Big test for Thompson-Herah

ELAINE Thompson-Herah, the fastest woman alive with a personal best of 10.54 seconds over 100 metres, will face her stiffest test to date on her comeback trail when she clashes with Olympic champion Julien Alfred of St Lucia in the short sprint at tomorrow’s Gyulai Istvan Memorial Athletics Grand Prix in Budapest, Hungary.

Thompson-Herah returned from a long-term injury this year and has been slowly getting back to near her best. She has a season’s best of 10.91 and will want to show she is ready to challenge the world’s top sprinters this season.

Coming off a special run in the 200m at the recent Prefontaine Classic, where she clocked an outstanding 21.51 seconds for victory to become the third fastest woman ever over the distance, Alfred will be hoping to carry that form into the 100m, where she has a season’s best of 10.93. Based on her current 200m form she appears ready to go below the 10.72 personal best she clocked in winning gold in the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Three other Jamaicans will line up in the event - Brianna Lyston, Jonielle Smith and Tina Clayton.

Clayton clocked a season’s best 10.85 when she finished second behind Shericka Jackson at the Jamaica National Championships. Smith has also been in impressive form and finished fourth at the Prefontaine Classic in a personal best 10.89 while Lyston, who was second to Thompson-Herah a few weeks ago in Zagreb, Croatia, has a season’s best of 10.94.

Overall the meet has attracted 22 Jamaicans and Rushell Clayton looks set to continue her fine form in the women’s 400m hurdles. She has been consistent on the Diamond League circuit and, with a season’s best of 53.05 will be among the favourites. She will be joined by compatriot Shiann Salmon, who has a season’s best of 55.56, Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya (53.67) and American Jasmine Jones (53.92).

In the 100m hurdles, Kerrica Hill, with a season’s best of 12.66, will face a strong field led by outstanding American Masai Russell and her compatriots Alysha Johnson and Grace Stark. Russell has been exceptional this season and, with a personal best of 12.14 which is just 0.02 of a second outside the world record.

Other Jamaican women in action will be, Krystal Sloley and Nickisha Pryce in the 200m, Ackelia Smith in the long jump and Lamara Distin in the high jump.

On the men’s side Ackeem Blake will lead the Jamaican challenge in the 100m. With a season’s best of 9.94, he will be joined by Nishion Ebanks (9.99) and Rohan Watson (10.05).

Gary Card will tune up for next month’s World Under-20 Championships when he runs in the men’s 200m.

The 110m hurdles will also feature a stacked field, with Jamaica’s Orlando Bennett, who has a season’s best of 13.15 leading the local challenge. American world record holder Ja’Kobe Tharp (12.75) will also face the starter.