Shericka Jackson and Yohan Blake win Jamaican 100m titles in season-best times

KINGSTON : Shericka Jackson sped to season best 10.77secs (wind +0.9 m/s) to turn back the challenege of Olympic Champion Elaine Thompson-Herah to win her first Jamaican 100m title on Friday in Kingston.

In the absence of four-time World Champion and wild card holder Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who opted not to contest the semifinal after blazing to 10.70 in Thursday's prelimaneries, Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Jackson, produced a good start and pulled away for a big win.

Even though the start of the race was delayed for 15 minutes by issues with the starters, Jackson a two-time world championship 400m bronze medallist, told Reuters she was never bothered.

"Really and truly, I wasn't nervous because this is something my coach (Paul Francis) and I has been working on how to perform in the finals. And I think I did that today and ran a massive season best, so I can't complain," she said.

"I did pretty good with the start tonight...  now I'm looking forward to winning a first world title in the 100m in Oregon. I will be doubling at the world championships and I will now work on winning a gold," Jackson told Reuters.

Kemba Nelson, fresh off her silver medal at the NCAA Championships in the United States also held off a fast finishing Thompson-Herah, to take second in a career best 10.88secs, some 11 hundredths of a second behind Jackson.

2011 World Champion Yohan Blake rolled back the years logging 9.86secs (wind +1.0 m/s), his fastest time since his career best 9.69 in 2012 - to win a fifth National 100m title.

The 32-year-old outlasted 21 year-old challenger Oblique Seville in a battle to the line. Seville stopped the clock at 9.88secs ahead of 20-year-old Ackeem Blake, who took third in 9.93secs.

The 2012 Olympic double sprint