Jamaicans Top Sprints in Zurich

Jamaica’s top two sprinters took center stage once again on August 29 in front of a packed stadium at the Zurich Diamond League, the 13th and penultimate stop in the series. Olympic and World short-sprint champions Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the men’s 100m and women’s 200m, respectively, and Fraser-Pryce collected the trophy as the women’s Diamond 200m winner.

With World 100m silver medalist Murielle Ahoure of the Ivory Coast as her main target in the race, Fraser-Pryce rocketed from the blocks to take early control of the field, rounding the bend and catching the Ivorian well before entering the straight to romp home in 22.41 (-0.4m/s). Ahoure held off the closing Mariya Ryemyen of the Ukraine for second in 22.66. Ryemyen was 1/100th of second behind her in 22.67.

Then in what almost looked like a carbon copy of the Moscow World Championships 100m final, Bolt lined up against his compatriots Nickel Ashmeade, Nesta Carter and Kemar Bailey-Cole; the American trio of Justin Gatlin, Mike Rodgers and Walter Dix; Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut and Adam Gemile of Great Britain.

Quickest out of the blocks were the fast-starting Nesta Carter, the Moscow 100m bronze medalist and relay gold medalist, and Ashmeade, leaving Bolt behind. But some 50 meters down the track, Bolt dug deep into overdrive to hit the front and win in 9.90 over Ashmeade (9.94), also a World relay gold medalist, and Gatlin (9.96) for the three top places. They were followed by Vicaut (9.98); Rodgers (10.00); the fading Carter (10.01); Bailey-Cole (10.02) Gemile (10.06); and Dix (10.07).

“That was the worst race of the season,” Bolt said. “The longer the season goes, the worse my style gets. This race, it was really hard. I was a little sore. It’s time to get home now.”

In the women’s 100m, Jamaica’s World relay gold medalist Carrie Russell registered a personal best of 10.98 to beat USA’s World 100m finalist Alexandria Anderson (11.02) and Germany’s Verena Sailer (11.21). It was Russell’s first sub-11 run.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Kaliese Spencer produced a season best (SB) 54.22 for second to the Czech Republic’s  Zuzana Hejnova (53.32) in the women’s 400m hurdles.

In the final event of the day, Jamaica’s quartet of Russell, Kerron Stewart, Natasha Morrison and Fraser-Pryce – in that order – could not get past the USA on the anchor leg after losing the lead established by a storming first leg. The US team of Barbara Pierre, Alexandria Anderson Tiffany Townsend and anchor woman Charonda Williams held off the charging Fraser-Pryce to win in a meet and Diamond League record of 41.67 and take home the Zurich trophy. Jamaica posted 41.78 ahead of Ukraine, 42.71.