Richardson caught Jackson late to win in 10.76. The Jamaican champion was the runner up in 10.78.
Sha’Carri Richardson went 2-0 against Shericka Jackson this season after storming to victory in the 100m at the Silesia Diamond League meeting in Poland on Sunday. The American, who remains unbeaten over 100m this season chased down Jackson, nipping the Jamaican at the line to win in a time of 10.76.
Jackson, celebrating her 29th birthday on Sunday and who ran a world-leading 10.65 to win the Jamaican championships a week ago, clocked in at 10.78. Poland’s Ewa Swoboda ran a personal best of 10.94 for third place.
“It was an amazing race, I am really having fun,” an excited Richardson said afterwards.
“The 10.76 - I love the time. I put a great race together. This was a great competition, it was amazing. I executed correctly. I love the atmosphere here. I wish we could replicate this to the US. All the energy, all the love from the audience. I was satisfied with my race altogether.”
It wasn’t a particularly good day for Caribbean athletes nonetheless the eighth Diamond League meeting of the season delivered plenty of outstanding performances considering that the World Championships are less than five weeks away.
Chief among those performances was the meet record 44.08s South Africa’s Wayde Van Niekerk unleased on a quality field in the 400m. Demonstrating his best form since his return from a career-threatening knee injury in 2017, the South African has Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, himself returning from recent knee surgery, for company up to 300m before the 31-year-old Olympic champion went full throttle down the home stretch putting daylight between himself and the rest of the field.
Bayapo Ndori of Botswana finished strong to slip by the Brazilian and crossed the finish line in a personal best 44.61. Dos Santos, the 2022 World 400m hurdles champion settled for third in a season-best 44.73.
Van Niekerk expressed his satisfaction with the race.
“Things are moving in a positive direction. I have been able to train consistently. It is my fastest run in seven years and 44.0 shows that 43 seconds is possible,” he said.
“The competition in my event is getting stronger, so I need to work to get better as well. I do not feel any special pressure, but it is natural for an athlete to want to reach their best possible level. I will be going on to London now and then want to get some good training sessions before the World Championships.”
Earlier, Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek delivered a similarly devastating performance in the women’s race that she won in a new lifetime best of 49.48 which was also a new meet record. Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands also showed she was in good form heading into the world championships clocking in a time of 49.81, which was just shy of Femke Bol’s previous meet record of 49.75.
Marileidy Paulino, the World Championship silver medalist, uncharacteristically outrun over the first 300 metres, stormed through the field late to finish third in 50.00.
Jamaica’s Candice McLeod ran a season’s best 50.19 for fourth just ahead of Barbados’ Commonwealth Games champion, Sada Williams fifth, also in a season’s best 50.34.
The 100m hurdles was another thrilling affair that saw World Champion Tobi Amusan winning in a season-best and new meet record 12.34 to edge Kendra Harrison, the former world record holder, who finished second in 12.35.
Newly crowned USA champion Nia Ali ran a time of 12.38 for third place.
Breaking down her performance afterwards, Amusan revealed the challenges she has faced while competing this season.
“It was not easy for me with injuries in my hamstring and my knee. But I trusted in my coach and my work,” said the Nigerian who is coached by Jamaican Olympian Lacena Golding-Clarke.
“It is all about the process. I just won this in a smooth style, I was just running. Honestly, I had no idea that I won when I crossed the finish line.”
In reference to the upcoming world championships, Amusan said she was not looking too far ahead.
“I take it one step after the next. I knew it was going to be a battle until the finish line. I am happy to compete against the best. I am just out here doing well. I came out there I was not feeling too good. About my start - I would not say that I executed, but the second part of the race was really good. I am most definitely building up for the World Championships, extremely satisfied with my season-best, one step at a time.
Jamaican champion Megan Tapper was the best placed Caribbean athlete. She finished fourth in 12.49, her second fastest time ever, after the 12.44 she ran at Jamaica’s National Championships a week ago. Danielle Williams, the 2015 world champion was fifth in a season-best 12.55.
