Weir sets track ablaze in Jamaican trials

Olymp­ic bronze medallist Warren Weir ran a scorching 19.79 seconds to win the 200 metres on the final day of the Jamaican trials in the joint 14th fastest time ever on Sunday.

On a day that Tyson Gay clocked 19.74 to win the American title, Weir covered the entire field by 90 metres and powered away before shutting down in the last 10 metres and slapping his chest in an echo of Usain Bolt at the Beijing Olympics. “Excellent race,” Weir, 23, said. “London was not a fluke and this was a simple statement of things to come in Russia because I’m feeling powerful.”

The trials will decide the Jamaican team for the August 10-18 World Championships in Moscow.

Double Olympic 100 metres champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce secured her second straight national title in the half-lap sprint in a season’s best 22.13.

Veronica Campbell-Brown, who is facing an anti-doping hearing for using a banned diuretic at the Jamaica International Invitational on May 4, has a wild card entry to Moscow by virtue of being reigning World Champion.

Novlene Williams-Mills produced a late kick in the home straight to win her fifth straight and seventh overall national 400 metres title in 50.01 seconds ahead of newcomer Stephenie-Ann McPherspon (50.28). “I have been faced with so many medical stuff this year, training had to start later than I normally would so this victory was so much sweeter that the ones before,” Williams-Mills said.

Javere Bell, 22, posted a personal best 45.08 seconds to win the men’s title in a tight race against 18 year-old world junior finalist Javon Francis, who logged 45.24 for second.