Thompson powers to world-leading time in 100m

MVP Track Club athletes captured the women’s and men’s 100 metres titles as the curtain came down on a brilliant second day of the JAAA/Puma National Junior and Senior Championships at the National Stadium last night.

The star of the show was Kishane Thompson who stormed to victory in the men’s 100m in a world-leading and personal best 9.77 seconds.

Thompson’s coach Stephen Francis said his charge was in blistering form ahead of the ‘Trials’ and would produced something special and he did not disappoint. Oblique Seville was fastest away at the start but the powerful Thompson went by him at the 60m mark and won easily. Seville equalled his personal best 9.82 in placing second while Ackeem Blake took third in 9.92.

Defending women’s 100m champion Jackson, who came into the championships with some questioning her fitness, proved that she will perform when it matters most. A bit sluggish out of the blocks while training partner 19-year-old Tia Clayton led for 60m, Jackson found another gear late to win in 10.84. Clayton was second in 10.90 while veteran Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was third in 10.84.

“This year I trusted my body and my coach. It was not my best start to the season but I am happy for the win. The objective was to come and make the team and I did that by finishing in the top three,” Jackson said.

There was a major upset in the men’s 400m hurdles final with Malik James-King of Titans Track Club upstaging national record holder and pre-race favourite and defending champion Roshawn Clarke of Swept Track Club.

PERSONAL BEST

Running a strong last 50 metres, James-King powered past leader Clarke to register a personal best 47.42 seconds. James-King, who celebrated his 25th birthday yesterday, has improved massively this year after being disqualified in the event last year. Clarke was second in 48.04 while former champion Jaheel Hyde saved his best for the championships as he finished third in a season’s best 48.35 to edge out Assanie Wilson of Titans Track Club who was fourth in a season’s and personal best 48.36.

Earlier the in-form Rushelle Clayton, the country’s leading woman in the 400m hurdles this season, captured the one-lap obstacle event in a personal best 52.51 to become the second-fastest Jamaican female in the event.

Clayton got a flying start and kept moving away from her rivals. Janieve Russell of MVP track club produced a season’s best 53.7 for second as Shian Salmon of SprinTec took third in 54.33.

There was another surprise result in the men’s 400m final as Deandre Watkin of Elite Performance Track Club blazed to a personal best 44.48 seconds to win the event. Watkin had a comfortable lead after 200m and held his form well to hold off defending champion Sean Bailey who was second in 44.65 while JeVaughn Powell rallied late to take third in 44.74 seconds. Former national champion Demish Gaye failed to finish after stopping after 80 metres due to injury.

Edwin Allen High’s Kelly Ann Carr ruled supreme in the under-20 girls’ 400m hurdles winning in a personal best 57.66 ahead of Rhianna Lewis of Rhodes Hall High, 59.68, with third going to D’schanique Douglas of Excelsior High in 59.72.

Daniel Wright of Excelsior won the boys’ under-20 event in a personal best 49.88 seconds. Trevoy Smith of Herbert Morrison Technical was third in 50.92 with Brandon Harris of St Jago High third in 51.44.

Aisha Praught Leer and St Jago’s Rahiem Walker were crowned senior women’s and men’s 1500 metres champions respectively.

In what was a match race, Praught clocked 4:25.63 to turn back the challenge of Adelle Tracey, 4:26.44.

Walker’s winning time in the men’s event was 4:07.70 as he turned back 5000m champion Noel Ellis of The University of West Indies. Ellis was second in 4:11.92 with third going to Andrew Powell of Pure Track Club in 4:26.83.

Jaydon Hibbert, who opted to compete among the juniors instead of the seniors, was crowned champion in the under-20 long jump with a winning mark of 7.98m aided by a 3.1 metres per second wind. Michael Andre Edwards of Jamaica College was second with 7.57m with St Elizabeth Technical’s Rickoy Hunter placing third with 7.33m.

Hibbert second best attempt of 7.73m gave him the automatic qualification mark for the World Under-20 Championships.

Jamaica College’s Shaiquan Dunn continued his impressive form this year after capturing the under-20 boys’ discus with 17.90m. Javantae Smith of Munro College was second with 16.87m , ahead of his teammate Devont Edwards who was third with 16.70m.