Kemba Nelson was in excellent form at World Continental Challenge competition in Switzerland. She was appointed an Alternate Person (AP) Reserve by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) to the women’s 4×100-meter relay squad to the Olympic Games in Paris.
Nelson tied her season-best time of 11.04 seconds to finish third in the women’s 100-meter race at the LA Chaux-de Fonds Challenger meet. Nelson placed fifth in the same event at the National Championships.
Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland won the event in a meet record time of 10.90 seconds, besting her colleague Salome Kora’s personal defeating time of 10.95 seconds for second place.
Imani Oliver, another Jamaican competitor in the event, finished third in the women’s triple jump with a distance of 13.75 meters; Senegalese competitor Saly Sarr won with a distance of 14.10 meters.
Femke Bol, a competitor from the Netherlands, excelled during the competition, being the second woman to finish the women’s 400-meter hurdles in under 51 seconds.
She set a European record with a time of 50.95, surpassing her previous best of 51.45. Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya came in second with 53.41.
Bol’s winning performance over the intermediate hurdles was the third fastest ever by a female; the only faster times were set by American world mark holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, with times of 50.65 and 50.68.
With a time of 12.36 seconds, the joint-sixth quickest time this season over the hurdles, Nadine Visser of the Netherlands entered her name to the roster of competitors in the women’s 100-meter hurdles event that is anticipated to be quite competitive at the Olympics. Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland came in second place with a time of 12.37 seconds, but Visser prevailed.
Men’s 100-meter sprinter Benjamin Richardson of South Africa put on another impressive display at the competition, winning in a personal best 9.86 seconds, ahead of Americans Ronnie Baker (second in 9.95) and Camara Ebrahims (third in 9.98).
Athletes designated as AP Reserves are ineligible for travel grants or spots in the Olympic Village and can only run in the event of an injury.
