Thompson erases Omanyala's world lead at Olympic trials

(From left to right) Kishane Thompson of Jamaica, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, Noah Lyles of the United States, Christian Coleman of the United States, and Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya compete in the Men's 100m during the 2023 Prefontaine Classic and Wanda Diamond League Final at Hayward Field on September 16, 2023 in Eugene, Oregon. [AFP]

Kishane Thompson won the men's 100m in 9.77secs, the fastest time in the world this year, and Shericka Jackson dominated the women's 100m final on Friday at the Jamaican Olympic athletics trials.

Thompson, with a wind of 0.9m/sec, took the title in Kingston with Oblique Seville second in 9.82 and Ackeem Blake third in 9.92 to book their trips to the Paris Olympics.

Thompson, 22, improved upon the year's prior best, a 9.79 by Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala two weeks ago at the Olympics trials at Nyayo Stadium.

After not racing all season, Thompson cruised in the Jamaican trials, running 9.82 in Thursday heats and 9.84 in the semi-finals earlier on Friday.

Thompson withdrew before last year's semi-finals in the qualifying meet for the World Championships despite a 9.86 qualifying run, but he later ran 9.85 at a Diamond League meet in Xiamen then went 9.87 at Eugene.

Jackson, a two-time 200m world champion and two-time 100m world runner-up who was third in the 100 at the Tokyo Olympics, won the women's 100 in 10.84secs (-0.3 m/sec wind).

An injury had knocked out reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, the 100 and 200 gold medal winner at the Rio and Tokyo Games.

The final runner-up was 19-year-old Tia Clayton in 10.90 with 37-year-old Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce third in 10.94 to book her trip to Paris.

Fraser-Pryce, the 2008 and 2012 100m Olympic champion ran 10.91 in the semi-finals before grabbing her spot smoothly in the run for France.

Meanwhile, three-time world champion Grant Holloway punched his ticket to the Paris Olympics on Friday in the 110m hurdles at the US trials, while Noah Lyles and Sha'Carri Richardson cruised into the 200m finals.

Holloway won the 110 hurdles final in 12.86secs, the fastest time in the world this year, with Freddie Crittenden second in a personal best 12.93 and Daniel Roberts third in a personal best 12.96.

"Two-time Olympian, it just speaks for itself," Holloway said. "My goal was to come out here and execute each round."

Reigning three-time world 200 champion Lyles and reigning world 100 champion Richardson remained on course for 100-200 sprint doubles in France, by advancing from the semi-finals to Saturday's 200 finals at Hayward Field.

Holloway, 26, won 110 hurdles world crowns in 2019 at Doha, 2022 at Eugene and last year in Budapest as well as world indoor 60 hurdles titles in Belgrade in 2022 and this year at Glasgow.

Now he hopes to add to an Olympic medal haul that began with silver at Tokyo three years ago after losing momentum over the last three hurdles.

"Obviously, 2021 was just a bitter race so my main goal was to just come out here and make the team," Holloway said.

"Now, (in) four or five weeks, be ready to do it again."

Lyles, who won the 100 last weekend at the US trials in 9.83 secs, won his semi-final heat in a wind-aided 19.60secs (2.5m/sec) with Christian Coleman second in 19.89.