Natoya Goule has been running well all season and she produced another season-best performance to finish third in the 800m. The Jamaican champion ran 1:57.90 but was not fast enough to get by Uganda’s Hallimah Nakaayi who set a new national record of 1:57.78.
However, both women were outrun by Kenya’s Mary Moraa, who sped a new meet record and season-best time of 1:56.85, which sets her up as a legitimate medal contender in the event at Budapest next month.
American Fred Kerley lost his first 100m this season, finishing second to Akani Simbini in a closely contested race in which 0.02 separated the top four finishers. The South African ran 9.97 to Kerley’s 9.98, which was the same time given to Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme.
The USA’s 100m champion Cravont Charleston finished fourth in 9.99.
Yohan Blake, the 2017 World Champion, was fourth in 10.01, his best time this season.
Yulimar Rojas was once again dominant the women’s triple setting a world-leading mark of 15.18m, which was also new meet record and season’s best.
Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk came late to the party with a leap of 14.70m which gave her second place while bumping Cuba’s Leyanis Perez-Hernandez, second for most of the competition, down to third.
Jamaican champion Shanieka Ricketts’ season-best jump of 14.56m saw her finish fifth while Dominica’s Thea LaFond was sixth with 14.43m.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
“The favourite is Thompson”-Boldon highlights Jamaican champion as man to beat in 100m in Paris
Trinidadian four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon has named Jamaican sprinting sensation Kishane Thompson as his favourite to take 100m gold at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Thompson, 23, is currently the world leader in the event after running a personal best 9.77 to win the 100m title at the JAAA/Puma National Senior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston in June.
The MVP Track Club-trained sprinter also produced times of 9.82 and 9.84 in the heats and semi-finals, respectively, at those national championships and, most recently, ran 9.91 shutting down to win at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial in Hungary on July 9.
“Thompson is the favourite,” Boldon said in an interview with LetsRundotcom on YouTube on Friday.
“I know Noah (Lyles) is the World champion. I think Noah made it a little bit more interesting by running that 9.81 into a headwind which kind of almost converts to a 9.77 but there’s no way you can look at the way in which Thompson ran that 9.77 and just go ‘Oh Noah will beat him.’ Noah has his hands full with that guy,” Boldon said.
Blazing speed acknowledged, one thing that Thompson lacks that his other competitors don’t is experience competing at the highest level of the sport with this being his first time representing Jamaica at any level.
If there is anything to prevent Thompson from delivering on the form that he’s shown so far this season, Boldon believes that would be this lack of experience on a stage like the Olympic Games compared to his peers.
“There are things which I see people completely ignoring. Kishane Thompson has not been under the microscope of Olympic favourite. Rounds are a great equalizer. Noah has the medals that he does because of how well he runs rounds. Is Noah suddenly a lock for the silver? No but he does have his hands full,” he said.
“There are others who are going to be in the 100m that are used to the pressure and pressure is a big thing. If he’s able to pull this off, you write books about stuff like that,” he added.
Thompson's quest for Olympic glory will begin in the heats of the men's 100m beginning on Saturday' August 3.
Jamaica and France sign landmark MOU for bilateral sports cooperation
As the world eagerly anticipates the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Jamaica and France have marked the occasion with a significant step towards enhancing their bilateral relations in the field of sport. On July 24, the Honourable Olivia Grange, Jamaica's Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and His Excellency Olivier Guyonvarch, the Ambassador of France in Jamaica, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Bilateral Cooperation in Sport.
Minister Grange highlighted the symbolic timing of the agreement, stating, “It is certainly significant that it is happening at the time of the 2024 Olympics in the French capital, Paris. It embodies the importance of sport in establishing cooperation and friendship between the two countries."
The agreement outlines several areas of cooperation aimed at enhancing both nations' sports capabilities. One key aspect of the MOU is the sharing of experiences and the development of joint initiatives in sports. This includes promoting common standards for organizing major sporting events and developing high sports performance through the exchange of best practices, coaching training, and research.
