Tina Clayton captured the women’s 100m title at the Wanda Diamond League Final here on Saturday’s final day, storming to victory in 10.93 seconds at the King Baudouin Stadium.
The 22-year-old Jamaican got off to a great start and maintained her momentum to cruise to victory, stunning Great Britain’s European champion Amy Hunt (11.06) and Sha’Carri Richardson of the USA, who was third in 11.07 seconds, to claim her first Diamond League title.
After the race, an elated Clayton said she was satisfied with her performance.
‘I guess it´s kind of a perfect night, because winning the Diamond League Final is something special. ‘We all want to go home with the trophy and to be honest there were a lot of candidates for the title. Tonight I was the most determined athlete and that made the difference,’ Clayton said.
She became the fifth Jamaican woman to take the trophy, joining four-time champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, three-time champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shericka Jackson and Veronica Campbell-Brown.
Clayton was also the fourth Jamaican to win Diamond trophies at this year’s final after Rajindra Campbell threw a national record 23.08m to win the men’s shot put, Oblique Seville won the men’s 100m and Tajay Gayle the men’s long jump on Friday’s opening day.
Three other Jamaicans placed third in their respective events: Nickisha Pryce in the women’s 400m, Megan Simmonds in the women’s 100m hurdles and Jordan Scott in the men’s triple jump.
Pryce ran 49.36 seconds as Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic set a meet record of 48.64 seconds to win her fourth Diamond trophy in five years and complete an unblemished Diamond League season. Henriette Jaeger of Norway was second with 49.20 seconds.
Simmonds ran a season’s best 12.43 seconds to finish behind world record holder Masai Russell in a meet record 12.20 seconds, with Devynne Charlton breaking her own Bahamian national record with 12.33 seconds to take second place.
Meanwhile, Scott jumped 17.18 metres to finish behind Italy’s Andy Diaz Hernandez, who had a meet record of 17.74m, with Pedro Pichardo of Portugal second with a leap of 17.51m.