Shericka Jackson coasts home in 200m to complete sprint double at Jamaican nationals
Shericka Jackson retained her 200m title at the Jamaican Championships on Sunday (30 June) to book her place in the half-lap sprint at Paris 2024.
Having successfully defended her 100m title on Friday, the 29-year-old faced what looked an easier task on paper with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce choosing not to run the longer sprint after her third in the 100m.
And Jackson clearly raced well within herself in Kingston's National Stadium, doing just enough to stay ahead of her rivals and win in a season's best 22.29. Lanae-Tava Thomas was second in a personal best of 22.34 with Niesha Burgher third in 22.39.
Two-time reigning world champion Jackson goes to Paris as a warm favourite in the 200m having slowed down too soon in her heat at Tokyo 2020 and missed out on the semi-finals.
Bryan Levell broke 20 seconds for the first time to take a stunning victory in the men's 200m.
With a lifetime best of 20.34 coming into the meet, well outside the Olympic qualifying standard of 20.16, the 20-year-old scorched home in 19.97 to earn a spot in Paris.
Andrew Hudson, who reached the final at last year's World Championships, took second in a personal best of 20.02. Javari Thomas was third in 20.32 but has not achieved the Olympic standard meaning only two men will represent Jamaica in Paris.
Ackera Nugent breaks national record to secure 100m hurdles crown
Ackera Nugent announced herself as a Paris medal contender by taking the women's 100m hurdles in 12.28, the fastest time in the world this year and three-hundredths inside Britany Anderson's previous national record set two years ago.
The 22-year-old, who claimed Youth Olympic bronze at Buenos Aires 2018 and the world U20 title in 2021, took victory ahead of reigning champion Danielle Williams (12.53) with Janeek Brown (12.61) claiming the vital third spot.
Tokyo bronze medallist Megan Tapper was fourth and will not go to Paris with Jamaica's Olympic trials - like the United States - notoriously brutal in that only the top three in each event earning tickets to the Games assuming they have achieved the Olympic qualifying standard.
Hansle Parchment keeps Olympic defence hopes alive
Hansle Parchment will defend his Olympic title after taking a close third behind Rasheed Broadbell in the 110m hurdles. Broadbell and Orlando Bennett both clocked 13.18 with Parchment one-hundredth of a second behind as he looked across the track at the finish rather than dipping for the line.
Those three will go to Paris with Tyler Mason fourth and Rio 2016 gold medallist Omar McLeod in fifth missing out.
Nickisha Pryce retained her women's 400m title in 50.01 to book her spot at a first Olympic Games. Stacy Ann Williams was second with Junelle Bromfeld, who achieved the Olympic qualifying standard in the semi-finals, third at the expense of veteran Stephenie Ann McPherson.