The hype was palpable in the days leading up to the women’s 200 meters on Saturday at the Adidas Grand Prix, staged at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island. The stellar field included Allyson Felix, a three-time world champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist in the event, as well as Bianca Knight, Carmelita Jeter, and the 2008 100-meter Olympic winner Shelly-Ann Fraser of Jamaica.
While the chilly, rainy April-like weather was not conducive to world- or meet-records, the race was still expected to be highly charged. And it did not disappoint, as the enthusiastic and resolute crowd rose to its collective feet when Felix approached the finish line with her competition trailing behind.
The clock posted on the infield revealed she had registered a winning time of 22.92, well under her personal best of 21.81. Nevertheless, it was four-hundredths of a second ahead of the second place finisher, Knight, with Shalonda Solomon holding on for third in 23.03.
“Unfortunately the conditions didn’t allow for a fast time, but I still enjoyed the race and felt like I was able to execute,” said Felix. “Everyone has to deal with the conditions, so you just have to go after it.”
In the women’s 1,500-meters, Jamaica’s Kenia Sinclair, with a time of 4:08.06, outlasted American Morgan Uceny (4:08.42) and Ethiopian Kalkidan Gezahegne (4:08.46) to earn the win. “This is my third open meet, so it’s just the start of my season,” articulated Sinclair. “I race less, train more [and] stay focused and mentally strong…That’s what I’m working on this year.”
The Youth Girls’ 4×400-meter relay was won by the Bronx Tigers’ A team in 4:05.13. Seven-year old Brianna Brown captured the Fastest Girls race in 15.20.