Stacey-Ann Williams emerged as the sole Jamaican victor at Tuesday’s Spitzen Leichtathletik meet at Stadion Allmend in Luzern, Switzerland, a prestigious event on the World Athletics Continental Tour-Silver circuit.
Williams claimed victory in the women’s 400m race, delivering an impressive performance.
Despite high expectations for the meet, fans were disappointed by the last-minute withdrawals of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Rasheed Broadbell. Broadbell, who was set to compete in the 110m hurdles, withdrew due to illness. There was no explanation for Fraser-Pryce’s absence, which would have marked her first European race of the season.
Williams, who secured second place at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) National Championships, is set to compete in an individual event at the Olympics for the first time. She won the quarter-mile race comfortably, clocking in at 50.58 seconds. She defeated Lisane deWitte of the Netherlands, who finished in 51.99 seconds, and Anniha Fahr of Switzerland, who came in third with a time of 52.08 seconds.
In addition to Williams’ triumph, two other Jamaican athletes achieved podium finishes. Lanae-Tava Thomas placed second in the women’s 200m, running 22.60 seconds (-0.4m/s), narrowly beaten by Jessika Gbai of the Ivory Coast, who finished in 22.57 seconds. Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji took third place with a time of 22.61 seconds. Jodean Williams of Jamaica finished fifth with a time of 23.01 seconds, following her lifetime best of 22.69 seconds set in Belgium four days earlier.
Kemba Nelson secured third place
Kemba Nelson secured third place in the women’s 100m, running 11.21 seconds. Nelson led for most of the race but was edged out at the line by Kambundji, who clocked 11.20 seconds (-0.8m/s). New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs won the overall event with a time of 11.17 seconds (0.0m/s). Serena Cole ran a season’s best of 11.24 seconds (-0.8m/s) to finish fifth overall, while Shashalee Forbes and Jodean Williams both timed 11.31 seconds, placing eighth and ninth respectively. Krystal Sloley and Briana Williams recorded times of 11.38 and 11.50 seconds, respectively.
In the women’s long jump, Ackelia Smith finished fourth with a best mark of 6.61 meters (-0.3m/s). Switzerland’s Annik Kalin won the event with a leap of 6.65 meters (-0.2m/s), followed by American Monae Nichols with 6.64 meters (-0.3m/s) and Colombia’s Natalia Linares, who also jumped 6.61 meters (-0.3m/s) but had a better second jump than Smith.
Other Jamaican performances included former national champion and World Championships relay bronze medallist Rohan Watson, who finished ninth in the men’s 100m with a time of 10.32 seconds (0.1m/s), and Michael Campbell, who placed 12th with 10.37 seconds (0.3m/s). Rusheen McDonald ran 47.41 seconds in the 400m, and teenager Gary Card clocked 21.32 seconds (0.1m/s) in the men’s 200m.
Williams’ victory in Luzern not only highlights her talent but also sets a promising tone for her Olympic debut, as she continues to build momentum leading up to the Paris Games.
