Olympic medallist Richard Thompson and Michelle Lee-Ahye are now the fastest athletes in the world for 2014 in the men’s and women’s 100-metre events respectively. New IAAF rankings declared Thompson’s record breaking 9.82 performance at last Saturday’s Sagicor/NGC Senior Open Track and Field Championships held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, caused him to jump to the top spot, ahead of Justin Gatlin of the USA. Ahye’s winning performance at that event was achieved in 10.85 seconds. A closer look at the IAAF standings showed Thompson, who had a difficult 2013 season due to injury, not only bounced back, but went on to register to other top ten performances.
On June 8, at the IAAF World Challenge’s Fanny Blankers-Keon, held in Hengelo, Netherlands, he won in a time of 9.95. It allowed him to clinch the fourth spot, too, on the honour roll. Three days later at the Diamond League series on Olso, Norway, he won in a time of 10.02. For the performance he was ranked ninth according to the IAAF. But for Ahye, it was extra special citing that she held the top three spots. Having recorded a time of 10.88 at the weekend (wind +1.2) Ahye tied for second with Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown. The latter athlete’s time was 10.86 (wind +2.0). At the Francisco “Papuito” Montaner Stadium, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, back in May, Ahye won the women’s 100-metre in 11.04 seconds. But as fate would have it, Thompson and Ahye would share company with other impressive local athletes.
While Keston Bledman was unable to successfully defend his title at the weekend and had to settle for second to Thompson, his (Bledman) time of ten seconds nestled him in eight position according to the IAAF Web site. It was now clear that last Saturday’s battle royale at the Hasely Crawford Stadium bumped other local athletes on the rankings, too. Darrel Brown’s 100-metre performance earned him the 17th spot with a time of 10.05, while Renny Quow’s 400-metre win put him at 18th in the world. Deon Lendore’s victory at the Southern Conference Track and Field Championships, in Lexington, Kentucky, USA back in May (in 44.36) in the 400-metre, had him third in the world. Competing in the 400-metre at last month’s Baie Mahault Invitational (in 44.91) earned Lalonde Gordon the tenth spot.
Rankings
MEN’S RANKINGS
Rank Mark WIND Competitor
1 9.82 +1.7 Richard Thompson
2 9.86 -0.4 Justin Gatlin
9.87 0.0 Justin Gatlin
9.91 +0.4 Justin Gatlin
9.92 0.0 Justin Gatlin
3 9.93 +1.8 Kemarley Brown
4 9.95 +1.7 Jimmy Vicaut
9.95 +1.4 Richard Thompson
5 9.96 +1.4 Chijindu Ujah
6 9.97 +1.8 Travyon Bromell
7 9.98 +1.4 Simon Magakwe
8 10.00 +1.7 Keston Bledman
WOMEN’S RANKING
Rank Mark WIND Competitor
1 10.85 +1.6 Michelle-Lee Ahye
2 10.86 +2.0 Veronica Campbell-Brown
10.88 +1.2 Michelle-Lee Ahye
3 11.00 +1.5 Samantha Henry-Robinson
4 11.03 +1.7 Remona Burchell
11.04 -0.9 Michelle-Lee Ahye
5 11.04 +0.6 Morolake Akinosun
7 11.06 -0.6 Murielle Ahouré
11.07 -0.1 Tori Bowie
8 11.08 +0.5 Kerron Stewart