Track Ledger

03 September 2019

A review of the Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League

By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

The Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League Meet held in Switzerland on August 29, 2019 produced some very good performances, showcasing some of the best talents in the world of track and field across 16 events. Jamaica’s Shaneika Ricketts surprised many to win the women’s triple jump with a personal best 14.93m. On her final jump, she produced 14.77 to win the Diamond League trophy. Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela who leads the world with 15.11m, was beaten into second place with 14.74m and Liadagmis Povea of Cuba finished third with 14.49m. Kimberly Williams, the other Jamaican in the final, finished a disappointing 7th with a mark of 14.10m. A galaxy of stars The much anticipated women’s 200m had a galaxy of stars, and produced mixed results and feelings. First, the Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo produced a personal best and world leading time of 21.74 seconds, to ....

30 August 2019

Briana Williams drug violation

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By O'Neil A. Reid

Rising sprinting star, Jamaica’s Briana Williams recently tested positive for a banned substance which can have significant impact on her track and field future. The 17-year-old Williams, who resides and attends high school in Florida is having a superb season, that saw her dominating the competition at the Junior level. Along the way, she was named the most outstanding female athlete at the CARIFTA Games and garnered top spots at the U-18 and U-20 championship. Williams set her sights on the Jamaica Senior Trials in late-June to vie for a spot on the Jamaican World Championship team to the Qatar, Doha. She was scheduled to compete in both the 100m and 200m. Media report at the time indicated that she was exhibiting flu-like symptoms which forced her withdrawal from the 200m. Williams performed great in the 100m to finish third in a personal best time of 10.94 seconds behind Olympic champions Elaine Thompson (10.70) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.70). She ....

29 August 2019

Prediction: The 2019 Doha women’s 100m final line-up

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

One of the most anticipated races of the 2019 Qatar World Championship schedule for September 28 to October 6, is the women’s 100m final. This promises to be a cracker, the clash of the “titans”. But just who are the athletes who will earn lanes for that mouth-watering final? Loaded final Having looked at a number of variables, this is my prediction of who will constitute the final eight in the women’s 100m final at the upcoming World Championship in Doha, Qatar. Indeed, there could be a possible one-line change based on Murielle Ahourie re-discovering her form just in time or Briana Williams not being banned for the seemingly innocent use of a cold medicine that was deemed to contain IAAF banned substances. Surely, depending on the outturn of events, the Trinidadian veteran, Michelle-Lee Ahye, could get in at the expense of Williams or Ahourie. However, I am confident that Briana Williams will be exonerated,....

26 August 2019

A review of the Paris Diamond League Meet

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

The Paris Diamond League Meet was the penultimate stop in the twelve meet Diamond League series. The Meet promised much and delivered same. Former Jamaican National 400m Champion, Stephanie-Ann McPherson stopped the clock in 51.11, to finish ahead of the American trio of Kendall Ellis (51.21), Shakina Wimbly (51.50) and the defending World Champion, Phyllis Francis (51.56). Lyles erases Bolt’s 200m Meet Record Predictably, the men 200m was one of the major highlights of the Meet, and it did not disappoint. The twenty-one-year-old American sensation, Noah Lyles, ran a blinding and electrifying time of 19.65, to erase the previous mark set by Usain Bolt, and in the process, establishing a new Meet Record. The defending Turkish World Champion, Ramil Guliyev (20.03), and the Canadian, Aaron Brown (20.13), were second and third, respectively. The form and consistency of Lyles suggest that he will be hard t....

26 August 2019

Those three misses by Christian Coleman

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

To miss one scheduled drug test, could be deemed an error in judgement, poor communication or an administrative blunder. But to miss all of three scheduled drug tests, is to my mind, a deliberate ploy to evade getting tested. And why would one miss all of three scheduled drug tests when these are crucial prerequisites to being admitted to international and global competitions? This is the trick question that needs an answer, posthaste, not excuses that are motivated by emotional and subjective considerations. And, time is running out for the twenty-three-year-old. He does not have time in his favor. After all, the World Championship is only five weeks away, and he needs to be fully focused and ready for the tasks at hand. Double Standards What is very strange though; I find, that, there are quite a few Jamaicans who would quickly condemn Jamaicans for the slightest breach or offense, even if such offense is simply per....

