Six records shattered at Racers Adidas Grand Prix
Six records were broken at the fourth staging of the Racers Adidas Grand Prix on Saturday that saw Jamaica and the USA dominating the event, with six wins piece.
The incomparable double Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Fedrick Dacres, Shanieka Ricketts, Ajee Wilson, Kendra Harrison and Shaunae Miller-Uibo were the record-breakers.
American Ajee Wilson broke the first record in the women’s 800m by clocking 1:59.22, erasing Natoya Goule’s 2016 mark of 2:00.23. Ricketts leapt to an impressive 14.69m and improved on her previous record of 14.31m established two years ago.
Fraser-Pryce once again stole the spotlight with a blistering, but relaxed-looking 10.88 into a negative headwind of (-0.5 mps) for the second-best time in the world this year. The previous record was 11.09 and was done by her in 2016.
Another field event record went as Sportsman of the Year Fedrick Dacres threw 68.10m in the men’s discus. It was the third-best throw in the world behind his own 68.96m and 70.56m by Sweden’s Daniel Stahl.
American 110m hurdles world record holder Harrison lowered Sharika Nelvis’ record of 12.61 to 12.54 (0.2 mps), and had behind her Queen Harrison (12.69) and Jamaica’s Megan Tapper (12.93).
Not to be outdone, Olympic 400m champion Mill-Uibo of the Bahamas sped to an easy 49.54 clocking and lowered Allyson Felix’s mark of 50.62 done in 2017.
American Brittany Brown held off Jamaica’s Shashalee Forbes to win the 200m in 22.65. Forbes closed well for second in 22.83 with Tynia Gaither of the Bahamas third with 22.88. Jodie Williams of Great Britain was fourth in 23.03, with Jamaica’s Simone Facey (23.09) and Sherone Simpson (23.70) finishing out of the frame.
The promising Akeem Bloomfield brought the curtains down with a workmanlike win on the 200m in 20.34 (-0.7 mps). The lanky sprinter was slow out of the blocks but turned on the afterburners in the straight and caught Rasheed Dwyer, who finished second in 20.43. Julian Forte was third some way back with 20.76, with 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Warren Weir down in sixth with 20.89.
— Howard Walker
