US Championships: Fred Kerley & Melissa Jefferson win 100m titles

Oregon (Agencies): Fred Kerley won the men’s 100m at the US Championships after running a world-leading time in the semi-finals.

Kerley, 27, ran a personal best of 9.76 seconds before the Olympic silver medallist won the final in 9.77.

Marvin Bracy (9.85) and Trayvon Bromell (9.88) were second and third respectively, while Melissa Jefferson won the women’s 100m in 10.69.

The event serves as the American team’s trials for the World Championships in July, also in Oregon.

Kerley improved his PB again after running 9.83 in the heats.

“It’s all about pacing and training and continuing to do what I’ve got to do,” he said after winning on Friday to secure his place at the World Championships.

After Sha’Carri Richardson failed to make it out of the first round, Aleia Hobbs and Twanisha Terry were favourites for the women’s 100m title.

But Jefferson, who was eighth at the NCAA Championships two weeks ago, came through to claim an upset win and a new meet record, with only Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce having run faster this year (10.67).

Hobbs was second in 10.72 and Terry third in 10.74 – both personal bests.

There was another upset at the Jamaican Championships as Shericka Jackson beat Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah in the women’s 100m in Kingston.

With in-form Fraser-Pryce not competing, Olympic bronze medallist Jackson took advantage to win in 10.77 and claim her first national title.