August 18, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 15, 1429

BEIJING, Aug 17: Shelly-Ann Fraser surged to Jamaica’s first Olympic women’s 100 metres gold medal on Sunday and led compatriots Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart to the event’s first national podium sweep.

A day after Usain Bolt claimed a first men’s 100m crown for the Caribbean island, 21-year-old Fraser clocked 10.78 seconds to claim the title ahead of her compatriots, who were both awarded silver after a photo finish failed to separate them.

“I can’t believe I actually won. Nobody expected me to win, so there was no pressure,” Fraser told reporters. “I’m so excited, I really am, I can’t wait to get home.”

Simpson and Stewart were given the same time of 10.98 ahead of former world champion Lauryn Williams, the first of a trio of Americans in the race that had been billed as US v Jamaica.

“It’s wonderful, the first three for Jamaica. History,” Simpson said. “To be silver medallist, I’m really happy, it was a challenging time coming to these Olympics.”

Stewart, who like her fellow silver medallist is 24, was equally delighted.

“It’s about time, we’ve been waiting for this, so many great athletes have come so close and we were able to pull it off tonight,” she said.

American Muna Lee, who won the US trial last month, was fifth and said she thought one of her rivals had got away early.

“It’ll be alright, it was just one of those days,” she said. “I felt like someone had false started.”

The start did look a bit ragged and Simpson made the early running in the inside lane before Fraser came charging down lane four.

Simpson could have clinched the silver on her own if she had dipped for the line and Stewart’s lean forward made the pair inseparable after a several minutes of examination by officials.

For Fraser, the youngest member of the trio who kept world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown out of the event in Beijing, it was a first major title.

Former world champion Torri Edwards of the United States, the fastest woman in the world this year, finished last with Jeanette Kwakye sixth for Britain.

Defending champion Yuliya Nestsiarenka of Belarus failed to reach the final after finishing fifth in her semi-final earlier on Sunday evening.—Reuters