Fraser-Pryce sends warning, Blake sizzles in New York
June 10th, 2012 - 3:16 pm ICT by IANSNew York, June 10 (IANS/CMC) Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce sent a strong reminder of her credentials as she clocked a season-best to win the 100 metres at the Adidas Grand Prix, the sixth event of the lucrative Diamond League athletic series here Saturday.
The reigning Olympic champion, who could only take silver at the Daegu World Championships last year after arriving in South Korea as the title-holder, sped to 10.92 seconds to warm up nicely for the London Olympics which start next month.
“I came out here just to execute a good race. Everything went right. This was very important going into my national championship,” Fraser-Pryce was quoted as saying by Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC)
She was away quickly, snatched the lead and led home American Tianna Madison who finished second in a personal-best 10.97 seconds and World champion Carmerlita Jeter, who was third in 11.05.
The quickly improving Kelly-Ann Baptiste was fifth in 11.07.
World 100 metres champion, Jamaican Yohan Blake also staked his claim ahead of next week’s national Olympic trials in Kingston, speeding to a 9.90 seconds.
He was forced to battle, however, before beating Trinidadian Keston Bledman who clocked 9.93 seconds while Michael Rodgers of the USA was third in 9.99.
Trinidadian Richard Thompson was fourth in 10.09 with Antiguan Daniel Bailey sixth in 10.20.
“I just wanted to keep a clean sheet going into the Olympics,” said Blake, a training partner of Usain Bolt.
“I feel a little disappointed. I wanted to do something better. [It was] just one of those days.”
Netherland Antilles’ Churandy Martina also shone at the Icahn Stadium as he won a close 200 metres in a new national record of 19.94 seconds.
Jamaican Nickel Ashmeade was narrowly second in a season-best 19.94 with Jamaican Warren Weir clocking a personal-best 20.08 to be third.
There was more disappointment, however, for former World champion Barbadian Ryan Brathwaite who could only finish fifth in 13.48 seconds in the men’s 110 hurdles won by American Jason Richardson in 13.18.
–IANS/CMC
abr/rn
- Bolt, Blake break meet records in Lausanne - Aug 24, 2012
- Olympics: Pryce retains 100m crown to make history (Lead) - Aug 05, 2012
- Olympics athletics: Fraser-Pryce wins women's 100m gold - Aug 05, 2012
- Olympics: Fraser-Pryce upbeat ahead of 100-m semis - Aug 04, 2012
- Jamaican trio wins but Fraser-Pryce beaten again - Aug 27, 2012
- Bolt answers critics with world-leading time - Jun 01, 2012
- Jamaican sprinter appeals for help for junior athletes - Sep 10, 2012
- Olympics: Francis tips Fraser-Pryce for sprint double - Aug 06, 2012
- Olympics: Fraser-Pryce through to 200 semis, Walker falls - Aug 07, 2012
- James gets Olympic warm-up win, Fraser-Pryce loses - Jul 15, 2012
- Olympics: Veronica says it will be tough to retain 200m crown - Aug 02, 2012
- Olympics: James on verge of 400m title - Aug 06, 2012
- Olympics: US takes on the Caribbean in women's 200m final - Aug 08, 2012
- Bolt battles flu to win at Diamond League - Jul 09, 2011
- Bolt sparkles but upstaged by amazing Blake - Sep 17, 2011
Tags: ann fraser, brathwaite, caribbean media, churandy martina, daniel bailey, kelly ann baptiste, london olympics, michael rodgers, national olympic, netherland antilles, olympic champion, olympic trials, one of those days, pryce, richard thompson, shelly ann, sizzles, tianna madison, world champion, yohan blake