The seventh edition of the newly introduced Velocity Fest brought a close to the local track and field season on Saturday with a number of Jamaica’s international track and field stars putting in end-of-season performances.

On the women’s side, reigning 100m and 200m Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, World Championships triple jump silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Janieve Russell were among the big names who performed well, while on the men’s side, long jump World Championships gold medallist Tajay Gayle, World Championships discus silver medallist Fedrick Dacres, former 100m World Championships gold medallist Yohan Blake and Julian Forte, also strutted their stuff at the season-ending meet.

The first track event of the day was the women’s 400m hurdles and though competing alone, Russell remained focused to complete the one-lap obstacle race in 58.28 seconds as she held true to her discipline and herself.

The other women’s track event was the 200m which saw Thompson-Herah barely break sweat to cruise home in 22.79 seconds, metres ahead of Anthonique Strachan in 23.87 seconds, Srabani Nanda 24.06 and former St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) standout, Junelle Bromfield in 24.33.

The 200m dash was the first of the two track events for men and that was won by national 400m record holder Rusheen McDonald in 21.48, ahead of Emmanuel Callender who was second 21.88, and Glenmore Biggs third in 25.37 seconds.

Heat three of the men’s 100m was the closest track event of the day with Forte running through the tape to catch Blake on the line. Blake got the best start and was in control of the race, but Forte maintained his form and composure to close the gap on Blake in the last few metres, leaning at the tape to get the nod in a photo finish, as both athletes were timed in 10.20 seconds.

Former STETHS Class One champion at Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, Nigel Ellis, was third in 10.45 seconds, while another STETHS standout, Sachin Dennis, who won heat two, had the fourth-fastest time overall of 10.50 seconds.

In the field, Ricketts saved her best for last, as she jumped a season’s best 14.37m to take the event ahead of her lone challenger Sandisha Antoine, who also had a season best of 13.29m.

Samantha Hall broke her own meet record of 51.55m in the women’s discus when she produced a best 51.81m on her final throw, to end her season on a high.

In the men’s discus, Dacres produced his best effort of 61.44m on his first throw to win ahead of Chad Wright, who had a best of 59.78m with his final effort of the day.

In the men’s long jump, Gayle, who seemed to be struggling with a foot injury, managed to get over the 8-metre mark, cutting the sand at 8.04m for the win ahead of Domon Williams, who had a season’s best 7.67m for second, while Joseph Ramie had a best of 7.17m for third.

Williams, who competed alone in the triple jump, also had a season best 15.99m in that event.