Top gun
Fraser-Pryce closes Diamond League with 'remarkable' 100m win
Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce celebrates after victory in the women's 100m final during the Diamond League athletics meeting at Stadion Letzigrund stadium in Zurich on September 8, 2022. (Photo: AFP)

World Athletics Championships gold medallists Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson were winners at Thursday's Wanda Diamond League finals on the second day of the Weltklasse Zurich meet at Letzigrund Stadium.

Jamaican Fraser-Pryce exacted revenge for her loss to compatriot Jackson in the 100m last week in Brussels. On Thursday she ran a meet record equalling 10.65 seconds (-0.8m/s), the seventh sub-10.70 seconds clocking this season to win her fourth 100m diamond trophy and fifth overall.

Jackson quickly shook off that defeat, returning just over an hour later to win her first diamond trophy with a masterful performance in the 200m final. She clocked 21.80 seconds (-0.9m/s).

There were runner-up spots for Jamaicans Yohan Blake, Rasheed Broadbell and Natoya Goule, while there were three other podium spots on the day for Shanieka Ricketts, Britany Anderson and Natoya Goule.

After being held up by a false start by Jamaican Natasha Morrison, who was disqualified, there was no lookng back for Fraser-Pryce. She raced away to win ahead of Jackson (10.81) and Marie-Josee Ta Lou (10.91) of Côte d'Ivoire.

"This was remarkable," Fraser-Pryce told members of the media after the race.

"I am very proud that I came away with a 10.65 — I started with a 10.6 and I finish with a 10.6 so there is nothing more I could ask for," she added, while acknowledging spectators in the packed stadium.

"When I came out here, and saw the crowd, I said to myself 'Oh my God, there is a lot of people!' But you know, that is what track and field is all about. We want to have full stadiums, and sold out crowds.

"We definitely want to feel that energy, as it really helps us athletes. We don't want to be in a dead stadium where nobody understands what is going on. To be able to see the excitement and to hear the silence is beautiful. I am glad they were able to see good times."

Fraser-Pryce, who equalled the meet record set last year by Elaine Thompson-Herah, added to the 100m trophies she had won in 2012, 2013 and 2015. She had won the diamond trophy in the 200m in 2013.

Despite her exertions earlier, Jackson was better than the field in the 200m as she came off the curve in front and was never challenged. She ended the season with nine-straight victories after losing her first 200m of the campaign in Doha.

American Gabrielle Thomas, who had beaten her in Doha, was second yesterday in 22.38, while Tamara Clarke, also of the United States, was third in 22.42.

"I just wanted to come out here and take the win and run as fast as possible," Jackson said.

"My season was magnificent. I have run so many fast times. It is a wonderful year for me. I am just grateful for everything that happened," she added.

The evergreen Blake was second in the men's 100m in 10.05 (-0.3m/s), just behind American World Championships bronze medal winner Trayvon Bromell, who ran 9.94. Canadian World Championships relay gold medallist Aaron Brown was third in a season best equalling 10.06.

Broadbell, the current hottest property in men's sprint hurdling, failed to extend his winning run to six-straight races after he was second in the 110m hurdles. World champion and defending diamond trophy holder Grant Holloway avenged his two losses to the Jamaican, winning in 13.02 (-1.0m/s).

Broadbell, the Commonwealth Games champion, was just behind with 13.06, while Olympic Games champion Hansle Parchment ran a credible third in 13.26.

Goule improved on her third-place finish last year, running a well-timed race for second in the women's 800m in 1:57.85 minutes. She finished behind the impressive Mary Moraa of Kenya, who won with 1:57.63. American Sage Hurta was third in 1:58.47.

Ricketts, ranked number three in the world, finished out of the top two in a final for the first time this season as she was third in the women's triple jump with a best of 14.85m (1.0m/s).

Superstar Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela needed only two legal jumps to win with 15.28m (-0.2m/s) in the second round. She also jumped 14.99m (0.9m/s) in the final round.

European champion Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk of Ukraine took second place with 14.96m (0.3m/s) while also getting only two legal jumps.

Anderson, who has shown indifferent form since the World Championships, battled hard for her third-place finish in the 100m hurdles. She stopped the clock at 12.42 (-0.3m/s).

World and Commonwealth Games gold medal winner Nigerian Tobi Amusan smashed the meeting record with a 12.29 clocking. She erased the 12.39 set by American Gail Devers in 2000. American Tia Jones was second with 12.40.

Janieve Russell held on for third in the women's 400m hurdles, running 53.77. Rushell Clayton was fifth in 54.25, but no one could stop the irrepressible Femke Bol of Holland who retained her title with 53.03. Gianna Woodruff of Panama was second in 53.72.

Candice McLeod was fourth in the women's 400m in 50.03, while Stephenie Ann McPherson eighth in 52.32 seconds as Olympic Games silver medallist Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic became the 12th women to run the distance in under 49.00 seconds, setting a national record and world leading 48.99.

It was a 1-2 finish for runners from the Dominican Republic as Fiordaliza Cofil took the runner-up spot with 49.93. Barbados' Commonwealth Games champion Sada Williams was third in 49.98.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (second left) of Jamaica crosses the finish line ahead of (from left) Marie Josee Ta Lou of Côte d'Ivoire, Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, and the United States pair of Aleia Hobbs and Sha'Carri Richardson in the women's 100m final during the Diamond League athletics meeting at Stadion Letzigrund stadium in Zurich on Thursday. (Photo: AFP)
United States athlete Trayvon Bromell (centre) celebrates after victory over Britain's Reece Prescod (left) and Jamaica's Yohan Blake in the men's 100m final during the Diamond League athletics meeting at Stadion Letzigrund stadium in Zurich on Thursday. (Photo: AFP)
Paul Reid

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