Blake, Thompson show good form Down Under

Jamaica's Yohan Blake, Elaine Thompson, and Shericka Jackson were in winning form at the Queensland International Track Classic in Brisbane yesterday in the final warm-up meet before the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Strong winds hampered many of the performances in the time-final sprint events.

Blake clocked 10.34 seconds over 100 metres to finish ahead of Canada's Aaron Brown (10.41), with Australia's Rohan Browning third in 10.46.

Running against a minus-1.7 metres per second wind, Olympic 100m and 200m Thompson won her heat in 11.72. In another 100m heat, Thompson's MVP Track Club teammate, Christania Williams, placed second in 11.63 (-1.0m/s). The heat was won in 11.31 by Britain's Dina Asher-Smith.

Jackson was the fastest in the women's 200m, winning her heat in 23.05 (-1.3m/s) from Britain's Bianca Williams and Australia's Riley Day.

In the women's 400m hurdles, Janieve Russell, 55.10 seconds, was narrowly beaten by South Africa's Wanda Nel, who crossed the line in 55.01.

Britain's Zharnel Hughes, Blake's training partner at the Racers Track Club, was the most impressive sprinter on the day. The 22-year-old Hughes sped to a 20.23 victory over 200m against a -1.6m/s wind to register the fastest half-lap time on Australian soil since 2001.