Who will win the 100m? – Aleen Bailey isn’t sure

Relay gold medallist Aleen Bailey is finding it hard to pick a winner in the women’s sprints at the upcoming World Championships in the United States city of Eugene. Bailey believes that double-double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson Herah, four-time World 100 metres winner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson are equally matched.

Asked on July 12 what she expects in the women’s 100m and 200m in Eugene, Bailey replied: “Going off my heart and the school that I went to, I’m drawn to Shericka but Shelly and Elaine are more experienced and it’s going to come down to if all of them have a perfect race, it’s going to be hard to separate them,” with a reference to Vere Technical High School from where she and Jackson both emerged.

“The 200m,” she added, “Shelly’s finish is not as strong as Shericka and Elaine’s but in the 100m, perfect race, perfect start, all three of them are fighters so it’s going to be hard to separate them in that aspect. So it’s hard for me to pick one. I know all three of them can win if the conditions are perfect for them, but if I have to be selfish I would have to pick Shericka because it’s a Vere Tech production.”

Jackson clocked 10.77 and 21.55 seconds to win both sprints at the Jamaica Championships last month.

During her international career, which saw the now 41-year-old Bailey reaching the 100m and 200m finals at the 2004 Olympics, the records were thought to be unbreakable. She is delighted that Thompson Herah brought them within reach with her sensational 2021 times of 10.54 in Eugene and 21.53 seconds in Tokyo, Japan, to seal a repeat sprint double.

“It’s amazing to be able to witness something like that on the women’s side because throughout history, women in athletics don’t really get that attention. Now we’re getting to the same level, like, the women are in charge right now,” she said.

She believes that the records can go.

“I’m happy that we’re able to have that conversation,” Bailey reasoned, “because the world record is in the conversation and it’s three Jamaicans that are capable of running it in both events, and all three ladies look amazing.” Then she pinpointed American college and national champion Abby Steiner as the dark horse in the 200 metres.

Steiner has run 21.80 and 21.77 seconds with the latter mark a bit faster than Fraser-Pryce’s personal best of 21.79 seconds last year to win the Jamaican title.

“In the 200m, I know they’re going to have the right push because Abby from the United States is going to want to try to be in the mix,” Bailey said.