by Deji Ogeyingbo
Kerley cruises to a 100m win in Japan, Camacho-Quinn romps to an easy 100m Hurdles victory, and Lyles & Coleman serves us a treat in Bermuda.
Another weekend of action in Track and Field gave us another round of talking points to digest on. Reigning men’s 100m champion, Fred Kerley was the star attraction in Yokohama when he ran his first 100m race of the season. We also had Shericka Jackson storm out to victory in the women’s 200m in Jamaica, while Christian Coleman and Noah Lyles put up a show in the men’s 100m at the Bermuda Grand Prix.
Fred Kerley wins t first 100m of the season and projects ASICS too.
Olympic Silver medallist and World Champion over the 100m Fred Kerley got his 100m campaign rolling in fine fashion after he stormed to a 9.88s and 9.91s in the semis and final at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Yokohama. Not that we expected any upset, but eyes were more fixed on his execution. And he did it to almost perfection. Control, purpose, and mastery. An athlete’s dream.
Kerley is on a mission to stamp his supremacy as the undisputed king of sprinting in the last two years. He’s the best all-round sprinter on the grid, but that doesn’t really count for much in an era where medals at global championships are celebrated more than the abilities of the sprinters.
Finding the best way to win these days is at a premium, and in Japan- the home of his new sponsors ASICS, Kerley made light work of his opponents on the track while also sending a stern warning to his rivals who had jumped ahead of the queue with their sterling performance in the early parts of the season.
This is Fred Kerley’s heat in a SB of 9.88 over 100m (1.5) at the SEIKO Golden Grand Prix in Yokohama earlier today https://t.co/KywiBhrqSB
— Costas Goulas (@LsabreAvenger) May 21, 2023
Kerley knows it won’t be a walk in the park on his quest to defend his title in Budapest this year, but the path towards that double looks calculated and on track. The American has a couple of meetings with Olympic Champion Marcel Jacobs and African Champion Ferdinand Omanyala. Less we forget his countrymen, Christian Coleman and Trayvon Bromell. All these guys are on a mission to dethrone him and ensure they get a bigger chunk of the pie from their sponsors the way Kerley is getting with ASICS.
The next three months will be fun!
Shericka Jackson wins in Jamaica again.
World Champion in the 200m, Shericka Jackson, raced over the distance for the first time this year. And like Kerley, the Jamaican barely broke a sweat on her way to a 22.25s victory at the JAAA All-Comers Meet in Kingston. We’ve seen this playbook before. Athletes (especially defending champions) pick races they want to compete against on a relatively easy field and gauge the sort of level they are at.
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July 15-26 2022, photo by Kevin Morris
It doesn’t change the fact they’ve got the juice to still compete at the top level, but it has more to do with performing when it matters most at a global championship. Jackson has raced over the 100m and 400m before last weekend and won all her races except those outside Jamaica.
Jackson lost one of them to Sha’Carri Richardson, and having watched the American breeze through to win her 200m in 22.07s at the Kip Kieno Classic, you won’t fault her if she begins to size up her performance against her rival.
Shericka Jackson 🇯🇲 got in her first 200m race of the 2023 season, clocking a time of 22.25s (1.1) for a resounding win at the JAAA All-Comers Meet in Kingston.
Stephenie Ann-McPherson 🇯🇲 was 2nd in 23.38s. pic.twitter.com/q9Jw5ybAhX— Oluwadare (@Track_Gazette) May 20, 2023
It still feels like the early days, but we are gradually approaching the tail end of May, and sure results will begin to count for something. Whatever happens, Jackson knows she has her work cut out if she’s to defend her title in Budapest.
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn runs third fastest time in the 100m Hurdles at the USATF Bermuda Grand Prix
Since turning Professional, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn has always looked the part in most of her races. Last year seemed to be the outlier and it cost her much when it matters most. As she always does, the Puerto Rican chalked up another win over the women’s 100m Hurdles at the gusty USATF Bermuda Grand Prix in Devonshire.
12.17s!!😳😳
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn 🇵🇷 runs the 3rd fastest time all-conditions, storming home in 12.17s (3.5) at the USATF Bermuda Grand Prix.
Danielle Williams 🇯🇲 was 2nd in 12.38s and Tonea Marshall 🇺🇲 3rd in 12.39s!
Megan Tapper 🇯🇲 was also 4th in 12.47s. pic.twitter.com/Ce8xiLa8Jo— Oluwadare (@Track_Gazette) May 21, 2023
Camacho-Quinn ran a blistering 12.17 (3.5m/s) (third fastest time in all conditions) to take the win ahead of Jamaica’s 2015 world gold medallist Danielle Williams. It makes it two wins in two so far, and you can surely expect her to rack up more wins this year. Her aura on the track is riveting as seen by the way she overwhelms and outclasses her opponents.
The Olympic Champion will be reeling on the missed opportunity from last year when Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan beat her to the world title and the world record, too. Camacho-Quinn genuinely believes it’s her rightful position to be at the top of the pack in the women’s 100m hurdles. Well, look no far away because both sprint hurdles will match up in Los Angeles this weekend to continue a rivalry that started since their days in college.
Christian Colman and Noah Lyles put up a show in Devonshire
Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman put up a men’s 100m show at the USATF Bermuda Grand Prix, with the latter nicking the win in a windy 9.78s (+4.4m/s). Lyles wasn’t far behind as he stormed down the last 40m chasing his countryman to clock 9.80s for second in the race.
Lyles has been on a mission since the indoor season to finetune his start in the shorter distances in order to enhance his chances of making the USA men’s 100m team, in which they’ve got a stack load of top-class sprinters. This race was another indication that he still needs a lot of brushing up to do if he’s to have a chance at a double at the world championships.
There is no doubt that his top-end spend is unmatched by most sprinters on the grid; the real sticking point will have to be how many seconds he can chalk up during his drive phase against some of the very best, especially one like Coleman. Maybe it’s worth the risk. After all, he already has a by in the 200m at the world by virtue of being the defending champion. This offers him the best opportunity to race without much pressure against the likes of Kerley, Trayvon Bromell, and Marvin Bracy.
WHAT A FINISH! 🫢
Christian @__coleman wins the men’s 100m at the @usatf Bermuda Grand Prix.
📺 @nbc & @peacock pic.twitter.com/lcywObLY6S
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) May 21, 2023
As for Coleman, this was his first 100m race since August 8, 2022. He still looks unassured as he can show tendencies to budge under pressure in the last 10m, which, to be fair, isn’t his strength. The good thing is he has tried to work on it by running some 200m races early in the year.
Maria Perez demolishes Kimberly Garcia’s 35Km racewalk record in Czechia
Regarding breaking records, what Spain’s Maria Perez did at the European Race-Walking Team Championships, which took place in Czechia over the weekend, is beyond astonishing. Perez crossed the line in 2:37:15 seconds in Podebrady, more than eight minutes ahead of her nearest challenger, compatriot Raquel Gonzales. Cristina Montesinos finished third to complete a clean sweep for Spain.
WORLD RECORD
🇪🇸’s @garciaperezmari clocks a 35km race walk world record of 2:37:15* in Podebrady at the @EuroAthletics Race Walking Team Championships 🔥
📸 Sona Maléterova for EA
*Pending the usual ratification procedures#Podebrady2023 pic.twitter.com/mZvlv2RvWY
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) May 21, 2023
The last Spaniard to break a world record in track and field was Francisco Fernandez in the 10,000m race walk in 2008. Peru’s Kimberly Garcia, who has been at the frontline of dominance in the women’s racewalk, will definitely have to sit up heading into the world championships in Budapest