Additionally, the agreement focuses on boosting the sports economy and sports tourism in both countries by sharing valuable information and insights. A significant emphasis is also placed on promoting sports ethics, with both nations committing to collaborate in the fight against doping.
Minister Grange commended the diligent efforts of Ambassador Guyonvarch and the teams from both the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, in finalizing the MOU. She also referenced the ongoing friendship between Jamaica and France, demonstrated by events like the "2024 Road to Paris Olympics," which featured a symbolic relay baton passed globally and included French students from schools across Jamaica.
The MOU also aims to facilitate exchanges in seminars, conferences, and symposia involving experts in various sports disciplines such as fencing, rugby, handball, athletics, canoe-kayak/sprint, sailing, and skateboarding, among others.
Ambassador Guyonvarch expressed his enthusiasm about the agreement, stating, “On the eve of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, the signing of this MOU on sports cooperation is a milestone in our bilateral relations, being the most ambitious and comprehensive agreement between our two countries in a strategic field of excellence. The implementation of this agreement, initiated by the Centre for Research on Sports Performance of Guadeloupe and the Faculty of Sports of UWI, will allow us to develop sports science, new practices, and more intense human exchanges between our two countries.”
The follow-up on the cooperation outlined in the MOU will be ensured by a Bilateral Steering Committee, which will meet annually in either of the two countries, ensuring that the goals and initiatives set forth are actively pursued and achieved.
This agreement not only strengthens the bond between Jamaica and France but also paves the way for enhanced sports performance, education, and ethical standards in both nations, promising a bright future for sports collaboration and excellence.
Caribbean athletes arrive in Paris, sharing early experiences on social media
The anticipation for the 2024 Paris Olympics is building as Caribbean athletes have arrived in the French capital, sharing their experiences and activities on social media. Ahead of Friday's highly anticipated Opening Ceremony, these athletes are giving fans a glimpse into their Olympic journey.
Dominican triple jumper Thea Lafond was among the first to share her arrival in Paris. In an Instagram post captioned "We Made It," she stands proudly with her husband and coach in front of a Paris 2024 banner, capturing the excitement of reaching this milestone. Her coach and husband, Aaron Gadson, has been documenting their stay in Paris on his Instagram page, showcasing their arrival, the layout of the Olympic Village, and various facilities, including the training center, cafeteria, and entertainment center.
Team Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also in Paris ahead of the games. The SVG Olympic Committee shared images on Instagram of their team, which includes swimmers Alexander Joachim and Kennice Greene, poolside and in training for the Olympics. Joachim and Greene are set to compete in the 50m freestyle events. Track and field athletes Shafiqua Maloney and Handal Roban, competing in the women's and men's 800m events respectively, have also been spotted training on the track.
Jamaica's athletes have started to arrive in Paris as well. Navasky Anderson, who will run in the 800m, posted on Instagram about his arrival and shared videos from the Olympic Village, showing his teammates in high spirits. Jaydon Hibbert, set to compete in the men's triple jump, detailed his journey to Paris in a vlog on his X and Instagram accounts, capturing the excitement of arriving with teammates and settling into the Olympic Village.
Long jumper Chanice Porter took to Instagram to share photos of herself and other athletes in Paris. She reposted a photo with Cejhae Green, an Antiguan and Barbudan sprinter competing in the men's 100m. In an Instagram story, Porter can be seen sitting in the Olympic rings beside teammate Jehlani Gordon, who will compete in the 4x100m relay.
Barbadian athlete Sada Williams, who will compete in the women’s 400m, announced her arrival in Paris with a picture captioned "Paris, I've arrived!" on Instagram, adding to the growing excitement among fans.
Fans have been flooding the athletes' posts with positive comments, offering words of encouragement and praise. The vibrant social media updates have not only provided a behind-the-scenes look at the Olympic preparations but have also heightened the anticipation and excitement for the upcoming games.
As more Caribbean athletes continue to arrive in Paris, their enthusiasm and high spirits are palpable. They are eager to represent their countries and showcase their talents on the world stage, bringing pride to their nations and inspiring fans back home.
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