U.S. Men, Jamaican Women Sweep 100 meters at World Track and Field Championships

It may seem hard to believe but the World Track and Field Championships (or more formally, the 2022 World Athletics Championships) are being held for the first time ever in the United States, at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, a.k.a Track Town USA. This competition has been held annually except in Summer Olympic years since 1983 (the last event was in 2019 due to Covid-19).

One of the premier events of the competition is the Men’s 100 meters, and the U.S. sprinters had momentum, perhaps due to great vibes being at home on a familiar track. Actually, they are very good, and they showed it, with four men making the finals, and three of them sweeping the medals. Fred Kerley, Olympic Silver Medalist in the 100 meters at the 2020 Tokyo Games, took the Gold with a time of 9.86. He was followed by Marvin Bracey at 9.8874 and Trayvon Bromell at 9.8876. Christian Coleman, the other U.S. finalist was sixth at 10.005. Oblique Seville, of the once dominant Jamaican team, was fourth at 9.97.

The Jamaican men may still be rebuilding in the post Usain Bolt era, but the veteran Jamaican women’s team is still dominant with a medals sweep of their own in the Women’s 100 meters. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price, who has won eight Olympic medals, including four in the 100 meters (Gold in 2008 and ’12, Bronze in ’16, and Silver in ’20) won the Gold with a time of 10.67. Shericka Jackson, a five time Olympic medalist, including the Bronze in the 100 in Tokyo, took the Silver with a time of 10.73, and Elaine Thompson-Herah, who has six Olympic medals, including the Gold in the 100 at Tokyo, took third with a time of 10.81.

The 2022 World Athletics Championships run from July 15th through the 24th. Next year’s championships will be held in Budapest, Hungary from August 18th-27th. And then we’re back to the Olympics in 2024.