The fastest since Flo-Jo. Everyone agreed it would take something special to win the women’s 200 metres on day seven of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon and so it proved as Shericka Jackson from Jamaica ran the fastest time of any woman still alive to strike gold.
Jackson clocked 21.45 seconds on another perfect evening for athletics, a time only bettered by the late Florence Griffith-Joyner of the USA with her world record time of 21.34 set at the Seoul Olympics back in 1988.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who earlier in the week won the 100m for Jamaica, took second in 21.81, with defending champion Dina Asher-Smith from Britain also running brilliantly to nail bronze in 22.02.
Follow that? The men’s 200 metres final came close, as the American Noah Lyles led home a sweep of medals in 19.31 seconds, the fastest run at the World Championships since Usain Bolt ran his world record of 19.19 in Berlin in 2009.
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Lyles was clear coming off the bend and never glanced back, winning from Kenny Bednarek, who clocked 19.77, and Erriyon Knighton, the 18 year-old who ran 19.80.
Earlier, Tokyo Olympian Louise Shanahan from Leevale AC in Cork finished fifth in her 800m heat, crossing the line in 2:01.71, just missing out on a place in the semi-finals by 0.12.
Throughout the race Shanahan held a strong position in fifth, passing the bell in 58.9, the win there going to Natoya Goule of Jamaica in 2:00.06. Only the first three of each heat plus six fastest times progressed.
It was tighter still in the men’s 800m semi-finals, only the top two, plus the two fastest losers, going through. Mark English of Finn Valley AC gave himself every chance, sitting in fourth at the bell, before finishing fifth with a time of 1:45.78.
It meant English was just edged out of a qualification spot by 0.20, having clocked a time of 1:44.76 in his opening heat, a season best for him and just .05 away from his national record.
On day eight, the Irish women’s 4x100m team will take to the first of two heats. The first three and the fastest two teams will secure a place in the final which will take place on Saturday.
