Photo: Double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson storms to victory in the women’s 60m at the final leg of the IAAF World Indoor Tour Series as she sets a stadium record and a new world leading 6.98 seconds. (AP)
Double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson stormed to victory in the women’s 60m at the final leg of the IAAF World Indoor Tour Series in a new stadium record and a new world leading 6.98 seconds to comprehensively dismiss a class field on Saturday. The Jamaican separated herself from the field midway the race, winning by a large margin in the short sprint.
The time also makes her the joint second fastest Jamaican over this distance, tied with Shelly–Ann Fraser Pryce and just behind record holder Merlene Ottey 6.96 seconds. The world record of 6.92 seconds has been held by former Russian sprinter Irina Privalova since 1993.
Fellow Jamaican Gayon Evans who have been consistent all of the tour had to settle for seconds in 7.17 seconds and finishing third was another MVP athlete, Christania Williams in a personal best of 7.18 seconds.
“I enjoyed going through the heats, to get the rhythm and feel for the track and then come back for the final,” said Thompson, who finished third in the 60m at the IAAF World Indoor Championships Portland 2016. “I wanted to go below my PB and I got that so I’m really happy.” Thompson told IAAF Reporters after her race.
2016 World Indoor champion, American Barbara Pierre was relegated to fourth spot in 7.20 seconds and British runner Asha Phillips fifth in 7.24 seconds.
Evans, despite finishing second in the race, wrapped up the 2017 World Indoor tour title and a spot to next year’s World Indoor Championship, with 22.00 points ahead of Pierre on 20.00 points and Norway’s Ezinne Okparaebo on 12.00 points.
Thompson’s teammates, Julian Forte, finished fifth in the men’s 60m final in 6.59 seconds. Fellow countryman and GC Foster athlete Everton Clarke was timed at 6.58 seconds for the fourth spot.
In the Women’s 60-metre sprint hurdler, 2016 national champion Megan Simmons finished 8th in 8.24 seconds. She earlier ran 8.07 seconds in the heats to qualify for the final.
The event was won by USA’S Christina Manning in 7.83 seconds, ahead of teammate Shakira Nelvis 7.94 seconds and Australian Sally Pearson 7.96 seconds.
The Male equivalent went to Great Britain’s Andrew Pozi in 7.43 seconds ahead of countryman David King 7.63 and USA’s Aries Merrit 7.70 seconds.
Jamaican Verone Chambers of Sprintec track club was sixth in the women’s 400m in 54.59 seconds, behind winner Czech Republic’s Zuzana Hejnova 51.77 seconds.
Earlier on Friday, Olympic 110m hurdles champion Omar McLeod of Jamaica clocked an impressive 20.48 seconds to set Jamaican 200m indoor record at the Arkansas qualifier held at Fayetteville, Arkansas. He defeated the likes of USA’s Marqueze Washington and 20.56, Kenzo Cotton (Arkansas) 20.67 and USA’s Wallace Spearmon 20.91 seconds.
The old mark that McLeod erased was set back in 2005 by former Jamaican sprinter Omar Brown at 20.52 seconds.
Also in the same competition McLeod clocked a new 60m dash personal best of 6.61 seconds for the win.
Earlier this month at the Milrose Games McLeod sped to the second fastest time (7.46s) in the world this year over the 60m hurdles. He is the defending World Indoor 60m hurdles champion from 2016 and the 2016 Olympic 100m hurdles champion.
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