By Ockert de Villiers
Nigerian’s 100m hurdles world record holder Tobi Amusan stole the spotlight at the inaugural Jamaica Athletics Invitational on Saturday (11 May).
Amusan ran a world-leading time of 12.40 seconds in Kingston to win from home favourite and reigning world champion Danielle Williams (12.46) with USA’s Christina Clemens third in 12.54s.
The women’s 100m belonged to another African, Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith, who was the only athlete inside 11 seconds. The sprinter from Cote d’Ivoire posted the third-fastest time in the world this year, 10.91, to beat Jamaica’s Krystal Sloley (11.09) into second place.
Former 100m world champions Fred Kerley and Christian Coleman came into the meet looking to build on their early season form in the men’s 200m.
But Anguilla-born British sprinter Zharnel Hughes had other ideas as he won the half-lap sprint in a season’s best 19.96. Kerley was second in 20.17 with Coleman finishing down in fifth in 20.46.
There was another world lead in the women’s 400m hurdles as Rushell Clayton just got the better of USA’s Anna Cockrell. The Jamaican clocked 53.72, four-hundredths ahead of Cockrell.