Elaine Thompson sizzles
THE talented Elaine Thompson sizzled in Beijing yesterday with a devastating show of controlled running, in what was her first outing at a global championships.
Thompson leads Veronica Campbell Brown and Sherone Simpson into the semi-finals of the women’s 200m. Hurdlers Omar McLeod, Hansle Parchment and Andrew Riley, also running yesterday, remained in the hunt for a spot in the final of men’s 110m hurdles.
Thompson, 23, from the MVP camp was an easy victor in heat four, winning with a time of 22.78 seconds and will line up in semi-final one today against Candyce McGrone of the US and Bianca Williams of Great Britain.
Veteran Campbell Brown who won the 200m gold four years ago in Daegu, won heat five in 22.79 seconds but had a nervous time after running out of her lane, eventually finishing in the lane of Great Britain’s Margaret Adeoye who clocked 23.10 seconds to also qualify. Campbell Brown had to wait for a while as the judges deliberated and in the end the august panel of arbiters ruled that although running in the lane of another competitor, she had not caused interference, so her position stood. Campbell Brown is slated to run in lane four in semi-final three.
Simpson produced her seasonal best to finish second in heat seven with 22.52 seconds and booked her final spot behind Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith who had the fastest time of 22.22 seconds. Simpson is in lane five in semi-final two alongside the dangerous-looking Dafne Schippers who eased to 22.58 seconds in her heat.
Jamaica’s champion Omar McLeod survived an early scare in his heat and will line up in semi-final two alongside American Aries Merritt and Pascal Martinot-Lagarde of France.
Olympic bronze medallist Parchment, who won heat four in 13.33 seconds, was placed in semi-final one while Riley is in semi-final three after placing second in heat four in 13.43 seconds.
Parchment was satisfied with his run saying it was a pretty good first race in very good conditions, similar to those in Jamaica. “Still some things to work on like technique and so on but by the next round it should be better,” said Parchment.
Riley was in the same eventful heat as American Ronnie Ash, who was disqualified for false-starting but refused to leave the track. This show of defiance by Ash held up the start of the race for several minutes.
“If the race had gone the first time, I think I would have reacted much better to set me up to do a better time. But it’s the early round, so I will just have to be thankful,” said Riley.