29 July 2019

Where has Male sprinting gone in Jamaica?

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

Since the departure of Usain Bolt from track and field Jamaica's male sprinting has been struggling. In fact, male sprinting in Jamaica has plummeted, reaching what appears to be an all-time low. And this is so, notwithstanding the fact that many promising athletes should by now making their mark on the global stage. Even as athletes like Asafa Powell and Nester Carter fade into the shadows and make their exit from global track and field. Unmet expectations When we think of promising athlete like the 2018 Commonwealth Champion, Kemar Bailey-Cole and athletes like Julian Forte, Tyquendo Tracey, Odean Skeen and Raheem Chambers, Jamaica should not be in this predicament with respect to male sprinting. Indeed, both Bailey-Cole and Julian Forte have long dipped below ten seconds in the 100m and should by now be at the top of world sprinting. However, they have not run true to form; they have not delivered on the earlier promise that was on di....

26 July 2019

Revisiting that JAAA nonsensical decision on Danielle Williams

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

The coming of age of a great athlete, in the World Championship year Approximately one month after the Jamaican National Junior and Senior Trials, Danielle Williams has posted a fluent and electrifying 12.32 in the 100m hurdles at the London Diamond League to become the world-leader and Jamaica’s national record holder. In her heat, Williams lowered her previous personal best from 12.48, to 12.41, and then went on to beat a quality field that included America’s Nia Ali, the 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist by some distance. Motivated by Misfortune It is clear that Danielle, the 2015 World Champion has been buoyed by the misfortune at the Jamaica National Junior and Senior Trials and is determined to place herself on the Jamaica team to Qatar. It is crystal clear that Danielle Williams is motivated by adversity and as such is bringing her “A” game to these Diamon....

26 July 2019

Akeem Bloomfield, a major disappointment

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments of the 2019 edition of the Jamaica National Senior Trials, was Akeem Bloomfield’s fifth place finish in the 200m as also his non-entry in the 400m. In fact, based on his placing in the 200m and his withdrawal from the 400m, Bloomfield will not be selected for the 2019 Qatar World Championship schedule for late September to early October. However, if Bloomfield is able to win the Diamond league in the 200m or the 400m, he could qualify for either event by the ‘wild card” route and book his place in Qatar. This would give Jamaica four spots in either the 200m or 400m. Underperforming Indeed, Bloomfield’s fifth place finish in the 200m was a major shocker to analysts and fans, most of whom believed that the 19.81 athlete would have been an easy qualifier for the half lap event. Certainly over the last year there has been no other Jamaican athlete who has ....

25 July 2019

Jamaican athletes sparkle at 2019 London Diamond League

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

Overall, the Jamaicans performed with distinction at the 2019 London Diamond League, producing a few personal bests and season's bests. The women were particularly impressive, outperforming their male counterpart across virtually all events, with one notable exception being the men's 400m in which Akeem Bloomfield was outstanding. Danielle Williams record run Things got off to a frenetic pace when the Jamaican and 2015 World Champion, Danielle Williams, posted a world-leading and national record time of 12.32 in the women’s 100m hurdles, having lowered her pervious personal best time of 12.43, to 12.41, in the semifinals. Williams winning time of 12.32 seconds erased the old mark of 12.40 set by Janeek Brown in June at the 2019 NCAA Track and field championship. Incidentally Williams winning time of 12.32 seconds makes her the seventh fastest woman in history. In the men's 110m hurdles, reigning....

08 July 2019

A turn for the worse, the plot thickens (The Danielle Williams situation)

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By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)

Dr. Warren Blake, the President of the JAAA, is someone whom I have always admired, respected, and held in high esteem. However, his recent pronouncement that Danielle Williams, the 2015 World Champion in the woman's 100m Hurdles event, will not be allowed to represent Jamaica at the 2019 Qatar World Championship later this year, has left me fuming. The JAAA's boss has made it quite clear that even if Williams emerges the winner of the Diamond league, she will not be allowed to run for the country of her birth. And why is this? Why this hardline buffoonery position and what appears now to be overt victimization of Williams? Evaluating the decision Let's look at the silliness of Dr. Warren Blake's and the JAAA's decision. After much protest (and this is Williams' right), the race was allowed to run without Williams. However, there was yet another false start, which resulted in an injury to anoth....