Sports Commentary - JAMAICA’S FEMALE SPRINTING: 100/200 MEDAL PROSPECTS FOR THE 2020 OLYMPICS (TOYKO 2021)

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 By Dale Brown

 

GOLDEN GIRLS. Jamaica’s winning sprint relay quarter at the 2019 WC, in Doha, Qatar. (l-r); Natalliah Whyte, Shericka Jackson, ShellyAnn Fraser Pryce, Jonielle Smith.

NEW YORK, NY. Tuesday, November 3, 2020 --How can a small island like Jamaica continue to produce sprinters of the caliber of the great Veronica Campbell- Brown?

Veronica Campbell – Brown (38 yrs.) is universally recognized as one of the greatest sprinters in the history of the sport.  VCB is a legend by any standard and is a champion on and off the track.

Her 11 individual global medal collection consists of Olympic 2 gold medals in the 200m (Athens 2004 / Beijing 2008) and (2) 100m bronze medals in Athens 2004 and London 2012.

Veronica’s success at the World Championships are 100m- a gold medal (Osaka 2007), 2 silver medals (Helsinki 2005) and (Daegu 2011).  Her podium finishes in the 200m are, (1) gold medal (Daegu 2011), (2) silver medals (Osaka 2007 and Berlin 2009) and (1) bronze medal (Beijing 2015).

Campbell- Brown who has not missed the last five Olympic games (2000 - 2016) is now the elder stateswoman of the Jamaican sprinting core and she may be looking to a different phase in her career as she transitions sprinting duties to the younger generation.

The truth is Jamaican women sprinters have won medals in 8 of the last 10 Olympic 100m finals (1980-2016) winning 14 of the 27 available medals. They have also medaled in the last 10 Olympic 200m finals, winning 12 of the possible 30 medals.

They have also won medals in 11 of the 17 World Championships 100m finals (1983-2019) and won medals in 12 of the 200m finals during the same period.

These statistics show that during the past 40 years Jamaica has consistently produced elite female sprinters.

 

THE MEDAL CONTENDERS & SPRINT RELAY MEMBERS

 

Shelly -Ann Fraser-Pryce

Shelly -Ann Fraser-Pryce (33 yrs. old) is arguably the greatest female 100m sprinter in the glorious history of the sport.  She has won 2 Olympic gold medals in the rib and event in Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and has a bronze medal from the Rio games in 2016. Shelly also won a silver medal in the 200m at the 2012 London Olympics.

Her success is equally impressive at the World Championships where she won an unprecedented 4 gold medals in the 100m (Berlin 2009, Moscow 2013, Beijing 2015 and Doha 2019)

Shelly completed the sprint double when she won the 200m in Moscow 2013.

Fraser – Pryce’s PB in the 100m is 10.70 (2012) The co- national record holder has not shown any signs of slowing down as her 10.71 indicated when she won the World Championships 100m for the 4th time in 2019. She also ran 10.86 in 2020 for the second fastest time in the world.

Her 200m PB is 22.09 and she ran 22.22 as recently as 2019.   Shelly is ranked #1 in the 100m and is definitely one of the favorites to win the Olympic gold in 2021.

Shelly’s hunger and appetite for success are second to none.

However, doubling at the Olympics might be a difficult proposition even for the indomitable Shelly – Ann Fraser-Pryce.

Elaine Thompson- Herah

Elaine Thompson- Herah (28 yrs. old) is the co – national record holder in the 100m with a PB of 10.70 (2016) Her 200m PB is 21.66 (2015) Elaine won the sprint double at the Rio Olympics in 2016. She is a World Championship 200m silver medalist (Beijing 2015)

Thompson has not medaled at a global championship since her Olympic triumph in 2016 and that is cause for concern. The positive news is that she ran 10.73 in 2019 and had the fastest time in the world with a 10.85 clocking in 2020.

Her 200m times of 22.00 in 2019 and 22.19 in 2020 shows that she is right on the cusp of breaking the 22.00 second barrier.

A confident Elaine is certainly one of the favorites to win the Olympic 100m and she is also a serious contender in the 200m. Her performances in the two events are crucial to her legacy and it is expected that she will once again rise to the lofty heights of 2015 and 2016.

