World’s top three clash again

In her continued pursuit of excelling beyond her high standards in the 100 metres this season, five-time world 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will do battle once more with double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson Herah and world 200m champion Shericka Jackson, headlining the penultimate meet of the 2022 Diamond League campaign, in Lausanne, Switzerland, today.

The Jamaican women who swept the final in Eugene a month ago will meet again in the 100m at 1:59 p.m. Jamaica time, leading the charge of the 14-member contingent that will be represented at the meet. Fraser-Pryce continues to soar in 2022, having clocked six sub-10.7 seconds times, including the world-leading mark of 10.62 in Monaco on August 10. Fraser-Pryce in a pre-meet press conference yesterday said that she feels that she is close to eclipsing the 10.6-second mark.

“I don’t think, as a sprinter, a perfect race exists. There is always something (to improve on). But for me, I want to have one of those races where everything works together, or if something doesn’t work I am able to counter that at 60m,” Fraser-Pryce said. “I definitely think while watching the races and having my coach telling me what’s happening, if I am able to fix or tweak a few things, then I am definitely able to run faster than 10.6.”

Jackson, who has a personal best of 10.71 which she clocked in Monaco on August 10, said that the constant battles between herself, Fraser-Pryce and Thompson Herah have made her better, but is focused on her execution.

“They are beasts on the track and I enjoy competing with them. They bring out the best in each other and I think tomorrow will be great despite who wins. But on the day, you have to run your own race,” Jackson said yesterday.

Fraser-Pryce, Jackson and Thompson Herah have three of the top five fastest 100m times this season, and despite a difficult season by her standards, Thompson Herah said that she is looking to hurdle over the challenges which have included injury issues this year.

“This season I have learned a lot. It has been challenging but I still managed to overcome that. I think overcoming my obstacles is my biggest motivation and it keeps me going,” Thompson Herah said. Her fastest time this year was 10.79 in May.

NEW PERSONAL BEST

Meanwhile, world championship bronze medallist Rushell Clayton, Commonwealth Games champion Janieve Russell and Andrennette Knight will hope to stop 2022 World championship silver medallist and European champion Femke Bol of the Netherlands in the women’s 400m hurdles which starts at 1:04 p.m. Clayton is coming off a victory at the Monaco Diamond League meet on August 10 where she clocked a new personal best of 53.33.

In a repeat of the 2022 World Championship final, silver medallist and national record holder Britany Anderson faces Tokyo Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho Quinn of Puerto Rico and newly crowned World champion and world record holder, Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, in the women’s 100m hurdles.

Back-to-back World Championship silver medallist and Commonwealth Games champion Shanieka Ricketts, as well as Kimberly Williams, will contest the women’s triple jump in a field that includes World champion Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela, who has a world-leading jump of 15.47m and also holds the meet record of 15.52.

After marking his Jamaican debut with a gold medal at the NACAC Championships, National 200m champion Andrew Hudson will be in a tough field in the men’s 200m which features World champion Noah Lyles and World Championships bronze medallist Erriyon Knighton, both of the United States. Hudson ran a personal best 19/87 at the NACAC Championships.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com

Jamaicans in Action in Lausanne

1:04 pm - Women’s 400mh (Rushell Clayton, Janieve Russell, Andrenette Knight)

1:22 pm - Men’s 110mh (Rasheed Broadbell, Hansle Parchment)

1:40 pm - Women’s triple jump (Shanieka Ricketts, Kimberly Williams)

1:59 pm - Women’s 100m (Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, ElaineThompson Herah)

2:23 pm - Women’s 100mh (Britany Anderson)

2:31 pm - Women’s 400m (Candice McLeod, Stephenie-Ann McPherson)

2:42 pm - Men’s 200m (Andrew Hudson)