Shericka stuns Shelly
World 200m champion wins 100m at Brussels Diamond League meet
Published:Saturday | September 3, 2022 | 12:10 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
With her berth to the 2022 Wanda Diamond League final already secured, World 200 metres champion Shericka Jackson scored a major win in the 100 metres, handing five-time World champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce her first defeat of the season in the penultimate Diamond League meet yesterday in Brussels, Belgium.
Jackson clocked 10.73 seconds edging Fraser-Pryce who, despite a good start, was caught on the line and got second in 10.74. Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Côte d’Ivoire was third in 10.78. America’s Aleia Hobbs, who won the 100m at the last Diamond League meet in Lausanne, was fourth in 10.91 and her compatriot Sha’Carri Richardson, fifth in 10.93. It was Jackson’s ninth 100m win of the season, a win that she says was down to great technique.
“It takes a lot of hard work to beat Shelly-Ann, she’s a tough cookie to beat. So you need to keep working hard if you want to win. Tonight I had a good execution of my race, so I’m happy with that,” Jackson said after the race. Jackson, who is already guaranteed a place in next week’s Diamond League final in both the 100m and 200m in Zürich, has not finished below third in the 100m this season.
Fraser-Pryce, who withdrew from the Lausanne Diamond League meet on August 26 citing hamstring discomfort, said that leaving the race without an injury was more vital despite her performance not being to her liking.
“I felt okay about today’s race. It wasn’t anything spectacular but I felt good. I do not have any injury, so that is the most important part,” Fraser-Pryce said after yesterday’s event.
The defeat ends a nine-race winning streak dating back to May 7. Fraser-Pryce also has secured a spot in the Diamond League final but has remained noncommittal about whether she will compete.
“I am not sure about Zürich. I will have to wait and listen to my body,” Fraser-Pryce said. “But today was really amazing, I love running in Brussels.”
Fraser-Pryce, in her pre-race conference on Thursday, said she had contemplated ending the season after withdrawing from Lausanne.
Rushell Clayton, 2019 World Championship 400m hurdles bronze medallist, set a new personal best of 52.02 seconds as she finished third in the women’s 400m B race. Opting to run the flat for this meet, Clayton said that similar to her 400m hurdles season, running in the outside lane was not a problem for her in the event.
“I’m running in the outer lanes almost all season, so during the race, I didn’t know where I was placed. But you know, it’s the same 400m for everyone and I just tried to run the best race possible. My next race, I’m running the hurdles again.” Clayton said.
World championship 4x400m relay silver medallist Candice McLeod finished fifth in the Diamond League women’s 400m race clocking 50.76 while 2013 World Championship bronze medallist Stephenie-Ann McPherson was eighth in 51.73. The race was won by Fiordaliza Cofil of the Dominican Republic in a personal best of 49.80. Barbadian Sada Williams placed second in 50.15.
World Championships silver medallist and national record holder Britany Anderson finished fourth in the women’s 100m hurdles while Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper was fifth in a new personal best of 12.51. Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico won in a meet record of 12.27.