Kishane Thompson crossed the finish line in a world-leading time of 9.77 seconds to win the national title in the 100 meters at the All Japan Senior Championships at the National Stadium on Friday. (Photo: Naftali Jr.)
Rising sprinter Kishane Thompson said he wasn’t surprised by his performance in the men’s 100m final at the JAAA Japan Championships on Friday, and suggested his best performance of the season is yet to come.
Thompson, who is coached by Stephen Francis of the MVP Track Club, won his event in a world-leading time of 9.77 seconds and also recorded a personal best of 9.82 seconds in the semi-finals.
The 22-year-old Thompson is now the fourth-fastest Jamaican runner of all time, trailing only Usain Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds, Yohan Blake’s 9.69 seconds and Asafa Powell’s 9.72 seconds, and took the top spot in the world from Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who clocked 9.79 seconds earlier this month.
“I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in so I’m expecting great things this season,” Thompson said. “I’ve been working hard and I’ll continue to work hard and strive to be better, so I’m not surprised by this time. I’m happy I was able to execute on the instructions I received from my coaches, and I believe execution is one of the key components to running a good race.”
He stressed that he will be cautious about setting personal expectations this season.
“I don’t want to put a time limit on myself and lose focus, I just take it one step at a time,” he said. “In my eyes, I was way behind on my preparation. I fought three rounds and did everything I could, so I’m just going to stay calm and take it one step at a time.”
Thompson won the 100m heats at last year’s U.S. Championships in 9.91 seconds, but missed the semifinals due to injury.
He says his performance on Friday should send a strong warning to the world that Jamaican sprinters are back and will be a force to be reckoned with this year, and he looks forward to competing against the best sprinters in the world this year once he is healthy.
“It’s going to happen because when great talent meets great competition it makes for a great show, so I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. “I’ve never lacked confidence in my abilities, but I know I have a lot to work on, and now I just have to go for it.”
Thompson also thanked coach Francis for his unwavering support during an injury setback that nearly ended her Olympic dreams.
“I’ve been through a lot of injuries so I just listen to my coach and it’s because of him that I’m here right now,” Thompson said. “I’m very honored, excited and happy to be selected for the Paris Olympic team.”
Thompson, a former Garvey Maceo High School student, admitted that although he never made it to the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys Track and Field Championship finals as a student, his passion for the sport is what motivated him to pursue a career as a professional athlete.
“Competition really makes me nervous, but I’ve always told myself that athletics is based on competition,” he said. “Some people have had a lot of setbacks like me, but I just want to be in a place where I can run fast and have fun. I’ve always told myself since I was a little kid that I love sports, but I also love having fun. So I started to get that feeling back, because at one point I was just too nervous to go out and do what I need to do.”
