World champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce turned the tables on Olympic Games champion Elaine Thompson-Herah at Thursday’s (26 Aug) Lausanne Diamond League in Switzerland.
Fraser-Pryce got a fast start and led all the way, won in a personal best and meet a record of 10.60 seconds.
“Believe it or not, I still have not run my best race,” Fraser-Pryce said.
“I know there is more to give because I still need to work further on improving my technique,” added the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics 100m champion.
Thompson-Herah, slow of the blocks, closed fast but had to settle for second in 10.64.
Thompson-Herah confessed: “My body is feeling tired after a long season and especially after having done four personal best times in a month. That’s amazing, for sure.
Thompson-Herah and Fraser-Pryce have clashed four times so far this season. Thompson-Herah won at the Tokyo 2020 games and Prefontaine Classic, while Fraser-Pryce topped the field at Jamaica Olympic Trials and Lausanne. In overall head-to-head, the Olympics champion leads 7-3.
Again, Shericka Jackson, who was third in Tokyo and Eugene, also finished third today in 10.92.
“The race was really good, the wind was pushing us, but the conditions were very cold,” Jackson said.
In the women’s 400m, Candice McLeod finished fifth in 51.26. The event was won by Marileidy Paulino (DOM), 50.40 ahead of Barbadian Sada Williams, 50.77.
Williams commented: “It was very cold out there today, but I did not feel the wind too much. I am happy with the result, and 50.7 was the best I could do in these conditions. I will race next in Paris, where my goal is to beat 50.1.
Jamaicans Ronald Levy, 13.40 and Olympic Games champion Hansle Parchment, 13.58, were fifth and eighth, respectively. American Devon Allen won the event in 13.07.
Parchment said: “Disappointed with today’s run. I hit a hurdle early and wasn’t able to catch up with them.”
“It’s my first race since the Olympics, and it just wasn’t my day. Now I’ll turn my attention to my next race, which is in Paris.”
Shanieka Ricketts hop-skip-jump over 15 metres, 15.02m, but a +2.7m/s wind supported it as she walked away with second place in the event. Kimberly Williams finished fourth with 14.29m.
World record holder and Olympic Games champion Yulimar Rojas set a new Diamond League record of 15.56m.
“Today feels like redemption after the Olympics where I was a bit disappointed with my results,” said Ricketts.
“I must say I’m grateful because I’ve been having a great season this year with lots of consistently big jumps. Today was not wind-legal, but it gives me the confidence to know that im back in good shape.
Janieve Russell, 54.89 and Leah Nugent, 56.41, were sixth and seventh in the women’s 400m hurdles, won by Femke Bol of Netherland in a meeting record 53.05.
Dalilah Muhammad of the USA finished fourth in 54.50.
Americans Kenneth Bednarek, 19.65 and Fred Kerley, 19.77, took the top two spots in the men’s 200m. Bahamian Olympic Games 400m champion Steven Gardiner finished third in 20.11.
World record holder and Olympic Games 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm ran a season-best 45.51 for fourth in the 400m. American Wilbert London won the event in 45.17.
