FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED FROM THE JAMAICA INVITATIONAL

At least six world leading times were set at the 2015 edition of the Jamaica International Invitational at the National Stadium in Kingston. By any standard the meet was a success and the estimated 25,000 patrons who turned up surely got their money’s worth from the event that was first held back in 2004.

But did we learn anything from the performances on the track? Yes we did.

Here are five things we would have learned from the JII 2015

1) Jamaica’s women might have to have to produce times below 22 seconds to have any shot at a gold medal in the 200m in Beijing this summer. Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas set a world-leading time winning the event in 22.14s in May! Miller’s time was a new national record for the Bahamas and follows on the what we have seen over the past two or three seasons where times over the deuce having been trending down.

Last year, for example, Alyson Felix ran a world’s best 22.02. Dafne Schippers clocked 22.03, Myriam Soumare of France registered 22.11 and American Tori Bowie produced a 22.18. Bowie was second in 22.29s Saturday night which suggests that she is getting ready to run really fast again this season. The reigning world champion was third in 22.37, a vast improvement over her 22.97s at the Utech Classic a few weeks ago. Given what we have seen, Fraser-Pryce is going to have to go much faster than the 22.17 she won with in Moscow and might need to approach times closer to the 21.88s that Felix used to win Olympic gold in London 2012.

2) If Brianna Rollins returns to full fitness nobody will beat USA to the gold medal in the 100 metre hurdles this summer.

Just over two weeks ago Jasmin Stowers produced a world-leading 12.40 seconds to win the women’s sprint hurdles at the Drake Relays. She went 0.01 seconds faster at the stadium to improve on her world lead and send a clear message that between herself, Rollins and Dawn Harper, athletes like Australia’s Sally Pearson might find it hard to get a look in at a medal this summer.

3) And while we are on the on the female hurdlers, it seems as if Jamaica wont have to wait too long for someone to fill the shoes of Brigitte Foster-Hylton, arguably Jamaica’s most successful female sprint hurdler. Anyone watching Danielle ‘Ants’ Williams and her sister Shermaine after they ran 12.77s and 12.89s respectively can see that these two young ladies lead Jamaica’s charge in the hurdles and will most likely be among the first to have breakout seasons. Danielle told me after her race was poorly executed and was the worst of the three she has run so far this season. It seems we could have a 12.5 hurdler by summer.

4) Based on his 44.90s runf or third place in the 400 metres, there will be a lot of expectation heaped upon Javon Francis from this point onwards. Jamaica, desperate for a solid 400m runner since Germaine Gonzales and Ricardo Chambers both ran 44s back in 2010, has had to endure four years of mediocre performances from our quarter-milers. Francis has brought renewed hope and expectation that his handlers will have to manage, especially as he prepares for the world championships this summer.

One thing people need to bear in mind however, that one 400m at 44.90 doesnt mean that Francis will suddenly be able to run two such races and then go even faster should he get to the finals. Kirani James and Lashawn Merritt should be battling for gold and silver. About a dozen more will battle for the bronze. People should temper their expectations and exercise a little more patience until the Donkey Man gets his feet wet as the latest member of the 44-second club.

5) Last but by no means least; Asafa Powell is back! Not since he ran 10.82 in Rome in 2010 has Asafa Powell ran this fast. That was a non-championship year but this one is. Oh how Jamaica missed Powell on that relay in the Bahamas earlier this month. He is the first man to break 10 seconds this year and on paper is perhaps the greatest threat to American Justin Gatlin, who has been outstanding since last year. Of course, this is not to disrespect Superman Bolt but the fastest man alive is not yet up to full speed. However, it is nice to know that one of our fastest men ever is back on track.