‘I just wanted to break 10.7s barrier’

KINGSTON: Jamaican sprint star Shelly-ann Fraser-pryce became the second fastest woman in history on Saturday, clocking a world-leading 10.63 seconds (1.3m/sec) for the 100m at the Olympic Destiny meeting in Kingston. The 34-year-old reigning world and two-time Olympic 100m champion obliterated the field at the National Stadium, finishing several metres clear of her closest rival.

Only late US sprinting star Florence Griffith-joyner, who holds the world record of 10.49sec, has run faster.

Fraser-pryce’s time smashed the previous 2021 world-leading time of 10.72sec set by Sha’carri Richardson of the United States in March. Fraser-pryce had shared the Jamaican national record with Elaine Thompsonherah at 10.70 seconds and she had a season’s best 10.84 seconds coming into the meet, organized by the Jamaica Olympic Association and the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association.

“Honestly, no, I wasn’t coming out here to run that fast,” she said. “Thank God that I finish healthy.”

Fraser-pryce did hint, however, that she can run faster with the Olympics approaching. “If I am able to run 10.6 now and trials is some time away, this year I just wanted to break the 10.7 barrier so now I can focus on the Olympics,” she said.

Fraser-pryce, who passed Americans Marion Jones (10.65) and Carmelita Jeter (10.64) on the all-time list, said Saturday’s race should be taken in context.

Tokyo Games suffered a huge blow as he fell short of the qualifying mark for the 10,000m in Birmingham on Saturday. The 38-year-old finished eighth, behind fellow Briton Marc Scott, in the European Cup, which doubled as British Olympic trial.

Farah’s time in his first race at this distance for four years was 22 seconds short of the required standard of 27 mins 28 secs to qualify for the Games.

Bromell underlined his credentials as the Tokyo Olympics 100 metres gold medal favourite on Saturday by running the fastest time this year of 9.77 seconds at the New Life Invitational in Miramar, Florida.

Bromell becomes the ninth man to dip under 9.80 seconds, slashing nearly one-10th of a second off his personal best of 9.84.

Marvin Bracey of the United States was second in 9.85 followed by Chris Royster in 10.08.

Reigning Olympic double sprint champion Elaine Thompson-herah won the 100m and 200m events.