Olympic silver medallist Kishane Thompson produced an emphatic run to win the men’s 100m in 9.88 (0.0m/s) at the Racers Grand Prix, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meeting, in Kingston, Jamaica, on Saturday (7).
Thompson, drawn in lane four, reacted quickly to the starter’s gun and pulled away from the field at the midway mark. His compatriot Oblique Seville finished with a flourish to clinch second place in a season’s best of 9.97 ahead of the South African pair of Gift Leotlela (10.04) and world U20 champion Bayanda Walaza (10.06).
“Today, I put together a decent race,” said Thompson, who registered a season’s best. “I went through my phases as best as I could, and I’m super grateful for finishing injury-free. I want everyone to be patient because great things are going to happen.”
Seville, last year’s winner, was also satisfied with his performance. “I am pleased with dipping under 10 seconds because I had to run conservatively due to a niggle that I picked up in the Atlanta City Games,” he said. “Tonight’s run has given me the confidence that I will do well at the national senior championships in three weeks’ time.”
In the women’s equivalent, two-time world U20 champion Tina Clayton ran a season’s best of 10.98 (1.8m/s) to defeat USA’s Jacious Sears (11.04).
In the men’s 110m hurdles, Olympic bronze medallist Rasheed Broadbell defeated the red-hot US athlete Trey Cunningham in a tight contest – 13.06 to 13.08 (0.7m/s). It was Broadbell’s third win against Cunningham in five finals.
“Each time I compete, I get better and better. Tonight, my execution was clean, my aim was to be in front after the first six hurdles, and once I achieve that, I will not be caught,” said Broadbell, who set a meeting record.
USA’s Alia Armstrong clocked 12.54 (1.1m/s) to equal the meeting record in the women’s 100m hurdles. Following in Armstrong’s wake was world indoor champion Devynne Charlton of The Bahamas in a season’s best of 12.65.
The men’s 200m was one of the most highly anticipated events on the night, and it almost lived up to its billing. Jamaican champion Bryan Levell solidified his growing reputation with a scintillating run, bursting the tape at 19.79. However, the celebrations from the 15,000 spectators were muted when the wind reading of 2.5m/s appeared on the scoreboard. Levell’s compatriot Christopher Taylor, returning from a two-year suspension, came through for second place in 20.39.
World champion Shericka Jackson won the women’s 200m in a season’s best of 22.53 (1.0m/s).
Returning from a serious-looking injury suffered a month ago at the Miami Grand Slam Track meeting, Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke showed no signs of discomfort as he triumphed in the 400m hurdles in 48.65. The world U20 record-holder had to withstand a late surge in the home straight from his compatriot Assinie Wilson, who clocked 48.77.
USA’s world indoor champion Christopher Bailey continued his love affair with Jamaica’s stadium track, winning the 400m in 44.74. Bailey dragged Jamaica’s Delano Kennedy to a 45.22 PB.
“I felt a little sloppier than normal at the start, but I knew I could rely on my finish. I have a great finish, and I was happy to go sub-45 here again,” said Bailey, who opened his outdoor season in Kingston in April with an impressive 44.34 clocking. His compatriot Lynna Irby-Jackson made it a US sweep of the 400m when she ran a season’s best of 50.23 to deny Jamaica’s Stacy-Ann Williams (50.56).
Elsewhere, world and Olympic silver medallist Wayne Pinnock scored his first long jump win of the year, cutting the sand at 7.97m in the third round.
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