30 June 2019

Preview of the 2019 Prefontaine Classic; women’s 100m

By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

Fraser-Pryce vs Richardson The 2019 Prefontaine Classic will showcase some of the best female talents in the women’s 100m, on Sunday, June 30. 2019 Indeed, the talent pool will include the Jamaican two-time Olympic 100 Champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the American and defending 100m World Champion, Torrie Bowie, the Ivorian pair of Marie Jose Talou and Murielle Ahoure, the American, English Gardner, the Swiss, Mujinga Kambundji, the Trinidadian, Michelle-Lee Ahye, and the young and exciting American, Sha’Carri Richardson. All eyes will be fully focused on Fraser-Pryce with personal best of 10.70 seconds and season best of 10.73econds, Sha’Carri Richardson with personal best and season best of 10.75 seconds, and Torrie Bowie with personal best of 10.78 seconds. Questions to be answered This race should provide....

28 June 2019

An “Antsy” Situation: the Danielle Williams False-Start Saga

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

The just concluded Jamaica National Junior and Senior Trials ended in a rather disappointing and anticlimactic manner. After stellar performances by Elaine Thompson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in both the women’s 100m and 200m finals, there was much anticipation and excitement generated for the women’s 100m Hurdles final. Indeed, that final would have seen the classic match-up between the 2015 World Championship, Danielle “Ants” Williams, and the in-form world leader and new National Record Holder, Janeek Brown. However, this is was not to be. False start drama Last Sunday, June 23, 2019, the Women’s 100m Hurdles was the scheduled penultimate event, that brought the island’s best, head to head. However, in that ill-fated final, Danielle Williams was judged to have false started, was red-carded and ejected from the field, after a lengthy and futile protest. Cle....

27 June 2019

Sprint Hurdler Janeek Brown Goes Pro

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By O'Neil A. Reid

Jamaica’s new women’s sprint hurdles champion Janeek Brown is now a professional athlete. The 21 year old Brown who has just completed her sophomore year competing for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks has signed a professional contract with Puma. Brown, the 5’5” former Wolmers Girls graduate is coming off a season where she led the Lady Razorbacks to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field title. She was crowned the NCAA women’s 100m hurdles champion after posting an impressive time of 12.40 seconds in the finals. This is currently the fastest time in the world. Brown has shown consistent improvements over the past years. Last year at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track and field championship, Brown finished 5th overall in the 100m hurdles, with a time of 12.80 seconds, a school record. This year she is the women’s 100m hurdles champion. Meteoric Rise Brown meteoric rise to th....

26 June 2019

Round 2, the renewed rivalry - Thompson vs. Fraser_Pryce

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

The women’s 200m final provided much anticipation and excitement as was the case with 100m final. But this time, Briana Williams did not participate because of a fever after running the 100m final, and for which medical exemption was sought for her, by her coach, Ato Boldon. However, notwithstanding this, there was much to look forward to, as there was renewed rivalry between Fraser-Pryce and Thompson. However, Thompson is by far more dominant in the 200m than Fraser-Pryce, and so for many, the eventual outcome was a foregone conclusion. Nevertheless, as per usual, Fraser-Pryce diehard fans were hopeful that she could avenge the defeat suffered to Thompson in the 100m, on last Friday night. But that was not to be! Different event, worse treatment! The Qualifiers From semi-final #1, Thompson qualified with an almost effortless 22.98, while from semi-final #2, Fraser-Pryce qualified with a respectable 22.58, the fas....

24 June 2019

Jamaica National Trials: Women's 100m final Review ET vs Shelly Round 1

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

The women’s 100m final of the Jamaica National Senior Trials (June 21, 2019.), promised and delivered much. There was great buzz and anticipation all round, to see just who would be crowned the national champion in this event. After the semi-finals, eight women advanced to the final, qualifying with the fastest times across all three sections. The finalists included Elaine Thompson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Briana Williams, Jonelle Smith, Natasha Morrison, Natalia Whyte, Simone Facey, and Schillone Calvert-Powell. Great Anticipation The clash between Thompson and Fraser-Pryce, and to a lesser extent, the young and talented Briana Williams, had long become the main attraction of the National Trials. Indeed, Thompson and Fraser-Pryce had not met since 2018. Many also had their eyes closely on the rapidly improving Williams, who has been breaking the National Junior Record with almost ev....

