It was a night Jamaicans, who witnessed it, will remember forever. Was there any doubt of a sweep? No. Except for the order in which Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah would finish. Everyone had their own predictions, but eagerly awaited the outcome. The deal was sealed earlier when the Jamaican trio showed their class by winning their semi-finals comfortably. The event took on extra significance for Jamaica following the disappointment a few minutes earlier by team captain Hansle Parchment in the men’s 110 m hurdles final. The lane assignments and introductions gave onlookers elevated heartbeats. Fraser-Pryce’s bullet start comes so naturally, that spectators might think that she practices it in her sleep. She was out in the blink of an eye and kept motoring away from the field. Her compatriots having witnessed Team USA’s sweep the previous night knew they had to ensure the completion of the script as planned. Jackson started closing like a freight train whilst Elaine Thompson-Herah, the Olympic champion, in search of her first medal in this event, became locked in a keen battle with Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith. Fraser-Pryce burst the tape in a sizzling championship […]
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In 2005, in Helsinki, Finland, Trecia Kaye Smith won Jamaica’s first gold medal at a world championship in the women’s triple jump. Seventeen years later, the country bears witness to another historical feat. Ackelia Smith, a 20-year-old freshman from the University of Texas, was on the verge of making an early exit from Group A qualification after registering modest returns from two of her three attempts. However, on her final attempt and against all odds, Smith produced a lifetime best to leapfrog into the finals. The achievement brought tears to the eyes of Shanieka Ricketts, Jamaica’s leading triple jumper, who had just provided Smith with encouraging words before exiting the competition having qualified on her first attempt. An ecstatic Smith could contain her delight. “I’m really happy. I came out here with one goal to get a new PB. I left it late, but I got my PB and made it to the final,” Smith said. Veteran Kimberly Williams claimed the final non-automatic spot, after her best effort of 14.27m allowed her to squeeze into the top twelve (12) finalists. This was the first time Jamaica renowned for its prowess on the […]
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The quality of the men’s 110m hurdles this season makes for a grand finale that is a must-see event on Sunday the third day of the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Lots of appreciation must go to Jamaica’s Olympic Champion Hansle Parchment and American poster boys Grant Halloway and Devon Allen, who in recent times have galvanized the sport. World champion Grant Holloway, just as he did in 2019, looks like the athlete with the favourite’s tag on his back. The second fastest hurdler of all time has embraced this status and will be hoping to reverse the placings from last year’s Olympic final. “I just got to keep going and execute my race at a very high level,” said Holloway after registering 13.14 seconds in his heat. “I think we still have a chance to make history and it’s going to be interesting to see what the other hurdlers can pull out, but I am excited about my abilities and what I can do.” Devon Allen is competing in his third world championships with little to show except being a finalist at the 2019 championships in Qatar. Allen, who became the third fastest […]
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Although he was a semi-finalist at the Tokyo2020 Olympics, many track and field fans were unfamiliar with Jamaica’s newest sprint sensation – Oblique Seville. Everyone knows him now. The 21-year-old represented his nation with distinction throughout the heats and semi-finals and threatened, prior to the men’s 100m final, to spoil the host nation’s sweep ambitions after posting the fastest time (9.90) in the semi-finals. Even though Seville was unable to prevent the USA from taking out the big broom, he would have done enough to convince his rivals and onlookers that he is the genuine article, who will revive Jamaica’s sprinting stocks. The Jamaican gave a measured response to his fourth place finish in 9.97 seconds. “I am not disappointed,” he stated. “My aim for this world championship was to make the final and I did that,” said Seville, who was competing at his first world championships. Seville, who won the Jamaican High School 100m championship title in 2019 in 10.13 seconds, is already looking towards his next major championship final. “I know what to do next time.” By Noel Francis
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Day one of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon set the tone for two weeks of exciting action. Three finals were contested, including the men’s and women’s 20km walk and the mixed 4x400m relay, which provided a huge upset. The Dominican Republic produced a scintillating run to stun Team USA en route to the gold medal in a world-leading 3:09.82 to bring the curtain down. The Netherlands finished with a flourish to claim second ahead of the USA in a national record of 3:09.90. Team USA, who twice blew sizeable leads finished third in a season’s best in 3:10.16. Jamaica finished fifth in 3:12.71 and the country is hoping for better fortunes on the second day after a number of its athletes advanced to the next round in their respective disciplines. Danniel Thomas-Dodd whipped the cannonball out to 19.09m to qualify for the women’s shot put final. “I am very happy,” said Thomas-Dodd. “My coach and I talked about trying to be patient and stay relaxed and let the technique work and make sure I am not putting myself under too much pressure by waiting on my 3rd attempt to qualify. I […]
