NEW YORK, CMC – Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce sent a strong reminder of her credentials as she clocked a season-best to win the 100 metres at the Adidas Grand Prix, the sixth event of the lucrative Diamond League series here yesterday.
The reigning Olympic champion, who could only take silver at the Daegu World Championships last year after arriving in South Korea as the title-holder, sped to 10.92 seconds to warm up nicely for the London Olympics which start next month.
I came out here just to execute a good race. Everything went right. This was very important going into my national championship,” Fraser-Pryce said.
She was away quickly, snatched the lead and led home American Tianna Madison who finished second in a personal-best 10.97 seconds and World champion Carmerlita Jeter, who was third in 11.05.
The quickly improving Kelly-Ann Baptiste was fifth in 11.07.
World 100 metres champion, Jamaican Yohan Blake also staked his claim ahead of next week’s national Olympic trials in Kingston, speeding to a 9.90 seconds.
He was forced to battle, however, before beating Trinidadian Keston Bledman who clocked 9.93 seconds while Michael Rodgers of the USA was third in 9.99.
Trinidadian Richard Thompson was fourth in 10.09 with Antiguan Daniel Bailey sixth in 10.20. “I just wanted to keep a clean sheet going into the Olympics,” said Blake, a training partner of Usain Bolt.
“I feel a little disappointed. I wanted to do something better. [It was] just one of those days.”
Netherland Antilles’ Churandy Martina also shone at the Icahn Stadium as he won a close 200 metres in a new national record of 19.94 seconds.
Jamaican Nickel Ashmeade was narrowly second in a season-best 19.94 with Jamaican Warren Weir clocking a personal-best 20.08 to be third.
There was more disappointment, however, for former World champion Barbadian Ryan Brathwaite who could only finish fifth in 13.48 seconds in the men’s 110 hurdles won by American Jason Richardson in 13.18.
