EUGENE, Ore. – English Gardner clocked 10.81 seconds to impressively ran away from a star-studded women’s 100 metres lineup at the 2016 Prefontaine Classic – IAAF Diamond League meeting – on Saturday, but is backing herself to go even faster.
Gardner posted the second quickest time of the year at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., on her way to defeating a very strong field that included the likes of World and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Carmelita Jeter, Blessing Okagbare and Murielle Ahoure.
After the race, the American revealed that she was still under loaded training, including heavy lifting and hasn’t started any speed work as yet.
“I am so elated right now,” Gardner said about her winning time on Saturday.
“I haven’t even really started speed work. I am pretty loaded up, still squatting in the weight room, still going hard in practice.
“So for me to come out her loaded up and still run 10.81 is a blessing.”
Gardner, who owns a personal best of 10.79 seconds, set at the same venue last year at the USA Trials, says her focus is now to make the American Olympic team and then go after the gold medal in Rio.
“I want to go to the Olympics,” the 24-year-old former Oregon Ducks, said. “I want to go for the gold.”
At the 2016 Prefontaine Classic, Gardner defeated fellow American teammate Tianna Bartoletta, who ran a season’s best 10.94 and Murielle (11.01).
Notably, Jamaica’s Fraser-Pryce finished last in 11.18.
Gary Smith is one of the leading writers for World-Track.org. He has over 10 years of running experience, as well as eight-years of coaching while covering several events, from the international to college level. Smith, who has covered events for publications such as Caribbean Net News, Cayman Net News, AFP and Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), is also a frequent contributor of SportingAlert.com and TrackAlerts.com.
