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 every run, and inching closer each time to dipping below eleven seconds.
The atmosphere was charged. There were great excitement and expectations, as the stage was set for what would become an epic battle between the joint national 100m record holders, in the form of the reigning double Olympic Champion, Elaine Sandra Lee Thompson, and the two time 100m Olympic Champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, both of whom advanced to the final, with times of 10.89 and 10.93, respectively.
And things were made even more interesting, when Briana Williams produced yet another scintillating run in the semi-finals, to lower her old mark of 11.02 seconds, by one hundredth of a second, to establish a new National Junior and World Youth Record of 11.01, to become the fastest seventeen-year-old female in the history of Track and Field. These three would provide the fireworks. All eyes were fixed on lanes three, four and five, that is, Williams, Thompson and Fraser-Pryce.
The Moment of Truth
THE athletes were now in the hands of the starter. “On your mark, set!” The gun was fired. It was Fraser-Pryce and Williams who were fastest out of the blocks, with their trademark bullet starts, and with Thompson trailing behind. At the 40m mark, Fraser-Pryce and Williams led the pack, with Thompson still trailing. Jonielle Smith and Natasha Morrison were just behind them, with the other women being slowly detached.
At the 60m mark, Fraser-Pryce started to inch away, with young Williams closely on her heels. But then, the unyielding and fierce competitor, Elaine Thompson, got busy, and went into overdrive as she accelerated past Williams, and began to reel in Fraser-Pryce with every stride. It was clear, the race was very fast. Fraser-Pryce was very resilient, as she was determined to push home the early advantage.
The last twenty meters were crucial with “real estate” running out fast. Thompson’s form was impeccable, the masterful technician running and holding form throughout, breathing down the neck of Fraser-Pryce with every stride, even as the latter’s form was leaving her with every stride she took. All this time, young Williams was behind them, but clearly ahead of the chasing pack that seemed well-beaten.
At approximately ninety meters, Thompson joined Fraser-Pryce, and both women battled as they inched precariously closer to the finish line. But by ninety five meters, Thompson started to inch away, and by the time both athletes had crossed the finish line, it was crystal clear, that, Thompson had won, even though both women were credited with the same time of 10.73, with Thompson faring out better on the thousand scale, 10.726 to 10.729. The National Senior Record (10.70) had survived. But only just! The National Junior and World Youth Records were not so lucky; they were totally decimated when Williams produced her greatest sprinting to-date, to post 10.94 seconds for third place. It would mark the first time that Williams would dip below eleven seconds.
Cometh the hour, cometh the woman
The long-awaited duel, that I dubbed “the final call”, lived up to its billing. The ladies did not disappoint; they ran purposefully, and with passion. They were poetry in motion, sprinting at its highest level was on display, and it electrified the crowd, producing mixed emotions based on the preferred athlete. Elaine supporters were ecstatic and Shelly’s supporters were disappointed that she was caught after such a brilliant start. But the duel provided the answers that everyone wanted, but that only few of us had long foreknown. Elaine Sandra Lee Thompson was crowned national champion in the 100m, ahead of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Briana Williams, for the third consecutive time. And in five head to head with Fraser-Pryce, Thompson has won five times, to keep her one hundred percent win record intact.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is truly great
There is no doubt that Shelly- Ann Fraser-Pryce is a high caliber sprinter, one of the greatest the world has ever seen. To be still running 10.70s after first doing so eleven years ago, in Beijing, does underscore the point, that, she is to my mind, the most enduring and high performing, of all elite female sprinters. And this point cannot be overemphasized nor be taken lightly; more than a decade has passed, and Fraser-Pryce is still at the very top of her game. In fact, at the 2008 Beijing Olympic, at the age of twenty-one years old, Fraser-Pryce posted 10.78, to win gold in the 100m. And two nights ago, at the mature age of thirty-two years old, she posted 10.73 for second place. I rather doubt that we could find anyone in female sprinting, who has ever run 10.73 at the age of thirty-two years. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is truly great.
Elaine Thompson is phenomenal
And this is what makes Thompson’s feat so outstanding in that 100m final, the simple fact that she could have recovered from such a poor start to reel in a 10.73 and a 10.94 athlete. Most athletes would have been overwhelmed and demotivated to pursue Fraser-Pryce to the very end. But not Thompson. Thompson demonstrated the all-encompassing character of grit, purpose and tenacity and achieved her objective of being crowned national champion in the 100m. And this she did in a truly remarkable manner.
Another rising star
I must also make mention of Jonielle Smith, who posted 11.04, to earn a well-deserved fourth place in the final. She is on the rise, and it won’t be too long before she dips under eleven second, also.
Bright Prospect in Female Sprinting
What cannot be denied, is the fact that Jamaican female sprinting is in a great place, quite unlike its male counterpart that has been floundering since the departure of Usain Bolt. Once our women remain fully-focused, fit and healthy, they will do themselves and Jamaica proud at the World Championship in Doha, Qatar. Let’s encourage, and wish them well.
Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah), Sports Writer
Photo courtesy of joe Swift Photography
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