Jamaican superstars Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce scored comfortable victories in the short sprints at Saturday’s Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meet at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Thompson-Herah recovered from an ordinary start to blow past Dina Asher-Smith and company to win the women’s 100m in a season’s best 10.79 seconds ahead of American ShaCarri Richardson who clocked a season’s best 10.92 seconds for seconds place, with Jamaican Shericka Jackson third in the same time as Richardson, also a season-best for her.
Jamaica’s third participant, Briana Williams trailed home in ninth place in 11.20 seconds.
Fraser-Pryce clocked a season’s best 22.41 seconds to win the 200m in a smart fashion, collaring Swiss athlete Munjinga Kambundji coming off the curve before powering away in the straight for a facile victory.
Second place went to American Brittany Brown in 22.74 seconds, and third was Bahamian Anthonique Strachan in 22.76 seconds.
In the women’s 800m, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule ran a season’s best of 1:59.39 minutes but could fare no better than fourth place after faltering in the home straight from a medal position.
The race was won by Great Britain’s Keely Hodkinson in a smart, world-leading 1:57.72 minutes. American AJee Wilson clocked a season’s best 1:58.06 minutes for second place, with compatriot Raevyn Rogers taking third place in 1L58.44 minutes, also a season’s best effort.
Meanwhile, Danielle Williams, the 2015 100m hurdles World Champion of Jamaica, finished fifth in her pet event in 12.71 seconds. The race was won by Puerto Rican 2020 Olympic Games gold medallist Jasmine Camacho-Dunn in 12.45 seconds.
Nigeria’s Tobi Amunsan finished in second place in 12.58 seconds, with American Tonea Marshall third in 12.66 seconds.
Jamaica’s male representatives in the 400m hurdles, Jaheel Hyde and Kemar Mowatt, finished seventh and eighth, respectively in 50.38 and 50.81 seconds.
The race was won by Brazilian Alison dos Santos in 47.23 seconds.
The highlight of the day at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League was Michael Norman’s astonishing 43.60 seconds run in the men’s 400m. The American clocked a world-leading and meet record time, erasing the previous meet record of 43.92 seconds set by fellow American great, Michael Johnson 22 years ago.
Grenadian Kirani James was second in a season’s best 44.02 seconds, with Great Briton Matthew Hudson-Smith third in a personal best and national record 44.35 seconds.
