TRIPLE TREAT!

SPRINTER ELAINE Thompson-Herah maintained her impressive form with a meet record, to emerge one of three Jamaican winners at the Meeting de Paris Diamond League athletics, another in the Wanda Diamond League series, in France yesterday.

Sprint hurdlers Hansle Parchment, the Olympic champion, and Danielle Williams were the other Jamaican winners at the European track and field meeting, where Shericka Williams, Nigel Ellis, Janieve Russell and Megan Tapper finished among the top three in their events.

Olympic champion Thompson-Herah, the second fastest ever in women’s 100 metres sprinting, bounced back to winning ways, after losing two days prior to countrywoman Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. But with Fraser-Pryce pulling out of the meet, citing fatigue, it was smooth sailing for Thompson-Herah, who won easily in 10.72 seconds and in the process erased the 10.74-second meet record that was set by Fraser-Pryce in 2015.

Shericka Jackson, the Olympics bronze medallist in the event, finished second in 10.97 seconds, with Great Britain Dina Asher Smith third in 11.06 seconds. Jamaica’s Natasha Morrison was fourth in 11.09 seconds.

THOMPSON-HERAH THANKFUL

“I am thankful I crossed the line healthy. I am already in the books so I am happy for that,” said Thompson-Herah. “I am just focusing on myself, on my start, on my execution and to be confident over the line. Obviously, it is more about the time after all these events and my health always comes first.

“I know everybody is thinking I am targeting the world record, but .… I know it is close but for this season I am already super happy,” added Thompson-Herah.

After failing to earn a spot to the Olympics by ending fourth at the National Championships, 2015 World champion Williams was impressive in winning the women’s 100 metres hurdles in a season best 12.50 seconds.

Nadine Visser of the Netherlands finished second in a personal best and national record of 12.58 seconds and Jamaica’s Olympic bronze medallist, Tapper, was third in 12.66 seconds.

“It is a season best and I think I executed the race as well as I could,” said Williams. “I am pretty sure that there were some mistakes that I made, but I can see what I could do better for the next race. But now I am satisfied with the win and the time.”

Continuing, Williams said: “After Olympics I just tried to stay focus on my goals and what to accomplish this season. That was the main motivating factor. I just want to keep running fast for the remainder of the season,” cited Williams.

INTENSE BATTLE

Coming off a disappointing outing two days earlier in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he ran into two barriers late in the race and finished at the back of the pack, Olympic 110 metres hurdles champion, Parchment, got it right. After a good start and being involved in an intense battle with the United States’ Devon Allen, Parchment held his nerve to win in a season best 13.03 seconds.

Allen finished second in a season best 13.08 seconds, with the United States’ Daniel Roberts third in 13.16, the Olympic bronze medallist.

Parchment thought he could have done better.

“I still have a feeling that I could have executed a little better, but I am happy for the win. In the last part I did not maintain the technique enough. I was leaning a bit more than I was supposed to, but otherwise it was enough,” Parchment assessed.

“I always believe in myself,” he added. “The race cannot always be perfect. There will be mistakes, so I do not worry about that and I stayed confident after Lausanne, ready for the challenge.”

Russell finished third in the women’s 400 metres hurdles in 54.75 seconds. Gianna Woodruff of Panama won in 54.44 seconds ahead of Anna Ryzhykova of Ukraine, who timed 54.49 seconds.

Olympics 400 metres finalist, Candice McLeod, finished seventh in the women’s 400 metres in 51.41 seconds. The Dominica Republic’s Marileidy Paulino, the Olympic Games silver medallist, won in 51.41 seconds.

Earlier, in a non-Diamond League event, Ellis took second in the men’s 100 metres in 10.14 seconds, while his countryman, Julian Forte, was fifth in 10.21. The event was won by the United States’ Marvin Bracy in 10.04 seconds.