KINGSTON — Olympic champion Elaine Thompson posted a world-leading 22.00 to win the 200 meters on Sunday and complete the sprint double on the last day of the Jamaican trials.
Thompson, who won the 100 on Friday, was passed by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the first 50 metres but surged home to regain the half-lap title she last won in 2015.
Fraser-Pryce, beaten by Thompson in a photo finish in the 100, was once again second best, clocking 22.22 ahead of Schillonie Calvert (22.92). Thompson said it had been a tough four days at the trials.
"Now that the championship is over I finally can sleep and eat some good food, go back to the drawing board, I have Prefontaine Sunday coming so I have to just regain my focus," she told Reuters.
She also confirmed her intention to compete in both the 100 and 200 at the Sept. 28-Oct. 6 world championships in Doha. Thompson showed off her superb top end speed in the 200m final as she bested training partner Fraser-Pryce for the second time this weekend.
Thompson had edged Fraser-Pryce for 100m gold after both were credited with the same time — a world-leading 10.73sec. On Sunday Fraser-Pryce got the better start and led off the curve but Thompson caught her and eased away to win as Fraser-Pryce took second in 22.22.
In the men's 200, Rasheed Dwyer came home in 20.23 to deny Yohan Blake (20.27) the sprint double with Andre Ewers third (20.48). Blake, the 100m champion, was caught and passed on the line in the 200m final by Dwyer. Blake was second in 20.27and Andre Ewers was third in 20.48.
Shericka Jackson also shone on the final day of the championships, the qualifying meet for the IAAF World Championships starting in Doha on Sept. 27. Jackson won the 400m in the year's second-best time.
Jackson produced a lifetime best of 49.78 to win her second 400 title and said the time, the second best of the year behind Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo (49.05), sets her up well for the rest of the season.
Jackson ran a personal best 49.78sec to win the women's 400m, beating her previous best of 49.83 set in the 2016 Olympic final. Defending champion Stephenie-Ann McPherson led the race early but Jackson caught the leaders at the top of the home stretch and powered away for a fine win ahead of Anastasia Leroy and McPherson.
"I've been really working hard, 2018 was my off year to get some speed in and I think it has worked pretty well along with the strength and conditioning work and it's really good to know I just ran a life time best here," Jackson told Reuters.
The men's hurdles was won by Commonwealth Games champion Ronald Levy (13.23) ahead of world under-20 silver medalist Orlando Bennett, who ran a life time best 13.27 seconds with 2014 Commonwealth champion Andrew Riley third in 13.33.
In the field, Shanieka Ricketts retained her triple jump crown (14.73) ahead of Kimberly Williams (14.39) while O'Dayne Richards, bronze medalist from the 2015 world championships, won the men's shot put (19.93).
Demish Gaye won his first national title in the men's 400m in 44.83, with Terry Thomas second and Javon Francis third.
The meeting ended on an anti-climactic note as the women's 100m hurdles final that included the current world leader Janeek Brown was voided.
World champion Danielle Williams was disqualified from the 100 hurdles and three athletes sustained injuries, leading to the national athletics association voiding the race.
Williams, the 2015 World Champion, was disqualified for a false start. A second attempt to start the race resulted in confusion when the recall gun was fired twice but at least two athletes, including Brown, ran the entire race.
An initial announcement said the final would be rerun after the men's hurdles final, but organizers later said three of the finalists were injured, so it was not clear who will be selected to run the event at Doha. — Agencies
