KEMBA NELSON, who was named an Alternate Person (AP) Reserve by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) to the women’s 4×100-metre relay squad to the Paris Olympic Games, was in good form yesterday at a World Continental Challenge meet in Switzerland.
Nelson, a fifth-place finisher in the women’s 100 metres at the National Championships, finished third in the event at the LA Chaux-de Fonds Challenger meet in 11.04 seconds, equalling her season’s best.
The event was won by Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji in a meet record of 10.90 seconds, ahead of her teammate, Salome Kora, second in 10.95, a personal best.
Another Jamaican competing at the meet, Imani Oliver, was third in the women’s triple jump with a distance of 13.75 metres, as Saly Sarr of Senegal won with 14.10m.
Femke Bol of the Netherlands was in fantastic form at the meet, becoming the second female to go under 51 seconds in the women’s 400-metre hurdles.
She improved on her previous best of 51.45, posting a European record, 50.95. Kemi Adekoya of Bahrain was second in 53.41.
The winning time by Bol was the third fastest in history by a female over the intermediate hurdles, with world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the United States with her 50.65 and 50.68, the only ones quicker.
Nadine Visser of the Netherlands added her name to the list of what is expected to be a stellar women’s 100-metre hurdles event at the Olympics, racing to an impressive 12.36 seconds, the joint-sixth fastest time this season over the barriers. Visser won ahead of Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska, who was a close second in 12.37 seconds.
Another outstanding performance at the meet came in the men’s 100 metres as South African Benjamin Richardson won the event in a personal best 9.86 seconds, ahead of Ronnie Baker of the United States, second in 9.95, and Camara Ebrahims of Gambia, third in 9.98.
An AP Reserve is an athlete who can only run in the case of injury and does not merit a place at the Olympic Village or travel grants.