JAMAICA’S Lerone Clarke continued his giant-killing act in late season international competitions after striking gold in the men’s 100m final at the 16th Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico last night in a season best 10.01 seconds (+0.2m/s).

This was Jamaica’s first medal in the athletics competition and third overall.

Drawn in lane five after running the joint second best time in Monday’s semi-finals, Clarke — who has been running almost non-stop since last year when he won the Commonwealth gold in Delhi, India — sped away from pre-race favorite and IAAF World Championships 100m bronze medallist Kim Collins of St Kitts/Nevis (10.04), while Trinidad’s Emmanuel Callender was third in 10.16.

Collins had set the Pan-Am Games record of 10.0 in the semi-finals and after his heroics in Daegu where he won two medals, was the overwhelming favourite.

It was a brilliant end to the season for the former William Knibb High sprinter who after suffering an early-season injury setback, failed to make the finals of the Supreme Ventures National Senior Trials in June.

However, he rebounded to anchor the Jamaican team to an upset win over Trinidad and Tobago at the CAC Championships in Puerto Rico in June.

This was Jamaica’s first Pan-American men’s 100m win since Michael Frater was awarded the gold at the 2003 event in Santo Domingo after American Mickey Grimes was disqualified after failing a drugs test.

Clarke had earlier won his first-round heat to advance to Monday night’s semis where he won in 10.17 while watching teammate Oshane Bailey being disqualified for a false start in his semi-final.

Brazil’s Rosangela Santos won the women’s race in a personal best 11.22 ahead of American Barbara Pierre (11.25) and Barbados’ Shakera Reece (personal best 11.26).

World Championships relays silver medallist Patricia Hall qualified for this evening’s 400m final by placing third in the semis-final in 52.47.

She finished behind Colombia’s Yenifer Padilla (51.76) and Cuba’s Daysiurami Bonne (52.20).

Michael Mason and Ansert Whyte failed to get past the semi-finals of the men’s 400m after yesterday’s semi-finals.

Mason ran 46.09 for third in the third heat, while Whyte finished sixth in his semi-final in 47.57.

CAC and World University Games champions O’Dayne Richards did not take part in the shot put final.

Jamaicans will continue their medal hunt today in four more events – the 200m for men and women, the men’s 400m hurdles and the women’s high jump, which will be the only final.

Pan-Am Junior silver medallist Kimberly Williamson is the lone Jamaican in the high jump, while World Championships semi-finalists Isa Phillips will line up in the semis of the 400m hurdles.

Lansford Spence and Jason Livermore will contest the first round of the men’s 200m and will hope to advance to the semi-finals later in the day.

Simone Facey, a 2009 World Championships relay gold medallist, and World University Games medallist Anastasia Leroy, will line up in the semi-finals of the women’s 200.