D-Day in Brussels

Despite the possibilities, last week’s Zurich leg of the IAAF Diamond League finals didn’t increase the Jamaican team roster for the World Championships in Doha, Qatar. Things could be different today in Brussels at the second half of the League final. If Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Danielle Williams win, Jamaica will be able to field an extra entrant in the 100m and 100m hurdles in Doha.

Success would crown Fraser-Pryce and Williams winners of the Diamond League and would earn a wild card entry to Doha and space for one additional Jamaican in their respective events. The Brussels 100m will not feature Elaine Thompson, who edged Fraser-Pryce in June at the National Championships, and with a bad loss at the Prefontaine Classic well behind all but forgotten, the 32-year-old should handle Britain’s European champion, Dina Asher-Smith, and World silver medallists Marie Josee Ta Lou and Dafne Schippers.

Thompson won the League 100m contests in Rome and Paris and did qualify for Brussels.

Consistent performer

A win over a field including American Kendra Harrison, the world record holder, would be a perfect end to a League campaign that has given her top spot in Doha, London, and Birmingham.

Akeem Bloomfield would do himself a huge favour with an upset win in the 400m. Fifth in the 200m at the Nationals, an IAAF wild card would punch his ticket to Doha. If he succumbs to fast Americans Michael Norman and Fred Kerley, his hopes will rest with the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association selection panel.

Something faster than his season’s best of 44.40 seconds and his personal best, 43.94 seconds, may be needed to beat Norman and Kerley, who have run 43.45 and 43.64 seconds this year.

Jamaicans Fedrick Dacres, Natoya Goule, Ronald Levy, and Janieve Russell will also be competing. The latter, the 2018 Commonwealth 400m hurdles champion, goes in a non-Diamond League after losing her run at the wild card in Zurich last week. Dacres, Goule, and Levy are still in the hunt in the discus, 800m, and 110m hurdles respectively.

Dacres set a national record of 70.78m to best Daniel Stahl in the Rabat Diamond League meet in June, but the Swede has won their next four clashes.

In Zurich, Shanieka Thomas-Ricketts produced a personal best of 14.93m on her last jump to capture the League jackpot of US$50,000 (just under J$7 million). Her compatriots – Thompson, Yohan Blake, Stephenie Ann McPherson, Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Tajay Gayle weren’t successful.

In addition, losses for Thompson, Blake and McPherson closed the door to individual Doha spots for Shashalee Forbes in the 200m, Senoj-Jay Givans in the 100m, and Roneisha McGregor in the 400m.