Both the men’s and women’s 100 meters athletes have continued to showcase why Jamaica has dominated the event over the years as day one of the JAAA National Junior and Senior Championships – Jamaica Trials – got underway on Thursday, June 23, at the National Stadium in Kingston.
- Fred Kerley lights up day 1 at US Trials
- Sha’Carri Richardson out of 100m at US Trials
- Fraser-Pryce, Blake lead them at Jamaica Trials
The Pocket Rocket, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who has already qualified for the 100 meters at the Oregon World Athletics Championships this year, lit up the National Stadium with what could possibly be the fastest first-round qualifier in the event. Fraser-Pryce bolted to the finish line in fine style as she clocked 10.70 ahead of rising star Briana Williams, who equalled her season’s best of 10.98. Ramona Burchell of Sprintec Track Club rounded out the top three with 11.16.
Former Mount Alvernia High and University of Oregon standout Kemba Nelson (10.98) crossed the line ahead of the MVP Track Club pair of Shericka Jackson (10.99) and Kasheika Cameron (11.30) in heat 3 of the event.
Jamaica Trials Live Results
Meanwhile, five-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson- Herah won her race comfortably with an 11.06 clocking, while twice world championship relay medallist Natasha Morrison finished second in a season’s best 11.10, and Shockoria Wallace secured the third automatic spot in 11.21.
In the men’s equivalent of the event, it was the 2011 world 100 meters champion Yohan Blake who proved to the world that Jamaican male sprinting is on the rise as he stormed to a season’s best 10.93 to record the fastest time of the night. Blake crossed the line ahead of his Titan Track Club teammate Kemar Bailey-Cole who showcased his best performance this year with a season’s best time of 10.06. Nigel Ellis came third in 10.10, while 2019 world long jump champion Tajay Gayle had to settle for fourth with a 10.13 clocking.
Watch Jamaica Trials Live Stream on 1Spotmedia.com
Despite his small stature, Oblique Seville, who is the fastest Jamaican male athlete this year, produced another sub-10 clocking and the second-fastest qualifying time in the preliminary round with a blistering 9.98. Seville was followed by Jelani Walker, who ran a personal best of 10.07 for second, while Jazeel Murphy finished third in 10.17.
Meanwhile, both Conroy Jones of Elite Performance and G.C Foster College’s Kadrian Goldson proved too good for their competitors when they claimed victories in 10.00 and 10.16, respectively, to advance to the semi-finals of the men’s 100 meters.
Additional events during Day 1 of the Jamaica Trials:
Women’s 400M Hurdles- Former Hydel High School superstar Shiann Salmon secured her spot in the finals of the women’s 400 meters after clocking a personal best of 54.10 seconds. Salmon is expected to go up against Olympian Janieve Russell of MVP Track Club, World Championship bronze medal winner Rushell Clayton, and Ronda Whyte, to name a few, in the finals on Friday, June 24.
Long Jump Women- Ackelia Smith of the University of Texas claimed her first national title in the women’s long jump with a best leap of 6.56 meters. Three-time national champion Chanice Bonner had to settle for second with 6.52 meters, while Deborah Acquah of Texas A&M University finished third with a best jump of 6.47 meters. Tissanna Hickling, who recorded the furthest jump in the event this year, placed 8th with 5.94 meters.
High Jump Women- Kimberly Williamson, who performed unattached, claimed her seventh title in the women’s high jump after clearing a height of 1.88 meters. Lamara Distin, who is the NCAA Division 1 Indoors and Outdoors champion, finished second with 1.85 meters, while Daniella Anglin rounded out the top three with 1.80 meters.
800M Men- National record holder Navasky Anderson of Mississippi State University made it look easy in qualifying after he cruised to victory in 1:48.24. He will be joined by former Calabar High standout Kimar Farquharson and number one junior J’Voughnn Blake of Jamaica College, among others, in the finals scheduled for Sunday, June 26.
400M Hurdles Men- Olympians Kemar Mowatt and Jaheel Hyde looked the easiest in qualifying for the finals of the men’s 400 meters hurdles. They will be joined by Malik James-King of Legacy Athletics, Andre Clarke of Puma, Sprintec Track Club’s Demar Murray, Marvin Williams of Truefit Athletics and Shawn Rowe in the finals slated for Friday, June 24.
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