Fraser-Pryce sets fastest 100m time in 33 years

KINGSTON: Jamaican sprint darling Shelly-Ann FraserPryce became the second-fastest woman of all time behind 100 metres world record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner when she clocked 10.63 seconds at a meet in Kingston on Saturday.

Double Olympic champion Fraser-Pryce, who laid down a marker ahead of next month’s Tokyo Olympics with her searing sprint, said her speed had taken ever her by surprise.

“Honestly no... I never expected I would run 10.6 and think it’s a good thing because there was no pressure,” FraserPryce told reporters even as she screamed with excitement.

“I just wanted to get one run in before the (June 24-27) national championships and that’s what I was really looking forward to.”

American Griffith-Joyner still holds the women’s 100 metres world record of 10.49 seconds, set in Indianapolis in 1988, as well as the three fastest times ever, with 10.61 and 10.62, also in 1988.

But Fraser-Pryce shaved 0.01 seconds off Carmelita Jeter’s 10.64 set in 2009 to climb behind Griffith-Joyner on the all-time list.

Running in an empty stadium in Kingston at the JOA/ JAAA’s Destiny Series, she decimated the field in the first of three heats from a rocket start, to finish ahead of former world championship finalist Natasha Morrison.

Fraser-Pryce, the reigning world champion after winning gold in Doha in 2019, said she had already set her sights on her next target.

“I’m lost for words because 10.6 has been a dream, a goal,

I’ve been working so hard, being so patient to see it finally unfold. I’m so ecstatic,” added the 34-year-old, who set her previous personal best of 10.70 seconds nine years ago.

“If I’m able to run 10.6 now... I’m just looking forward to what the process will bring. I’m continuing the work because I did say that this year I wanted nothing more than to break the 10.7 barrier and I did it.

“But now the focus is on making the national team then taking it from there. This is just one part of the puzzle, so you can’t get too complacent and comfortable.”

Farah misses Olympic 10,000m qualification LONDON: Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah’s hopes of ending his track career at the Tokyo Games suffered a huge blow as he fell short of the qualifying mark for the 10,000 metres 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 which are due to start on July 23.

He blamed a foot injury for his poor showing, which had prevented him from training over the last two weeks.

“I am four-times Olympic champion but that doesn’t mean nothing. You’ve got to go out there each race and mix it with the best and give yourself a chance,” said Farah.

“I’ve been carrying a niggle since I came back from training. It is frustrating because I have done a lot of good work in Flagstaff (Arizona). If you would have asked me two weeks ago it would have been a lot different. It’s part of the sport.

“It just suddenly came on. I have had some treatment to it and then coming back, it really flared up. To be honest, this is the first bit I have done of track in the last two weeks. It is not ideal.”

He has another three weeks to make the qualifying time and could also turn his attention to the 5,000 metres in which he won gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016.

A mixed sequence of results since moving from the track to the marathon persuaded Farah to give it one last blast on the surface he enjoyed his greatest moments on.

However, he may now miss out on that final hurrah even if the Games go ahead despite concerns over coronavirus infection rates in the Japan.

Bromell runs fastest 100 meters this year

LONDON: American Trayvon Bromell underlined his credentials as the Tokyo Olympics 100 meters gold medal favorite 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, clocking 10.87 and 22.54 seconds, respectively.