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.
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Christania Williams and Coach Unfried target return to personal best ahead of Jamaica National Championships
Christania Williams, the talented Jamaican sprinter and 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist, is setting her sights on reclaiming her peak form as she gears up for the Jamaica National Championships in June, with her eyes firmly set on securing a spot at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
Since her impressive performance as part of Jamaica's silver-medal-winning 4x100m relay team at the Rio 2016 Olympics, Williams, now 29, has faced setbacks due to injuries and other undisclosed health concerns. However, under the guidance of her coach, Philipp Unfried, she is focused and determined to return to her personal best time of 10.96 seconds.
Unfried outlined their strategy for the upcoming season, emphasizing Williams' goal of nearing or even surpassing her personal best. "The plan for 2024 is to get close to where she was, close to her PB or maybe around PB," stated Unfried. "She is going to do some more races now in preparation for trials and training went really well so far."
At the Velocity Fest 15 on Saturday meeting held at the Ashenheim Stadium in Jamaica, Williams demonstrated her potential by clocking a time of 11.76 seconds into a headwind in her qualifying heat, securing second place behind Remona Burchell, who won the heat in 11.52 seconds. Despite challenging conditions with winds affecting her heat, Williams progressed to the B final.
In the B final, Williams improved her performance, achieving a season's best time of 11.56 seconds. Although she finished second in the final, Williams' progress is indicative of her determination and gradual return to top form.
"Mentally, I am ready," expressed Williams. "The aim right now is to get back to my personal best. There is no pressure. Right now the focus is on me, just taking it one step at a time."
Williams acknowledged the mental fortitude required to overcome setbacks and stay focused on her goals. "It's about going into the race and doing exactly what I do in training," she affirmed. "I know I have a lot of potential, I still believe there is more in there and I still haven’t reached my full potential."
Despite the obstacles she has faced, Williams remains resolute in her determination to move forward. "With all that has happened in the past, I am just trying to put that behind and move forward," she explained. "I do have days when that really gets to me mentally but it’s life. If something happens, you don’t use that to keep yourself down."
As Williams continues her journey towards peak performance, supported by the unwavering guidance of Coach Unfried, the upcoming Jamaica National Championships will serve as a crucial stepping stone towards her ultimate goal of representing Jamaica at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Asafa Powell's absence cost Jamaica a faster 4x100m world record in 2012, suggests Gatlin
In a recent episode of the Ready, Set, Go podcast, American sprint legend Justin Gatlin delved into the hypotheticals of Jamaica's historic 4x100m relay run at the London 2012 Olympics, suggesting that the world record of 36.84 seconds could have been even faster had former world record holder Asafa Powell been part of the lineup.
Powell, renowned for his blistering speed having held the 100m world record at 9.77 and 9.74s, missed out on the opportunity to join the likes of Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, and Usain Bolt in that record-breaking relay team due to a groin injury sustained during the final of the 100m.
Gatlin, reflecting on the potential of the Jamaican squad, speculated that adding Powell to the mix could have propelled them to an astonishing 36.5-second mark.
"Adding Asafa Powell to that already formidable lineup of Bolt, Blake, Carter, and Frater could have pushed the team to an even faster time," Gatlin remarked on his podcast. Powell's absence, while the team still delivered Olympic gold, left room for speculation on just how much quicker they could have been.
Gatlin, a seasoned sprinter himself, understands the unique pressure and responsibility that comes with relay events. "There is a difference between being an individual runner at the Olympics or world championships and being part of a relay team," he explained. "If you falter as an individual, it's on you; but in a relay, it's on the country's back."
Reflecting on the challenges of breaking a world record in relay events, Gatlin emphasized the need for everything to align perfectly. "36.8 is a gigantic order. 37 low is a tall order," he admitted. "Everyone needs to be in peak condition and ready to run."
Looking ahead to the future, Gatlin also weighed in on Team USA's chances of breaking the 12-year-long Jamaican 4x100m relay world record in 2024. "It's going to take a near-perfect performance from a team firing on all cylinders to surpass what Jamaica achieved in 2012," Gatlin predicted.
Texas A&M’s Farquharson establishes new meet record to win 800m at Alumni Muster
Jamaican Texas A&M junior Kimar Farquharson continued his winning ways in the 800m this season with victory at the Alumni Muster held in College Station, Texas on Saturday.
The former Calabar High star was in dominant form, winning the event in 1:47.26, a new meet record.
More than two seconds behind Farquharson in second was teammate Caden Norris (1:49.62) while Tracksmith’s Luca Chatham was third in 1:50.71.
This was Farquharson’s second 800m win of the season as he ran 1:46.69 to beat countrymen Navasky Anderson and Tarees Rhoden to victory at the Tom Jones Memorial in Florida on April 13.
Interestingly, the 22-year-old has also established a new personal best in the 400m this season with 45.70 at the Battle of the Bayou in Baton Rouge on March 30.
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