“A painful choice. I have to stop here in Eugene. I’m a fighter and I had decided not to fail, but in order not to compromise the rest of the season, I have to postpone the challenge to the next races. I promise you that I will do my best to make you dream again. This is how Marcell Jacobs announced his resignation from the 100 semifinals at the Oregon World Cups due to “a contracture of the major adductor of the right thigh”, according to the Italian federation. His expected showdown with Fred Kerley had an early winner…although it won’t be so easy for the fastest man of the year (9.76), the North American who led the heats with 9.79 (the best mark in history in the series in a World Cup) and that he wanted to be the first athlete in history to win world medals in the 100 and 400 meters (he was bronze at Doha 2019).
The final was on many’s minds, but they had to get through the semis first. And there, none of the favorites, those who are really in shape, wanted to risk too much. Starting with Kerley who mastered his series alongside his compatriot Coleman to win with 10.02, very far from the mark he seemed to be able to reach on the Hayward Field track. Everything was left for the final, which would bring together four Americans (Fred Kerley, Marvin Bracy, Christian Chambers and Trayvon Bromell), a Jamaican (Oblique Seville), a Canadian (Aaron Brown), a South African (Akani Simbine) and a Japanese (Abdul Hakim Sani Brown).
And the end of the party couldn’t be more Hollywood. Two fighters flew over Hayward Field seconds before the start as each edition proclaims the fastest man alive. Stadium standing, patriotic exaltation… and the dream result. North American hat-trick led by Fred Kerley (9.86), who used the technique to throw his arms back, bulge his chest and thus take the gold, assisted by Marvin Bracy (9.88) and Trayvon Bromell (9.88). From first to third: 0.02. From silver to bronze: two thousandths. The cries of ‘U, S, A; U, S, A’ thundered in the stands and the decibels rose, despite the stands being far from full, to a shrill sound when Kerley took the mic and blurted out, “I said we were going to do it and we did it, USA.”
Later the protagonists dressed in starry flags to celebrate… separately until they are forced to come together for the official photo they have taken without even exchanging a look or a gesture. With the three medals, the USA already have 28 in the 100 meters in the history of the world championships and achieve their third hat-trick in the event after those of 1983 and 1991.
Maribel Perez, eliminated.
In the female series, theThe Sevillian came out in the 7th series with the idea of getting into position (first three) or doing 11.17. Unfortunately he couldn’t get either and finished 5th with 11.30. All the favorites went to the semi-finals with Britain’s Asher-Smith posting the best time of 10.84.