Elaine Thompson-Herah is the quickest of the three Jamaicans chasing a sweep of the medals in the women’s 100 metres at the World Athletics Championships after semi-final action this evening.
Before Thompson-Herah made her way through the field in heat two, it was Shericka Jackson who had laid down the gauntlet, getting out of the blocks well and ensuring she controlled a race that included the fast Briton Dina Asher-Smith to finish in 10.84 seconds.
Smith was second in 10.89.
Unfortunately, there was some disappointment for Jamaica as Kemba Nelson, 11.25 for sixth in that first heat, failed to advance.
Not to be outdone, Thompson-Herah, 10.82, took a different approach, rising from the blocks more conservatively before getting into her running to get ahead of the quick-starting Marie-Josée Ta Lou of Côte d’Ivoire, who finished second in 10.89 seconds.
Defending champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce was the slowest of the three but certainly not the least impressive.
Pryce, clocking 10.93, had shut down her race earlier than every other winner, cruising as the United States’ Alia Hobbs, 10.93, and Great Britain’s Daryll Neita, 10.95, closed quickly in the final few metres.
The United States’ Melissa Jefferson, 10.92, and Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji, 10.96, are the two non-automatic qualifiers.