Jamaica’s three fastest women – Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson – teamed up for the first time since their 1-2-3 finish in the women’s 100m. The occasion was the women’s 4x100m final. Briana Williams, the world U20 sprint double champion, completed the powerful Jamaican quartet. Despite parading some of the fastest women for the past four Olympics, the country had only one sprint relay title to show, which they won in 2004. After the starter’s pistol sent them off, Williams sprinted from her blocks like an express elevator and scurried around the curve to hand off to Elaine Thompson-Herah, who was in search of her third gold medal at the games and fifth overall since Rio. Thompson-Herah ran with unrelenting speed down the back straight to hand over to Fraser-Pryce, who ran a masterful third leg, which neutralized the threat of Dina Asher-Smith from Great Britain and Team USA’s Jenna Prandini. Jackson, on anchor, was seeking redemption after an earlier miscalculation in the women’s 200m heats, which caused her restless nights. After receiving the baton with a comfortable cushion from Fraser-Pryce, Jackson set about chasing Olympic glory. She increased […]
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Jamaica advance to both the men’s and women’s sprint relay finals in contrasting fashion on the seventh morning of athletics action at the Tokyo Olympic Games. The country watched anxiously as the men’s 4x100m relay team settled in their blocks in a tough heat featuring the likes of Great Britain, Japan, Brazil and World Relays champion South Africa. With only the top three assured of advancing, followed by the next two fastest times over both heats, the tension rose to a fever pitch for Jamaica, who in the past three years had not registered impressive times to inspire confidence. In fact, the country came into the Games as the 14th rank team according to the world rankings. It was unfamiliar territory for the reigning Olympic champions, who were competing for the first time since 2008 without the incomparable Usain Bolt. Notwithstanding, the team of Jevaughn Minzie, Julian Forte, Yohan Blake and Oblique Seville ran magnificently to win the heat going away in 37.82 seconds and advance to the final. This was, in the scheme of things, a major accomplishment for Jamaica, who had missed qualifying for the finals at the Doha […]
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Jamaica enjoyed a splendiferous morning session on the seventh day of athletics at the Tokyo Olympic Games. The country collected two more medals to go with the five won by the females in the sprints and sprint hurdles. Whereas the women were bossing the show in Tokyo, many persons wondered when the men would get jealous and join the party. The men’s 110m hurdles final, incidentally scheduled in the morning session similar to the Jamaican trials, featured two Jamaicans in London 2012 bronze medallist Hansle Parchment and national champion Ronald Levy. Parchment, who finished third at the Jamaican National Senior Championships pulled off perhaps the biggest shock of the Games as far as athletics is concerned defeating overwhelming favourite Grant Holloway of the USA. Parchment, not known for a fast start, had to work hard clawing his way back into contention and reeling in Holloway, who had disappeared from the pack with his bullet-like start. It so happened, perhaps coincidentally, that immediately as Parchment came upon Holloway’s shoulder at the ninth hurdle he panicked and buckled under the pressure. The 31-year-old Parchment crossed the finish line in 13.04 seconds (-0.5 m/s) […]
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Jamaica 🇯🇲 wins GOLD & BRONZE in the Men’s 110M Hurdles Final! 🔥🔥🔥 🏅 Hansle Parchment 🇯🇲 (13.04) 🥈 Grant Holloway 🇺🇸 (13.09) 🥉 Ronald Levy 🇯🇲 (13.10) #TeamJamaica #GuhHaadAndDone 🚨 UPSET 🚨 Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment wins GOLD in the men’s 110m hurdles, handing Team USA’s Grant Holloway his first loss of the year. (via @NBCOlympics) pic.twitter.com/wYDLZftxXF — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 5, 2021 Hansle Parchment wins GOLD 🥇 & Ronald levy wins Bronze🥉 for Jamaica 🇯🇲 in the men’s 110m hurdles at the Tokyo #Olympics pic.twitter.com/JzPmuzdl58 — 🏝CARIBBEAN CULTURE ⓦ🏝〽️ (@westindimade) August 5, 2021
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Elaine Thompson-Herah etched her name in the pantheon of the all-time greats after completing her second sprint double at an Olympic Games. The Jamaican is the first woman to do it. Thompson-Herah, who equalled her lifetime best of 21.66 seconds in the semi-final, chopped 0.13 off that time to go second on the all-time list behind world-record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner (21.34). After running a masterful curve out of lane seven, Thompson-Herah was accompanied by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as they came into the home straight. However, just as she did in the 100m final a few days earlier, she found that extra gear to disconnect from the field to burst the tape in 21.53 (+0.8 m/s). Following in Thompson-Herah’s wake were Namibia’s Christine Mboma (21.81) and American Gabrielle Thomas (21.87), who surged ahead of a fading Fraser-Pryce (21.94) in the last thirty metres. Natoya Goule-Toppin was optimistic going into the women’s 800m final. Moreover, she started well too. However, after a cracking first lap and with 200m to go, it seemed Goule’s fast-paced tactics began to take its toll. Upon entering the home straight she had nothing left in the tank to […]
