Jamaican Shericka Jackson showcased her dominance in the women’s 200m dash at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial on Tuesday, 18 July. She crossed the finish line in 22.02 seconds, leaving her closest rival, Rhasidat Adeleke of Ireland, behind in 22.36.
Shericka Jackson’s training partner Anthonique Strachan from the Bahamas, finished third with a time of 22.45. Briana Williams from Jamaica secured the seventh spot, completing the race in 23.38.
Rusheen McDonald Makes Memorable Comeback, Secures Second Place in Men’s 400m at Gyulai Istvan Memorial
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s most welcome track and field news came when Rusheen McDonald achieved a notable feat in the men’s 400m event, finishing second with an impressive time of 44.03. The race was won by Steven Gardiner, who set a scorching pace with a time of 43.74.
Rusheen McDonald, who broke 44 seconds (43.93) in 2015 at the Beijing World Championships, was overjoyed with his latest accomplishment. “Words can’t express my feelings of Joy,” McDonald said.
“My 2nd fastest time in the 400m wouldn’t be possible without the Almighty, family support, and yes, the MVP camp,” he said.
For Steven Gardiner, who was running a world-leading time, “I think that is my old self again out there, and I’m happy.”
“It gives me more confidence to know that I can do anything, it’s possible. I went out there, and I did what I had to do and I surprised myself today,” Gardiner said.
Jamaica’s 2011 world champion, Yohan Blake, secured his first 100m victory of the season, crossing the finish line in 10.04 seconds (with a wind speed of 0.1m/s). He led a Jamaican top three, with Ackeem Blake finishing in second place with a time of 10.09 seconds, closely followed by Rohan Watson in third place with a time of 10.10 seconds.
In the men’s 200m event, Andrew Hudson stood out as the top-performing Jamaican athlete, securing the third spot with a time of 20.46. Two other Jamaicans, Julian Forte, recorded a season-best time of 20.41, finishing fourth, and Michael Campbell claimed fifth place with a time of 20.75. Alexander Ogando from the Dominican Republic emerged victorious, clocking 19.99 to beat American Erriyon Knighton, 20.05.
Olympic Games champion Hansle Parchment from Jamaica delivered a solid performance in the men’s 110m hurdles, clocking a time of 13.14 to secure the second spot. Daniel Roberts from the United States emerged as the winner with a relatively good time of 13.12. Tyler Mason, another Jamaican athlete, claimed third place with a time of 13.14. Damion Thomas, also representing Jamaica, finished fifth with a time of 13.45.
The women’s 100m race featured an eagerly anticipated showdown between Julien Alfred and Sha’Carri Richardson, both undefeated in the discipline this year. It was Alfred’s professional debut, and she made a lasting impression.
The 22-year-old sprinter delivered an impressive performance, getting off to a strong start and pulling ahead of the competition to secure victory in 10.89 seconds (with a wind speed of 0.7m/s). Although it was just 0.08 seconds shy of her personal best set in Texas back in May, Alfred displayed her dominance. She outpaced US champion Richardson, who narrowed the gap in the final stages and finished second with a time of 10.97 seconds. Tamari Davis, another American sprinter, took third place with a time of 11.02 seconds.
While many may consider it a surprising outcome, Alfred expressed her confidence in her abilities, stating, “I felt the power, and I knew I could do it.” Having achieved such success, she now looks forward to competing in the 200m event at the upcoming Diamond League in Monaco. With the World Championships just one month away, Alfred believes she is in peak form and couldn’t be in better shape.
In other track and field news:
Fraser-Pryce Alters Plans, Set to Showcase Speed in Season Opener for 100m Event
Yohan Blake wins 100m, Julien Alfred beats Sha’Carri Richarson at Gyulai Istvan Memorial
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