Relatively unknown sprint hurdler Rasheed Broadbell upstaged Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce at Velocity Fest 9 held at the National Stadium in Kingston earlier today as track and field resumed after a COVID-19 enforced break of three weeks.

The 20-year-old Broadbell, formerly of St Jago High School, clocked an impressive 13.15 to win the 110m hurdles that was, for a few hours, the fastest time in the world this year. However, Grant Holloway, the 2019 World Champion, would race to a new world lead of 13.07s at the Tom Jones Memorial in the United States a short time later.

Ronald Levy, who is gradually returning to form after recovering from a fractured shin, clocked 13.43 for second behind Broadbell while Orlando Bennett, another member of Jamaica’s emerging hurdling talents, was third in 13.50.

Thompson-Herah, who was fourth in the 200m at last weekend’s Miramar South Florida Invitational, won her 100m season-debut in 11.21. In what was a two-heat time trial, the double Olympic champion was more than 0.10s faster than two-time NCAA champion Remona Burchell, who was timed in 11.35, her fastest time since she ran 11.09 in Kingston in June 2017.

Natasha Morrison was third overall in 11.41. Morrison clocked 11.22 in Florida last weekend.

Fraser-Pryce, who intends to attempt the sprint double in Tokyo this summer, clocked a season best 22.66 to win the 200m.

Stephenie-Ann McPherson ran a personal best of 22.90 for second place overall. Sixteen-year-old Briana Lyston was third in 23.28.

Four years ago, Lyston made global news when she shattered the Class IV 200m record at the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletic Championships, running 23.72 on her way to the gold medal. International media described her then as the next Usain Bolt.

She also won the Class IV 100m that year in 11.86.

Meanwhile, World Champion Tajay Gayle lost in the long jump competition to Shawn-D Thompson, who jumped 7.81m for the win. Gayle had four fouls but still managed to establish a mark of 7.76m for second.

Aubrey Allen was third with her best jump of 7.47m.

O’Dayne Richards, the 2015 World Championships bronze medalist, won the shot put with 19.15m. Shanieka Ricketts, the silver medalist from the 2019 World Championships in Doha, jumping into a headwind of -2.7m/s won the triple jump with 14.06m.