He is sending a hell of a signal ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. This Friday in Kingston, during the Jamaican trials, Kishane Thompson achieved the best world performance of the season in the 100m. The 22-year-old sprinter recorded a time of 9”77. He has qualified for his first major international competition.
With his time, Thompson became the ninth fastest man in the history of the straight behind five Americans and three Jamaicans, including legend Usain Bolt and his world record (9:58 in 2009). The Jamaican short sprinter has not won an international men’s title since the latter’s retirement in 2017.
Kishane Thompson is a member of the historic MVP Track Club group, led by Stephen Francis, former mentor of Asafa Powell and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. At the Olympics, he will be accompanied by Oblique Seville (9”82 during the selections) and Ackeem Blake (9”92) in the 100 m.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also qualified
Last year, Kishane Thompson withdrew before the semi-finals of the selections for the Budapest Worlds despite a great series (9”86). A time that he confirmed later in the season in the Diamond League in Xiamen (9”85) then in Eugene (9”87).
Among the women, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10”94) barely qualified for the fifth Olympic Games of her career. She was beaten by Shericka Jackson (10”84) and Tia Clayton (10”90) during the selections, in the absence of Elaine Thompson-Herah, injured.
“It’s great to be able to do this for so long, after all the obstacles I’ve encountered,” said the Olympic gold medallist in 2008 and 2012. “I’m not having an easy season, but I came here with determination to give myself a new opportunity at the Olympics.”
