(Reuters) – Olympic 100 metres hurdles champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn surprised herself by posting her fastest time of the season at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games on Sunday and said everything was coming together ahead of her title defence in Paris.
Puerto Rico’s Camacho-Quinn clocked 12.39 seconds to win the event in Hengelo, Netherlands in cold and rainy conditions, just outside the 12.37 she ran to win gold in Tokyo three years ago.
“I didn’t expect that time, I just wanted to get out there and try to have a better start,” Camacho-Quinn said.
“I know where I went wrong in the race a little bit, but I’ll take it. It’s a season’s best and this was not good weather.
“I compete again in Budapest, hotter weather, so I’m excited about that. I think everything is coming together for me. Me and my coach are trying to piece these things together this season.”
American Masai Russell ran the fastest time of the year at the U.S. Olympic trials on June 30, posting 12.25.
The athletics competition at the Paris Olympics takes place from Aug. 1-11 at the Stade de France.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