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Elaine Thompson-Herah Flag of Jamaica clocks 21.53 to WIN GOLD in Women’s 200M Final! 🏅 Elaine Thompson-Herah Jamaica 🇯🇲 (21.53) 🥈 Christine Mboma Namibia 🇳🇦 (21.81) 🥉 Gabrielle Thomas 🇺🇸 (21.87) 4th Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 🇯🇲 (21.94) Elaine is the only woman in history to get the sprint double in two back-back Olympic Games. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Elaine Thompson Herah (@fastelaine)
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Jamaica’s premier diver Yona Knight-Wisdom, who competed at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, wants to leave a legacy for upcoming youngsters interested in the sport. Knight-Wisdom began diving at age nine (9). The tall and athletic former gymnast competing at his second Olympic Games had a tremendous series in the men’s 3m springboard competition that took him all the way to the semi-finals. In the preliminary round, he finished 13th out of 29 divers with 411.65 points. Knight-Wisdom, who competed sixth in the semi-finals diving order, amassed 362.95 points from his six dives, which included the forward and inward 3 ½ somersaults, forward 2 ½ somersaults with one twist, back 2 ½ somersaults, reverse 3 ½ somersaults and forward 2 ½ somersaults with two twists. The 26-year-old’s best effort came in the third round where he scored 72 points. Of the eighteen (18) divers, the Jamaican finished 15th overall occasionally impressing the commentators and Judge Panel with his brilliant routine. Only the top twelve divers advanced to the final. After his competition ended, Knight-Wisdom, affectionately called Yonkers, was appreciative of all the love and support from his Jamaican fans over the years. […]
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The fourth day of athletics at the Tokyo Olympics coincided with the Emanipation public holiday in Jamaica. After a few hiccups the previous day, Jamaicans needed some cheering up. The women’s 100m hurdles final was the last event of the day and Jamaica had two of its heroines (Britany Anderson and Megan Tapper) lined up against the world’s best. Jamaica, despite producing two world champions in the women’s 100m hurdles, had never won an Olympic medal in the event. There was a strong sense of déjà vu when domestic champion Megan Tapper occupied lane nine (9). At the Jamaica national trials, Tapper ran from lane eight and told reporters after her victory that, in a final, every lane is a blessing. At 9:50 pm (JA time), the country went on pause with every Jamaican glued to their television sets. Cometh the hour, cometh the woman. Tapper, a 5ft athlete with 7ft dreams, no doubt, was inspired by the lyrics of the international reggae artiste Sizzla Kolanji’s hit song, ‘Rise to the occasion, look at yourself then say your strong no one can stop u (oh Yea). Rise to the occasion go ahead u know your […]
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The third day of athletics (evening session) at the Tokyo Olympic Games coincided with the Emancipation holiday in Jamaica. The men’s 100m semi-final resembled a sudden-death shootout with several excellent sprinters vying for only two automatic spots. Two Jamaicans carried the hopes of their nation. Jamaica’s Yohan Blake is a powerfully built athlete with shoulders that can block out the sun. The 2011 World Champion had vowed earlier in the year that he was not leaving Tokyo without a medal. However, it seems that promise might come in the men’s 4x100m relays after Blake finished sixth in his 100m semi-final in a pedestrian 10.14 seconds. It was a disappointing farewell for Blake, who is appearing in his third and final Olympic Games. Blake’s teammate Oblique Seville competing in his first Olympic Games finished no higher than fourth in the second semifinal in 10.09 seconds and failed to advance. It was the first time Jamaica has not had a finalist in the men’s 100m in five Olympics dating back to 2000. Both Seville and Blake will now turn their attention to the men’s 4x100m relays, which start on August 5, 2021. The women’s […]
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From the women’s 100m heats got underway in Tokyo; it seemed something special was in the offing. Jamaica’s three female sprinters brought their ‘A’ game to the Japan capital and many track and field aficionados predicted a podium sweep. Elaine Thompson-Herah, the defending sprint double Olympic champion, had endured some modest returns since 2016, a period where she won no individual medal. Therefore, she came into the games with a burden of uncertainty questioning her status as one of the elites and the ability to repeat her 2016 feat. Notwithstanding, Thompson-Herah, who looked peerless throughout the rounds, returned emphatically to the zenith of world sprinting on Saturday (31) at the XX11 Olympiad. She produced an almost flawless run to not only defend her title, but also remove – unbelievably – one of the records held by American Florence Griffith-Joyner – the Olympic record (10.62), which stood for 33 years. That. Is. Rapid. The second fastest 100m ever run by a woman! 😲 Elaine Thompson Herah defends her title with a new Olympic record!#bbcolympics #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/fCBGeVUA36 — BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 31, 2021 Thompson-Herah, drawn in lane four with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to her right […]
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