Powell, Fraser-Pryce sprint king and queen; Whyte, Russell 400h winners in Jamaica

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By trackalerts.com 4 Min Read

Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Asafa Powell dominated the women’s and men’s 100m finals at the Jamaica trials on Friday night. Annsert Whyte and Janieve Russell won the men's and women's 400m titles

See Full Men’s and Women’s 100m Results

Fraser-Pryce, who owns the Jamaican record at 10.70secs, posted and stunning seasonal best and world-leading time of 10.79 seconds (+0.4) on her way to landing the women’s 100m title in Kingston, and improved on her previous year best time of 10.81.

The reigning World Championships sprint double gold medal winner from 2013, controlled the entire race from start to finish, as no one came close to challenging her.

In fact, Fraser-Pryce was the only woman under the 11-seconds barrier on the night.

Finishing second was her Mvp Track Club training partner Natasha Morrison, who improved her personal best to 11.03, while Veronica Campbell-Brown clocked 11.06 for third place.

The 2008 Olympic silver medallist Sherone Simpson took fourth in 11.14, with the women who she shared that position with at the Beijing Games, Kerron Stewart, finished fifth in 11.17.

One of the country’s fastest women this season, Elaine Thompson did not run the 100m.

Asafa Powell signaled his return to form by equalling his season’s best time of 9.84 secs to win the men’s 100m title.

The former world record holder was winning his sixth national 100m title, but his first since 2011 and he will head to Beijing, China confident about being on the podium.

Nickel Ashmeade recorded 9.91 for second place, with Commonwealth Games champion Kemar Bailey Cole also booking his spot on the 100m team after edging out Nesta Carter, 9.97-9.98.

The top three finishers will join world record holder Usain Bolt at the starting line at the World Championships.

Bolt’s coach Glen Mills withdrew him from the Jamaica trials – citing that it was better for him to train ahead of two Diamond League meetings in July.

The global sprint sensation has a berth to the summer’s world championships.

Notably, Yohan Blake, who is returning from a long injury layoff, did not make the final of the men’s 100m and could very well pull out of the rest of these championships.

Meanwhile, Janieve Russell and Annsert Whyte won the 400m hurdles finals.

Russell, who went out hard and controlled the race from start to finish, won the women’s 400h. She crossed the finish line in 55.10 ahead of Shevon Stoddart 55.29 and Ristananna 55.45. All three will join Diamond League champion Kaliese Spencer at the World Championships.

Race favourite Whyte 48.90 dominated men’s 400m hurdles. He went out hard and fast and covered the field from early.  Whyte caught defending champion Roxroy Cato 49.09 while leaving behind Leford Green 49.41 on the inside. 

World silver medalist, Javon Francis, who did just enough to win his heat, leads the qualifiers into the semi-final of the men’s 400m with 46.31.

Meanwhile it was Christine Day, who led the women’s charge by winning heat 1 of the women’s 400m in 50.86 ahead of Shericka Jackson, who ran a new personal best of 51.01.

Daniel Thomas won the women’s discus with 57.67m over Tara-Sue Barnet 56.56 and national record holder Kellion Knibb 54.71

Kemoy Campbell dominated the men’s 5,000m in 13:51.34secs., just missing the qualifying mark of 13.23.  

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