21 June 2019

The Review of the Women's 100m Heats - National Senior Trials

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

No Surprises – Fraser-Pryce and Briana Williams advances As expected, Elaine Thompson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Briana Williams all dominated their heats, to advance to the Semi Finals of the Women's 100m, on Friday, June 21, 2019. In Heat #1, two times 100m Olympic Champion, and three times 100m World Champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, won in 11.08, ahead of Gayon Evans of Sprintec, who posted 11.30, while Simone Facey ran 11.38 to claim the final automatic qualifying spot. Heat #2 featured the reigning double Olympic Champion and Joint National Record Holder, Elaine Sandra Lee Thompson, who made light work of her competitors, winning in an almost effortless 11.31. Schillonie Calvert-Powell clocked 11.39 for second place, while Remona Burchell and Rene Medley both crossed the finish line at 11.44. In Heat #3, the seventeen year old sensation, and fast rising sta....

21 June 2019

The Jamaican Senior Track and Field Champs Preview

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

INFLEXIBLE DATE Contrary to rumors that the National Senior Trials has been deferred to July, it is in fact. set for this week, between June 20 - 24. Apparently, there was no adjustment made to the National Senior Trials consistent with the one-month delay of the World Championship. As to why this was not done, is a mystery to me. Clearly, the US like Jamaica, had fore-knowledge of the one-month delay of the World Championship, and made the necessary adjustment to the start date of its National Senior Trials. Therefore, why did not the JAAA do same? Anyway, it is what it is, and so coaches must adjust the training regime of athletes, to peak them for National Senior Trials, and then later, for the World Championship. Notwithstanding the inflexible date for the National Senior Trials, I am very anxious to see our athletes on show. Personally, I am very anxious to see which Yohan Blake will report for the National Senior Trials.....

11 June 2019

The Women's 100m: The changing landscape, and the great anticipation

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

The Women's 100m final at the World Championship that will be held in Qatar, between late September and early October, is shaping up to be a cracker, something to salivate on. With the emergence of the 19-year-old new sensation, Sha'Carri Richardson to the track and field landscape, things are getting really interesting. No one saw her on the radar. Well, I did not. I first took note of her when she posted 10.99 over the 100m, a few days ago. But when she ran that amazing 10.75 in Texas, yesterday, a new Collegiate and World Junior Record, my eyes popped out, as she sounded a warning to all concerned. And that 10.75 was done in a positive 1.6 m/s wind reading, and is the fastest time recorded over the 100m this year, for women. What does this mean for Jamaica? Jamaica's two elite and ace sprinters in Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson, have posted times of 10.88 and 10.89, respectively, over ....

24 May 2019

Shanghai Diamond League Recap

Diamond League

By O'Neil A. Reid

The Shanghai Diamond League meet held on Saturday May 18, 2019 was filled with several outstanding performances, including over 7 world-leads and several meet records. On the men’s side Americans Noah Lyles and Fred Kerley, Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba and Germany’s Andreas Hofmann all posted impressive victories. While on the women’s side Aleia Hobbs, Salwa Eid Naser, Beatrice Chepkoech and Huihui Lyu also posted impressive victories. With the 2019 World Championship schedule for Qatar later this year, and with Nationals trials set for June, athletes are using the Diamond League meets to fine-tune their craft as well as to garner some much needed funds that are available at the end of the Diamond League season. Lyles edged Coleman The future of American sprinting was on fully display in Shanghai as the much anticipated clash between Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman in the men’s 100m certainly lived-up ....

21 May 2019

Recap of the 2019 Penn Relays

Penn Relays

By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah),

The Penn Relays celebrated its 125th anniversary or quasquicentennial, at the Franklin Field Stadium, between Thursday, April 25, 2019 and Saturday, April 27, 2019. The celebration saw numerous dominant performances by Jamaican high schools both on the track and in the field. Pinnock & Chang Win Boy's Champs and CARIFTA Games champion, Kingston College's Wayne Pinnock, won the long Jump for the second consecutive year, in 7.87m, just one centimeter shy of his last year's mark of 7.88m. Jordan Turner of Calabar was second in 7.59m. Shaquille Lowe, also of the famed purples, Kingston College (‘KC”), finished third in 7:42m, to round out the top three finishers. Calabar's Kai Chang was in a class all by himself, throwing well over 60 meters to win the High School Boy's Discus. No other thrower was able to join him in the "60m club". Chang, the Boys and Girls Champs, and ....