The United States sprint squad heading to the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow is looking stronger than the Jamaican roster on both the men’s and women’s sides. Yes, you read that correctly.

Tyson Gay ran the world leading time of 9.75 to win his first United States championship since 2008. The time is also the tenth fastest time in the world and his fastest race under any conditions since 2009. No question; he is back. 

Justin Gatlin finished second in 9.89. Charles Silmon of TCU made his first national team by edging out Mike Rodgers at the line in 9.98. There was no need for a tie-breaker, which the USATF put a rule in place for 2013.

Meanwhile in Jamaica, Usain Bolt won the Jamaican national title in 9.94. Kemar Bailey-Cole (9.98) and Nickel Ashmeade (9.99) will join Bolt and Yohan Blake in Moscow. Asafa Powell failed to make the team with his seventh place finish in 10.22. 



Aside from a potentially-good Bolt, the new Jamaican national squad is less intimidating. There are also question marks surrounding the status of Blake’s hamstring, which he strained in April.

Gatlin beat Bolt in Rome. Gay has no plans of racing the world-record holder before Moscow, but would not be opposed to the challenge.

“It’s no secret (Bolt) is going to be ready like he always is,” Gay said. “It doesn’t really matter (whether or not Bolt is races before Worlds). If you’re not on your “A” game, it’s bye-bye.”

The Americans are not scared. When Gay is healthy, the field is even. Now that Gay is winning, the Americans are leading.

There’s still over a month before the world championships in Moscow, but Gatlin sees the United States winning the pound-for-pound fight at the moment.



“On paper, we’re ahead of the game. When dealing with the Jamaicans, you never know until championship time,” Gatlin said. “They may come out here and drop something crazy like 18 seconds or five seconds, you don’t even know.”

But Gatlin does know how fast they have to run to win gold in August. The American record in the 100-meter dash currently sits at 9.69 by Gay in 2009 and it could be in jeopardy.

“I think Tyson has the same game plan I have,” Gatlin said. “Be prepared and be ready. It’s going to take an American record to go out there and be in position to win and to be on that podium.”

Silmon could soon start drawing comparisons to Warren Weir as the United States’ young weapon in the sprints. Tough is a synonym for the Texas Christian senior, who’s already overcome two ACL injuries. Winning comes natural after capturing the NCAA title.

Young guns are firing on all cylinders on the women’s side. Just three weeks after winning her second NCAA national title in the 100-meter dash, freshly debuted Nike sprinter English Gardner adds a United States national title to her resume. Her winning time of 10.85 is the second fastest in the world.  

Jamaica’s Shelley-Ann Fraser Pryce had the world leading time of 10.93 heading into Friday and by the end of the day, she would fall to fifth.

Not to be outdone by Gardner, Octavious Freeman of Central Florida clinched a roster spot with her second place finish in 10.87. Alexandria Anderson finished third in 10.91. A 26-year old, a NCAA champion-turned-pro and collegiate sophomore make up the United States roster joining defending world champion Carmelita Jeter in Moscow. Much different look than when Mekele Barber and Marshevet Myers were on the national team in 2011.

The Jamaican team will most likely be without Veronica Campbell-Brown after her positive test from the Jamaican International Invitational is under investigation. Her 11.01 is the second fastest by a Jamaican behind Fraser-Pryce.

The next two candidates to make the Jamaican national team would be Carrie Russell (11.03) and Kerron Stewart (10.96). Eight Americans from the women’s 100-meter dash in Des Moines ran 11.00 or faster and occupy 8 of the 10 best times in the world.

While there may be more experience racing on the international stage for the Jamaicans, the future is looking brighter for the United States. The times for all eight places in the finals of the women’s 100 finals and the top six in the men’s final are the fastest ever run in a U.S. Outdoor Championship meet that wasn’t an Olympic Trials and including NCAA Championships.