This was another disappointing Championship for Merlene Ottey. She came to Barcelona leading the world ranking for 100 metres with 10.80 seconds (third at 200 metres: 22.11 sec.) and was off course the favourite for the final. But fighting herself back from a dangerous disease that nearly cost her her feet Gail Devers was a surprising winner of the gold medal. Little consolation for Merlene Ottey was it that her fellow Jamaican Juliet Cuthbert took silver as Ottey herself only finished fifth. This 100 metre final was the fastest for women ever with five women under 11 seconds.

The 200 metres saw yet again an American (Gwen Torrence) taking gold ahead of the Jamaicans. Also here Juliet Cuthbert finished ahead of Ottey who though received her fourth Olympic bronze medal. With Cuthbert (and partly Ottey) in top form Jamaica had high hopes for the 4 x 100 metre final, but they faded as Cuthbert suffered a hamstring on the second leg and the team had to pull out of the race. Instead the Americans (among them 35 year old Evelyn Ashford) won the gold in a disappointing time of 42.11 seconds.