blake in a new personal best 10.08. 2011 World Champion Yohan Blake was second in a season’s best 10.11 and Kadrian Goldson was third in 10.20.
In the Women’s 400m, Candice McLeod won Section A in 51.20 ahead of Janieve Russell (51.96) and Rhonda Whyte (52.26).
Zandrion Barnes won the Men’s 400m in a personal best 45.69 ahead of Anthony Cox (45.84) and Demish Gaye (46.19).
Antonio Watson ran 20.56 to win the Men’s 200m ahead of Kishane Thompson (20.92) and Riquan Graham (21.25).
Despite the absence of 200m champion Jereem Richards Trinidad and Tobago’s team of Jerod Elcock, Eric Harrison Jr, Kion Benjamin Hislop and Kyle Greaux raced to a season-best 38.70 to claim second place behind England that ran a season-best 38.35 for the gold medal.
Nigeria ran 38.81 for the bronze.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s women owe a debt of gratitude to sprint-double champion Elaine Thompson-Herah for their bronze medal as Kemba Nelson, Remona Burchell and Natalliah Whyte were unable to put Jamaica in contention for a medal over the first three legs.
However, at the final exchange with Jamaica in fifth, the fastest woman alive, stormed down the home stretch to snatch the bronze medal from Australia.
Jamaica clocked a relatively pedestrian 43.08, well behind England who ran a season-best 42.41 for the silver and winners Nigeria, who stormed to a new area record of 42.10.
Australia clocked 43.16 for fourth.
The World Championship 100m bronze medallist from Eugene ran an easy 10.99 to win heat two and advance.
Antigua & Barbuda’s Joella Lloyd was next up, finishing third in heat three in 11.42 to advance. In heat four, Guyana’s Jasmine Abrams almost perfectly matched Lloyd, running 11.42 for third to advance.
Trinidad & Tobago’s Michelle Lee-Ahye and the Bahamas’ Tynia Gaither ran 11.14 and 11.19, respectively, to finish first and second in heat five and progress.
Jamaica’s Natalliah Whyte ran 11.31 to win heat six and advance while St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred (11.24) and Jamaica’s Remona Burchell (11.46) were the top two finishers in the seventh and final heat.
On the Men’s side, Nadale Buntin of St. Kitts & Nevis will be in the semis after finishing third in the first heat with a season’s best 10.37.
Rikkoi Brathwaite of the British Virgin Islands finished second in heat three in 10.42 to advance.
Next up was Jamaican 2014 Commonwealth Games 100m champion Kemar Bailey-Cole who ran 10.15 to finish second in heat four to progress.
Heat six saw Trinidad & Tobago’s Kion Benjamin produce 10.34 for second to move on while Jamaica’s Conroy Jones (10.28) and Trinidad & Tobago’s Eric Harrison Jr (10.37) both advanced from the eighth heat.
The tenth and final heat saw three Caribbean men advance. Trinidad & Tobago's Jerod Elcock won the heat in 10.26 while Guyana's Emmanuel Archibald (10.28) and St. Lucia's Stephan Charles (10.29) finished second and third, respectively.
Jamaican World Championship finalist Natoya Goule is now a Commonwealth Games finalist as well after running 1:58.39 to advance to the final as the fastest qualifier.
In the field, Jamaica’s Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Lloydricia Cameron both advanced to the final of the Women’s shot put after throws of 18.42m and 16.61m, respectively. Thomas-Dodd’s distance was the farthest in qualifying.
The Caribbean will be well represented in the final of the Men’s long jump as The Bahamas’ Laquan Nairn (7.90m), Jamaica’s Shawn-D Thompson (7.85m), Guyana’s Emmanuel Archibald (7.83m), Dominica’s Tristan James (7.65m) and Trinidad & Tobago’s Anduelle Wright (7.58m) will all be present.
Jamaica’s Traves Smikle (64.90m) and Roje Stona (58.35m) will both be in the final of the Men’s discus throw alongside Grenada’s Josh Boateng (56.51m).
Thompson, 29, has been named to the 4x100 relay squad that includes Natasha Morrison, Natalliah Whyte, Remona Burchell, Kasheika Cameron and Shashalee Forbes.
She, Whyte, and Forbes are also down to compete in the 4x200m relay along with Candice McLeod, Tiffany James and Anastasia LeRoy.
Jamaica’s 4x100m team will comprise Powell, Oshane Bailey, Nesta Carter, Julian Forte, Nigel Ellis, Romario Willams and Kadrain Goldson while Goldson, Ellis, Williams, and Michael Bentley will make up the 4x200M team.
Meanwhile, Jackson heads up a women’s 4x400m squad that includes Stephenie-Ann McPherson, Shiann Salmon, Janieve Russell, Rhonda Whyte, Tovea Jenkins, Roneisha McGregor and Christine Day.
The men’s team will have Zadrian Barnes, Troy Whyte, Javon Francis, Terry Thomas, Keeno Burrell, Jamoi Jackson, Demar Murray, and Nathon Allen.
Rasheed Broadbelt, Ronald Levy, Deuce Carter, Janeek Brown, Megan Tapper, and will Jeanine Williams contest the Mixed Shuttle Hurdles.
The team will be managed by Marvin Anderson, who will be assisted by Craig Richards. Paul Francis will be the Technical leader and will have coaches Jerry Holness, Bertland Cameron and Lamar Richards as his support.
Dr Anthony Cox has been named Team Doctor.
It was a meet that several Caribbean athletes used as a tune-up before their expected departures to Tokyo, Japan for the Olympic Games that begin later this week.
Blake, who is contesting both 100m and 200m at the Olympics ran 20.22 in a blanket finish with Rasheed Dwyer, who defeated him at the national championships in Kingston last month. Dwyer was given the same time.
Jevaughn Minzie was third in 20.29 while the ever-improving Jazeel Murphy ran 20.49 for fourth.
Minzie had earlier won the 100m in 10.09 in slightly windy conditions. The wind registered at 2.3m/s just above the allowable limit.
It was a race where the top four places were separated by 0.02 seconds. Chris Royster of the United States was given the same time as Minzie while Travis Collins finished third in 10.10. Tyquendo Tracey was fourth in 10.11.
Murphy was sixth in 10.15. The former Bridgeport High School star ran a lifetime best of 10.17 during the preliminary round.
Candice Hill won the women’s 200m in 22.30, a time aided by a trailing wind of 3.3m/s. Anastasia Le-Roy, who missed out on the chance to make Jamaica’s team to Tokyo, was second in 22.79. Cassondra Hall of the USA was third in 22.97.
Hill won the 100m in 10.99 (2.5m/s) ahead of Tristan Evelyn of Barbados (11.23) and Jamaica’s Remona Burchell (11.24).
Tapper, the newly minted national 100m hurdles champion, clocked 12.48 to win her event in commanding fashion ahead of Evonne Britton, who ran 12.72 and Yanique Thompson (12.75). The time would have been a massive lifetime best for Tapper had it not been for a heavy tailwind of 3.6m/s.
Ronda Whyte ran 55.57 to win the 400m hurdles defeating Puerto Rico’s Grace Claxton, who ran 56.26. Canada’s Noelle Montcalm ran 56.37 for third place.
The flat 400m was won by Tovea Jenkins in 51.53 after holding off the challenge of Jaide Stepter of the USA who ran 51.87. Le-Roy was third in 51.98.
Khallifah Rosser won the men’s event in 45.74 ahead of Nathon Allen, who clocked 45.89. South Africa’s Derrick Mokaleng was third in 46.04, the same time that was given to Demish Gaye, who was fourth.
