EUGENE, Oregon (July 12) —— Jamaica women and the US men are strong contenders to sweep the 100m podium spots at the World Athletics Championships 2022 in Oregon, so will anyone prevent that from happening? Read more: When is the World Athletics Championships 2022 and How to watch it?
Jamaica set for historic sweep in Oregon?
On the women’s side, Jamaica will feature the four-time reigning world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, double-double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah and the Olympic bronze medalist, Shericka Jackson.
The USA men, in the meantime, are led by Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley, defending world champion Christian Coleman, Trayvon Bromell, and Marvin Bracy. Read more: Shericka Jackson stuns Thompson-Herah; Yohan Blake beats Oblique Seville in 100m at Jamaica Championships
Fraser-Pryce heads to Oregon as not only the defending champion but also the current world leader after she posted 10.67 seconds twice this season.
In fact, the two-time Olympic champion has also clocked 10.70, which is the third-fastest in the world this year, which means she owns the top three best times in this campaign.
After being beaten to the Olympic title last summer Fraser-Pryce is determined to get back on top of the highest podium spot and she’s confident about her chances.
Thompson-Herah to peak at the right time?
Two-time Olympic sprint double champion Thompson-Herah will enter the championships on the back of a pair of third-place finishes again at the Jamaica National Championships. Read more: Tokyo 2020: [Watch video] Thompson-Herah sets Olympic 100m record, leads Jamaica 1-2-3 finish
In her preparations for the Olympic Games last season, the sprint ace ran 10.84 in the 100m and 22.05 in the 200m at the national trials before finding her best form in Tokyo to dominate her rivals with a pair of the fastest times ever.
The 29-year-old and the fastest woman alive, owns a personal best of 10.54 secs, while her season-best sits at 10.79 secs, the third-fastest time in 2022. She is hoping to find her peak form again in Oregon on the same track in which she clocked her PB at the Prefontaine Classic 2021 last summer after the Olympics.
Shericka Jackson to upstage her countrywomen?
Jamaica champion Jackson is also in top form heading to Eugene and many believe she could even spring a surprise on her teammates if everything goes according to plan, for her.
While running 10.77 secs, the second-fastest in the world in 2022, Jackson said she made several mistakes that she hopes to fix at the world championships.
Veteran coach Stephen Francis also recently noted that she could even challenge the world record if the conditions are right.
The fourth Jamaican in the race is Kemba Nelson, the former Oregon sprinter who finished second at Hayward Field in the 100m final at the NCAA Championships last month.
Nelson who has broken 11-seconds four times with legal wind reading this season, finished second to Jackson at the Jamaica National Championships with a new lifetime best of 10.88, the joint-10th fastest in the world this year.
Melissa Jefferson hopes to extend postseason form
Collegiate star and current US champion Melissa Jefferson, along with former national champion Aleia Hobbs, lead the American charge that will look to defend their home turf.
Jefferson flashed to an impressive, although, wind-aided 10.69 (2.9m/s) time to win the USATF Championships last month and the Coastal Carolina standout will be hoping to carry over that form when she lines up in her first-ever senior global championship.
Hobbs finished second at the national championships in 10.72, while the other American representative Twanisha Terry ran 10.74 for third.
Although the spotlight will be on the Jamaicans and the Americans, the women’s 100m field also includes several other competitors talented enough to get on the podium.
World Indoor 60m champion Mujinga Kambundji who recently clocked 10.89 secs to set a national record at the Swiss championships in Zurich last month, will be hoping to break up the top contenders and land a place on the podium.
Collegiate star Julien Alfred has also been in good form this season with a personal best sitting at 10.81 secs, while representing the University of Texas and the Saint Lucian was excited about returning to the track that brought her postseason success at the NCAA Championships.
Fred Kerley will not be stopped at Hayward Field?
Meanwhile, the US sprinters appear to be the top medal prospects in the men’s 100m, although their odds of sweeping the event aren’t as alluring compared to those of the Jamaica women. Read more: 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships results on day two, June 24
Olympic silver medalist and current world leader Fred Kerley enters the event as the world leader and the man in the best form and he hinted that it will take something special to beat him at Hayward Field this weekend.
Kerley who stepped down from the 400m to run the 100m last season went on to enjoy a very fruitful 2021 campaign. The 27-year-old has picked up from where he left off last year and has looked confident thus far while running the two fastest times in the world in 2022 at 9.76 secs and 9.77 secs at the US Championships.
Among his main rivals for the gold medal is teammate Trayvon Bromell who is the second quickest in the world this season at 9.81 secs, and the 2015 world bronze medalist will be aiming to put his disappointments at the Olympics behind him when he races in his own time zone.
Bromell went into the Games in Tokyo as the favorite for the gold medal, but he failed to progress beyond the semi-final stage when finishing third in his heat.
Meanwhile, reigning world champion Christian Coleman returns to defend his title after missing the Olympics last summer due to a ban and he heads into the competition with a season-best of 9.87 done in the semifinals at the USATF Championships.
World Indoor 60m bronze medalist Marvin Bracy comes in with a personal best of 9.85 which he clocked to equal his fastest-ever time to finish second behind Kerley at the national championships.
The Jamaican trio, led by 32-year-old Yohan Blake, the 2011 world champion, will head to Oregon feeling confident about getting on the podium as well, following their recent performances at the national championships.
Yohan Blake ran 9.85 to win at the national trials ahead of 21-year-old and Olympic semi-finals, Oblique Seville, who finished second in 9.88. Yohan’s training Ackeem Blake ran 9.92 for third at the trials, but his coach has revealed that he is primed to go even faster at the world championships.
In the meantime, the world will also be watching to see what kind of form Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs will produce after his recent injury setbacks that forced him to withdraw from a number of meetings in Europe in the buildup to the world championships.
The Italian was the shocking champion at the Olympics last summer and captured his fifth 100m national title last month but hasn’t broken 10-seconds in 2022.
The field also includes African champion Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya who sits joint third on the world’s top list this season with 9.85 as well as Great Britain’s Reece Prescod (9.93).
Canada’s Olympic 100m bronze medalist Andre De Grasse has been in the best form this season but revealed that he’s now recovered from some early season issues, which included a second bout of COVID-19 and his hoping to challenge for a medal on a track that he is very familiar with.
