LONDON (July 23) – Ivorian sprinter Marie Josée Ta Lou set a new meeting record at the London Diamond League on Sunday, breaking the previous record held by Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on her way to beating a very strong field at the women’s 100m. The race was missing Sha’Carri Richardson, though, who withdrew with an injury.
Ta Lou, who pulled out of the 2023 Kamila Skolimowska Memorial – Silesia Diamond League, clocked a time of 10.75 seconds (+1.2 m/s.) in the 100m race today, equaling her season’s best in lowering the new meeting record by .02 seconds. Fraser-Pryce set the previous record of 10.77 seconds on July 27, 2013.
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The race saw British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith finishing second with a season-best time of 10.85 seconds. Jamaican Shericka Jackson, the world lead with a time of 10.65 seconds set earlier this season, finished third with a time of 10.94 seconds.
Jackson, who recently clocked 21.86 seconds for 200m, was all smiles at the end of the race. The Jamaican sprint double champion has been training through these meetings and isn’t too worried about times. She got off to a slow start and never pushed through, easing down in the closing 20 meters to cruise across the finishing line third.
Still, the Jamaican sprint double champion remains confident of being ready for the world championships.
US champion Sha’Carri Richardson, who has beaten Jackson twice already this season, withdrew from the race after suffering a minor injury during her warm-up. Richardson currently holds fifth place in the Diamond League Qualifiers Standings with 16 points.
Ta Lou, the third-fastest in the world this season, leads the Diamond League Qualifiers Standings with 32 points, followed by Jackson with 26 points. The Ivorian sprinter’s time is the joint-fastest on British soil, joining Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
“Today has been so great,” Ta Lou said. “I was not feeling my best at first, but I’ve been listening to everything my coach has told me, and I won.
“I hope to go back and train even harder for Budapest because I know it will take more to win there, so I’ll just fix up on a few small things. I know my finish is strong, but my start could be better, and I need to improve it to make sure I can achieve my goal of winning gold.”
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Wanda Diamond League 100m Women’s race held in London on July 23, 2023:
- Marie Josée Ta Lou (CIV) – 10.75 seconds (Meeting Record, =SB)
- Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) – 10.85 seconds (SB)
- Shericka Jackson (JAM) – 10.94 seconds
- Daryll Neita (GBR) – 10.96 seconds (SB)
- Aleia Hobbs (USA) – 10.99 seconds
- Twanisha Terry (USA) – 10.99 seconds (=SB)
- Melissa Jefferson (USA) – 11.09 seconds
- Anthonique Strachan (BAH) – 11.13 seconds
The Diamond League Qualifiers Standing after 6 of 8 qualification meetings are as follows:
- Marie Josée Ta Lou (CIV) – 32 Points
- Shericka Jackson (JAM) – 26 Points
- Daryll Neita (GBR) – 21 Points
- Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) – 18 Points
- Sha’Carri Richardson (USA) – 16 Points
- Gina Lückenkemper – 15 Points
- Ewa Swoboda – 14 Points
- Twanisha Terry (USA) – 13 Points
- Anthonique Strachan (BAH) – 11 Points
- Imani Lansiquot – 11 Points
- Zoe Hobbs – 9 Points
- Abby Steiner – 5 Points
- Morolake Akinosun – 5 Points
- Aleia Hobbs (USA) – 4 Points
- Melissa Jefferson (USA) – 4 Points
- Teahna Daniels – 3 Points
- Gabrielle Thomas – 3 Points
- Murielle Ahouré-Demps – 2 Points
- Jenna Prandini – 2 Points
- Gina Bass – 1 Point
- Mujinga Kambundji – 1 Point
