America's Top Sprinters Get Outdoor Season Underway

By Scott Bush

It seems as though the track and field season takes another step forward every weekend, as the 2016 campaign begins to truly heat up, and this past weekend's was no exception. World-class performances were thrown down at the Chris Brown Bahamas Invitational on Saturday, while the Mt. SAC Relays were the top domestic meet.

Read all about the top performances, biggest happenings and more in this week's Starting Blocks.

Top Five Performers of the Weekend

Here are the top five performers of the weekend. What a weekend for the sprints!

1. LaShawn Merritt (USA): No performance shocked more over the weekend than Merritt's 19.78 200m win at the Chris Brown Bahamas Invitational (CBBI) on Saturday. Merritt set a personal best by two-tenths of a second, ran a world-leading time and now ranks #15 in the world all-time. For a guy who is known for his 400m exploits, and never really for his 200m times, Merritt showed he's ready for a huge season.

2. Ameer Webb (USA): Overlooked a bit this weekend were the two performances of Ameer Webb. The Phoenix-based athlete not only beat world bronze medalist, and training partner, Andre De Grasse (CAN) over 100m in a dominating 9.90 (wind-aided) performance, but came back to win the 200m in a world #2 time of 19.91. The 26 year old Webb has now set personal bests this season in both the 100m and 200m. He's one to watch as the season progresses.

3. Johnny Dutch (USA): It wasn't necessarily the time that puts Dutch in the number three position this week, although his 400m hurdle win at CBBI in 48.36 was a world-leading mark, it was a matter of who he beat. Dutch crushed the field in the Bahamas, besting runner-up Javier Culson (PUR) and third-place Jeffery Gibson (BAH), who placed third at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships last year, by nearly a second. Well done, Johnny.

4. Shaunae Miller (BAH): Happy Birthday, Shaunae Miller. The winner of the 400m Saturday in the Bahamas turned 22 years old the day before her 49.69 victory, a mark that was a mere .02 off her personal best, which came in Beijing last year when she won silver at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships. Miller continues to show why she's the future of the one-lap race and shined bright in front of her home country at CBBI.

5. Jenna Prandini (USA): It shouldn't have been much of a surprise to see Prandini run a world-leading mark in the 100m this early in the season, as she's showing tremendous shape coming off a strong indoor campaign. Prandini blitzed a wind-legal 10.95 to win over a tough field at the Mt. SAC Relays on Saturday and showed that she's once again one to watch all season long.

Mt. SAC Interviews

We were on-site at Mt. SAC over the weekend and got a boatload of interviews with top pros. Check 'em all out!

Solomon | Cunningham | Webb | TMBTC 4x4 - Allyson Felix | Eaton | Roesler | Cabral

Tweet of the Weekend

While the Boston Marathon grabbed international headlines, and rightfully so, four of America's best marathoners were throwing out the first pitch at the Boston Red Sox game on Saturday. Amy Cragg, Desi Linden, Shalane Flanagan and Meb Keflezighi got a standing ovation as they stepped to the mound at Fenway Park. How fun!

In Other News...

The Citizen, a media site in Kenya, reported over the weekend that steeplechase standout Jairus Birech is going to go for the world record in the event at the Golden Gala in Rome on June 2. The IAAF Diamond League meeting always proves fast and it should not surprise anyone if Birech gives the record a serious challenge - Read More (Citizen Digital)

Blake is back, as Jamaica's Yohan Blake broke the 10-second barrier over 100m for the first time in two years over the weekend, crushing a 9.95 wind-legal performance in Jamaica. Blake's time ranks him world #1 at the moment and has to be a boost of confidence to the 26 year old - Read More (Super Sport)

What's Next...

This next week looks more and more like an off week for much of the sport, especially in the United States, as top pros get ready for the Drake Relays, Penn Relays and Payton Jordan Invitational. The Kansas Relays will host some top professional talent, especially in the pole vault and shot put events, while the Virgin Money London Marathon takes place on Sunday.

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