Two-time double Olympic sprint champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah, made her much anticipated season debut in the 100m at the JAAA All Comers Meet at the Ashenheim Stadium at Jamaica College on Saturday.

The 30-year-old ran a pedestrian, by her standards, 11.23 to win comfortably win ahead of Racers Track Club’s Jodean Williams (11.38) and Titans International’s Shurria Henry (11.76).

This race almost never happened, however, as Thompson-Herah revealed in a very candid post-race interview that her persistent injuries almost caused her to quit the sport entirely.

“Honestly, I’m feeling good despite the fact that I’ve been out so long. It has been a challenging one but, I still hang on. I almost gave up but I have faith and I came out here to just test my body to see where I’m at. My training has not been how I wanted it to but, the fact that I missed so much and came out here and ran 11.23 today, I’m just grateful,” she said.

Prior to Saturday’s race, Thompson-Herah’s last competitive outing was a 200m race at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational on April 14 where she ran 23.23 to finish second.

Between then and now, the sprinting superstar has struggled with injuries such as a persistent Achilles injury which hampered her for most of the 2022 season, shin splints and a knee injury which Thompson-Herah said “shut down my entire body to the point where I could not do anything.”

“The past couple months have been rough. Most days I’m not able to do anything so I’m just grateful I was able to be here in spikes. I’ve been bouncing spikes and track shoes so, to come out here and get a clean race, God is good,” said Thompson-Herah.

“People see us on the track all the time but they don’t know what comes behind that. I cried most mornings when I was driving home in my car because I see that I’m working hard and I’m not getting the results I want. I was on the verge of giving up, honestly, but God spoke to me and said ‘you cannot give up right now because I took you this far,” she added.

Despite her Olympic exploits, she has yet to win an elusive individual World Championship gold medal. Her best result in the 100m was her bronze medal from last year’s Eugene World Championships while she won a 200m silver medal at the 2015 edition in London.

So, why is it that she can’t replicate her Olympic successes at the World Championships? This is a question Thompson-Herah still can’t answer herself.

“I don’t know why World Championship season always seems very challenging for me. I have not changed anything, I’m not doing anything wrong but it’s like a test to see if I can do it or not. This one has tested me a lot and it tested me last year as well,” she said.

With the Jamaican National Senior and Junior Championships scheduled for July 6-9, Thompson-Herah says that she is going there with no expectations of a fast time, but instead just hoping for a spot on the team to Budapest later this year.

“I didn’t see trials coming, honestly. I’m just going there, not expecting the result, just trying to get into the top three. I’m not looking for a fast time or anything. I just want to make it to the World Championships and take it from there,” she said.

Oblique Seville ran a season-best 100m and Shericka Jackson, an impressive 200m season-opener at the May 20 All Comers Meet at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

The 2022 World Championships 100m finalist, who ran a wind-legal 9.95 at the Miramar Invitational on April 8, sped to a 9.94 clocking while shutting down over the last 15-metres to win the time trial.

Rohan Watson, whose previous best this season, was 10.32, shaved a massive 0.20s to be second overall after winning his section in 10.12.

Veteran sprinter Yohan Blake, the second-fastest man of all time, and who was second in Seville’s section in 10.15, was third overall.

The Women’s 100m provided a thrilling encounter between Olympic relay gold medallist Briana Williams, returning from a hamstring injury and Carifta U20 champion Alana Reid.

Williams exploded from the blocks and held a seemingly comfortable lead over Reid, who stormed back late to win in 11.16 over the 2018 World U20 champion, who ran a season-best 11.20.

Tia Clayton was third in 11.36.

The 200m races were no less entertaining as reigning world champion Shericka Jackson, in her first 200m of the season, cruised to victory in 22.25.

In her wake was Olympic 400m finalist Stephenie-Ann McPherson who ran 23.38 and Germany’s Tatiana Pinto, who was third in 23.74.

Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes was in a class of his own in the 200m, winning in a season-best 20.18.

Jazeel Murphy, who won Section six of seven, was second overall with a time of 20.76. Nigel Ellis finished second to Murphy, was third overall in 20.80.

Stacey-Ann Williams showed her class in the 400m winning in 51.43 while repelling the early challenge of Ashley Williams, who finished second in 52.11.

Shana Kaye Anderson was third overall in 54.27.

Olympic 400m hurdles bronze medallist Kaliese Carter, who at 36, is making a comeback, ran a season-best 54.64 for fourth place.

In the field, Traves Smikle won the discus throw with 66.05m.

Kai Chang was second with his best throw of 62.78m.

Racquil Broderick threw 57.17m for third place.

In the high jump, Christoff Bryan cleared 2.20m for the win over Lushane Wilson 2.15m and Raymond Richards, who cleared 2.10m.