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REUTERS/Andrew Boyers Jamaica has assembled a formidable team for the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon with high expectations to collect a number of medals, especially in the sprints. Led by the awesome trio, who swept the 100-metre podium at the Tokyo2020 Olympics, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, the country is looking to concretize its reputation as a sprint powerhouse. Looking at the women’s 100-metre, arguably one of the marquee events, Jamaica is expected to bring out the big broom and sweep away the competition, which by no means is not world-class. The three women are in great shape and the relevant question posed by everyone is in what order they are going to finish. The women’s 200m could be a little bit more competitive with strong contenders from the United States, Britain and Nigeria. Notwithstanding, based on the strength of her jaw-dropping 21.55-second run at the Jamaica National Senior Championships, Shericka Jackson will line up as one of the gold medal favourites. Olympic champion Hansle Parchment will spearhead the charge in the men’s 110m hurdles with the talented Rasheed Broadbell, who has recovered from the injury that hindered his progress […]
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Elaine Thompson Herah of Jamaica 🇯🇲 clocks meet record of 10.65 and wins the Women’s 100M Diamond trophy 🏆 along with $30,000 cash prize. 1st Elaine Thompson Herah 🇯🇲 10.65 (MR) 2nd Dina Asher-Smtih 🇬🇧 10.87 (SB) 3rd Ajla Del Ponte 🇨🇭 10.93 #ZurichDL 7th Natasha Morrison 🇯🇲 11.10 10.65 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Elaine ” Top Form ” Thompson-Herah 🇯🇲🇯🇲 pic.twitter.com/yAVp6ZTQJ8 — Manchester is RED ❤🤍🇯🇲 (@876Shane_) September 9, 2021
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The women’s 200m at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme Diamond League meeting in Brussels on Friday, 3 September 2021 will feature an interesting cast. Namibia’s Christine Mboma, Olympic silver medallist in the 200m, Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, bronze medallist in the 100m and American Sha’Carrie Richardson will meet each other for the first time in their careers. Interestingly, they all have one thing in common, that is, their top-end speed and their dash for the finish line in the last 50 metres, when their strength kicks in, will add to the intrigue. Mboma (18), who holds the African and world U20 records (21.81), is in the form of her life. Based on her current trajectory and the star-studded field assembled, it would not be surprising if she lowers her personal best. Mboma’s Namibian teenage teammate Beatrice Masilingi, who finished sixth in Tokyo, is also in the line-up. Masilingi followed up that performance at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, where she won silver in a personal best of 22.18. It was Masilingi’s second silver medal at the championships, after finishing runner-up in 11.39 seconds behind Jamaica’s sprint sensation Tina Clayton, who won in […]
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On Thursday 26 August 2021, Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce produced a stunning run in the women’s 100m at the Athletissima Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland to remind track and field aficionados of her pedigree and all-time status. Fraser-Pryce’s personal best of 10.60 seconds thwarted the challenge of red-hot favourite and Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who finished second in 10.64 seconds. “It was pretty cold for me,” said Thompson-Herah. “It was my first time competing in cold conditions this season. It has been a long season, I doubled at the Olympics and it took a lot out of my body. To run 10.6 and not win is amazing, I am grateful for the time. I am surprised I actually ran that fast.” Shericka Jackson ensured it was Jamaica’s third successive podium sweep, within a month, after placing third in 10.92 seconds. The trio, who are operating as a tag team nowadays, were hoping to carry their 1-2-3 world tour series into Saturday’s Wanda Diamond League meeting in Paris, France against another cracking line-up. However, one of the main concerns for the sprint queens was maintaining the same energy throughout. On the eve of […]
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Jamaica 🇯🇲 1-2-3 in the Women’s 100M at Diamond League in Lausanne, Switzerland with a Meet Record and PB for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. 1st Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Flag of Jamaica 10.60 (MR & PB) 2nd Elaine Thompson Herah Flag of Jamaica 10.64 3rd Shericka Jackson Flag of Jamaica 10.92 #LausanneDL
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