Jeter Upstages Usain Bolt to Become Third Fastest Woman in the World

Photo Courtesy Michael Foo

THESSALONIKI, Greece -- Usain Bolt may be the king of the track & field kingdom lately, but Toro alum Carmelita Jeter proved she had what it takes to be the queen after finishing the 100-meter dash at the World Olympics Special with a time of 10.67, the third fastest time in the 100-meter in the world for a woman.

The time easily bested that of current world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser (10.89) and Kerron Stewart (10.90), both of Jamaica.

On the world-stage, Jeter is only bested by Florence Griffith-Joyner who holds the 100-meter record of 10.49 in 1988 and Marion Jones who ran a 10.65 in 1998.

Now only 0.18 seconds behind world record holder Griffith-Joyner, Jeter feels confident that with more work that record can be within reach.

"It might be touchable now," Jeter says. "I didn't even know I would come out and do that time today but with a little but more work under my belt I should go a lot faster."

Not giving Jeter all of the limelight, Bolt grabbed another victory in the 200-meter with a time of 19.68

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As a member of the USA Track & Field team, the Inglewood native has been a standout since her first competition in 2006, garnering two bronze medals and finishing with four first-place finishes alone in 2009.

Jeter was a standout Toro in her four years in Carson, Calif. with a total of five All-America awards, peaked by a second-place finish in the 100-meter dash at the 2003 NCAA Championships. Over her highly-decorated Toro track career, Jeter established all the all-time sprint marks, holding the school records in the outdoor 100 (11.43) and 200 (23.65), as well as the indoor 55 (7.04), 60 (7.50) and 200 (24.56).

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