Shelly-Ann Fraser joins Usain Bolt in winning medals in 100 meters

BEIJING — A few fun-loving fresh faces have suddenly turned Jamaica into the "world's fastest nation."

And that supposed U.S. track and field juggernaut? Well, things aren't quite going to plan.

Right fist thrust overhead as she crossed the finish line all alone, silver braces shining in the Bird's Nest lights as she hopped in celebration like the 21-year-old she is, little-known Shelly-Ann Fraser won the women's 100 meters Sunday night in 10.78 seconds to help make these Olympics a sweeping success for the Caribbean island.

Fraser was followed across the line, steps later, by teammates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart, who both finished in 10.98 and collected silvers — giving Jamaica the first sweep of medals in a women's 100 by any nation.

Her victory came one day after Usain Bolt's easy-as-could-be, hot-dogging, record-breaking victory in the men's 100 — giving Jamaica the first sweep of men's and women's 100 golds at any Olympics since 1988, when the U.S. pair of Carl Lewis and Florence Griffith-Joyner each won.

Not bad for a nation of 2.8 million, about the population of Chicago. Not bad for a nation that long has produced top sprinters but never an Olympic dash champion, man or woman, before this wonderful 2-for-2 weekend.

Now compare and contrast. The single 100 bronze for the United States, earned by Walter Dix, amounts to the country's worst combined showing in the men's and women's dashes at an Olympics since earning zero medals in the 1976 Montreal Games.

"We've dominated for years, and now it's their time," said Lauryn Williams, the 2004 Olympic silver medalist and 2005 world champion — and one of three U.S. women who never mounted a challenge during Sunday's final.

"We're getting a pretty good taste of what it's like to be at the bottom," Williams said.

The U.S. protested the results in the women's 100, asking that the race be reviewed because of a possible false start by American Torri Edwards — who wound up last. The appeal was swiftly rejected, and the biggest consequence was that the Jamaican women would have to wait until Monday to receive their medals at a postponed ceremony.

It was all part of a rough day for the Stars and Stripes.

At least favorite Sanya Richards left everyone in her 400 semifinal well behind by the halfway mark and coasted home in 49.90 seconds.

In the 100, Fraser won by two-tenths of a second, a significant margin in such a short race, and the largest in the women's Olympic 100 final since 1988, when Griffith-Joyner broke the world record to win gold.

"When I was thinking about it, I was getting ahead of myself," Fraser said about clutching a gold medal. "I was like, 'Calm down. First you need to go out there and do it.' "

Her win came less than two hours after Bolt was back in the Bird's Nest to accept his medal for the 100. Bolt returned Monday morning for qualifying in the 200 and advanced to the second round by finishing second in his heat.

In other finals Sunday, Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele (men's 10,000 meters) and Cameroon's Francoise Mbango Etone (women's triple jump) successfully defended their titles from the 2004 Olympics.

Note

• Jesse Williams, winner at the Olympic trials in Eugene, Ore., last month, missed three chances to clear 7 feet, 6 inches, in the high jump, clipping his heels on the bar on his final two attempts. He and fellow American jumpers Andra Manson and Dusty Jonas failed to advance to the high jump finals.