Photo: Elaine Thompson (centre of picture) blazes to a new personal best of 7.02s over 60 m at the Queens/Grace Jackson Invitational inside the National Stadium, in Kingston Jamaica on Saturday.
The double sprint champion at the Rio Olympics in Brazil last year, Elaine Thompson, is ready to rumble indoors, as the ‘Journey to London’ kicks into another gear. The MVP star made her season’s debut at Saturday’s 16th staging of the Queens/Grace Jackson Invitational inside the National Stadium, in Kingston Jamaica.
Thompson defended her title over the shorter sprint, 60m, with victory in a new personal effort of 7.02s, edging compatriot Christania Williams who also clocked a new personal best of 7.05 seconds. GC Foster/Sprint Tech athlete Audra Segree was third in 7.27 seconds.
In 2015, the former Manchester High athlete won the same event in 7.17, before going on to claim bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Portland.
Thompson’s winning time on Saturday also bettered the 7.13 seconds meeting record set by Olympian Shelly Ann Fraser- Pryce back in 2015.
The time also positions Thompson top of the 60m ranking for outdoor competition. The only other runner to have gone faster is former American sprinter Marion Jones, who ran at 6.85m en route to completing the 100m in 1999. The 60m is usually contested as an indoor track event.
Thompson was excited to start the season with a personal best over the distance.
“I am excited, I came out here to execute the best that I can, my first race for the season to get my preparation for the indoors. It was a little bit windy and I don’t know if I executed well but I finished healthy and injury free.
“I felt her (Williams) beside me because she is also my training partner and when you train with somebody you can feel them coming up beside you, so I am happy that she was there with me through the race. 7:02 is a huge pb for me and I am really excited.”
Second placed Williams was pleased with her first outing for the season. “I am feeling pretty pleased. Last year I wasn’t this pleased as much as I am tonight. My time is much better than last year.”
The 60m for Men went to fellow MVP athlete Julian Forte, who crossed the line in 6.55 seconds to beat training partner Kavean Smith 6.60 seconds.
“The 60m isn’t my strongest race so I just tried to get a good start and carry it through to the finish. It’s business as usual (for 2017). (I am) trying to get everything right in training and hopefully it translates.
“I was trying to come out here and get some competition and see where I am at. I felt OK, I never really expected to win the 60.”
University of Technology (UTech) athlete, Micheal Campbell was third in 6.63 seconds. Forte’s time was just shy of Nesta Carter’s meet record of 6.53 seconds done in 2015.
Sprint Tech’s Anastacia Leroy won the Women’s 200m invitational in 23.54 seconds, ahead of teammate Verone chambers 23.72 seconds and Rhonda Whyte of GC Foster 23.88 seconds.
Quartermiler Demish Gaye claimed the male 200m equivalent in a new meet record of 20.80 seconds, bettering Brandon Tomlinson’s time of 20.91 seconds done in 2016.
Former Jamaica College athlete, now at UTech, Devaugh Baker was second in 21.04 seconds and third went to GC Foster’s Marcell Gayle in 21.16 seconds.
The women’s 100m invitational went to 400m specialist Stephanie Ann Mcpherson in a time of 11.54 seconds, ahead of UTech’s Donya Ewers 11.93 seconds and teammate Shereca Hemmings 12.09 seconds.
UTech’s Marcus Brown, 10.29 seconds, MVP’s Nimroy Turgott, 10.98s and MVP’s Troy Evans, 11.05 secured top three finishes in the Men’s 100m invitational respectively.
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