Kishane Thompson and Tina Clayton were crowned King and Queen of Jamaican sprinting while living legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce booked her ticket to the World Championship for an unprecedented eighth time.

The National Stadium was buzzing with excitement as the sprint capital of the world lived up to expectation on Friday night (June 27) as Kishane Thompson threw down the gauntlet with a world-leading 9.75 seconds (0.8 mps).

The Olympic silver medallist won comfortably ahead of Oblique Seville, who gave the nation a scare when it seemed he was having some discomfort before the start of the race and might not run. But he finished strongly in 9.83s.

Ackeem Blake once again secured his ticket to Tokyo, finishing third in a personal best of 9.88s with Ryiem Forde securing a relay spot, clocking 9.98s. Bryan Levell, who was expected to get that spot, limped home in eighth in 10.43s.

In what could be the changing of the guard, Tina Clayton stamped her authority, stopping the clock at 10.81s in dominant fashion, which was the third fastest time in the world.

Clayton left behind two of Jamaica’s premier sprinters of all time as Shericka Jackson came through for second in 10.88s while Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, at 38 years old, was third in 10.91s.

Tia Clayton, who threatened early, pulled up just like at Racers Grand Prix, as she was in the mix for a top-three spot. Last year, she made the Olympic final while Tina was injured; now the positions have been switched around.

Tina Clayton, the 2021 and 2022 World Under-20 champion, looked to have made the transition to the seniors and will go to the World Championship as Jamaica’s best hope in what is looking like the changing of the guard.

Earlier, Jevaughn Powell sped to a personal best 44.90s to be the fastest into the men’s 400m final set for Sunday. Powell held off a determined challenge from Delano Kennedy who also dipped below the 45-second mark for the first time, 44.97 seconds. The qualifying mark for the World Championship is 44.85s.

National record holder Rusheen McDonald (45.18s) and two-time champion Sean Bailey (45.38s) were the other semi-final winners. World champion Antonio Watson, who has a bye for the World Championship as the defending champion, skipped the semifinals.

In the women’s semis, Nickisha Pryce once again cruised to the fastest time in the semis, clocking 50.51s in a performance that suggests she will dip below the 50-second barrier in the final.

Leah Anderson, who went out fast, was second in 51.03s while Dejanae Oakley, fresh from her second place at the NCAA Championships, looked good also in winning her semifinal in 51.05s.