Shericka Jackson – 26 yrs. old (2018) 200m PB 22.05 (2018) and 400m PB 49.47 (2019) Jackson is the Olympic 400m bronze medalist from Rio (2016) and the World Championships Beijing (2015) and Doha (2019)

Shericka established her 200m credentials with a #3 world ranking in (2018). She would definitely be a medal contender but it is doubtful that she will contest the 200m.

Briana Williams – 18 yrs. old.  100m PB 11.02 (2019) and 200m PB 22.50 (2018) The precocious Briana Williams is poised to be the next great Jamaican sprinter. She won the sprint double at the 2018 edition of the World U-20 Championship in Tampere, Finland.  

Briana is also the national Junior record holder in both events and with continued expert guidance she is expected to have a great career.

Jonielle Smith -24 yrs. old. 100m PB 11.04 (2019) World Championship 100m finalist in Doha (2019) Jonielle is expected to improve and with her discipline, she should be consistently ranked among the top sprinters in the world.

Natalliah Whyte – 23yrs. old. 100m PB 11.04 (2018) and 200m 22.55(2018) Natalliah is another fierce competitor but she seems to have been somewhat slowed by injuries. Unfortunately, this may affect her progress in the 200m as she was unable to run faster than 23.28 in 2019. However, she is definitely capable of being ranked among the best in the 100m.

ON THE PERIPHERY

Natasha Morrison – 27 yrs. old, 100m PB 10.96 (2015) Her fastest time since then is 11.09 in 2017.

Natasha is a 2015 World Championship finalist in the 100m but she has not maintained that form for the past 5 years.

Shashalee Forbes -24 yrs. old – 100m PB- 11.10 (2017) 200m PB – 22.71. Forbes seemed to be on the verge of a break through however, she has not fulfilled her promise.

 

THE NEXT GENERATION

Kiara Grant – 20 yrs. old- 100m PB 11.04 (2019) and 200m PB 23.17(2019) Grant improved beyond expectations as she lowered her 100m PB from 11.50 to 11.04 and her 200m PB of 24.60 to 23.17 in 2019.

Ashanti Moore – 20 yrs. old, 100m PB-11.17 (2019) Much is expected of her.

Kevona Davis- 19 yrs. old, - 100m PB- 11.16 (2018) 200m PB -22.72 (2018) Davis has great potential and her progress at the University of Texas will be closely monitored.

 

LOOKING DEEP INTO THE CRYSTAL BALL

The 16-year-old twins Tia and Tina Clayton should be allowed to develop without putting undue pressure on them to perform. They have not represented Jamaica at the youth or junior levels.

 

Summary

With the presence of Shelly -Ann Fraser Pryce and Elaine Thompson - Herah Jamaica is well positioned to win more medals in the 100m. Will Thompson- Herah regain her fitness /confidence of 2016 and participate in a battle royal with Fraser- Pryce for global supremacy in the 100m?

Briana Williams is poised to be standing on the podium in the near future.

The 200m presents a few concerns and questions.  Thompson- Herah is expected to double and she would certainly be one of the favorites. However, her performance may depend on the outcome of the 100m finals.

Fraser – Pryce may also double but the last time she doubled was at the 2013 World Championships when she won both sprints.  

Shericka Jackson is another medal contender but she is expected to concentrate on the 400m.

Briana Williams and Kevona Davis are the ones who are most likely to join the top three ladies as global medal contenders in the 200m.

Jamaica did not have a 200m finalist at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships and there are troubling signs that there is a general lack of focus on the 200m.

The sprint relay pool should come from Fraser – Pryce, Thompson – Herah, Briana Williams, Jonielle Smith, Natalliah Whyte, Kiara Grant, Natasha Morrison and Shashalee Forbes. If Jackson is available, she should also be a member of the team.

Jamaica easily won the sprint relay at the 2019 World Championships in Doha without Thompson-Herah. They would start as the overwhelming favorite at the Olympic games.

Despite the concerns about the 200m, Jamaica’s status as a power in the women sprints and 4x100 relays has not diminished.

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Editor’s note. At the request of the writer, the above commentary is being reprinted with the corrections highlighted. Dale Brown is a sports historian and host of SECOND BASE, the total sports program airing Tuesdays, 7- 8 pm, on the Wee Radio Network at; www.weeradioonline.com

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