Usain Bolt (centre) won in 9.92 - Mike Rodgers, right, finished second (10.07), Aaron Armstrong, left was third (10.15) (© Robert Taylor - Trinidad Express)
Port of Spain, Trinidad and TobagoUsain Bolt underlined his class and season form with the fastest-ever legal 100 metres dash to be run in Trinidad and Tobago, when winning the sprint at the Hampton International Games held in the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, on Saturday night (17).
The 21-year-old Jamaican, who already heads the world season lists this year with this 9.76 sec personal best (Kingston 3 May), with a mild 0.6 metres per second wind at his back, won the 100m in 9.92 secs. Bolt separated himself from the field at the halfway stage, and by the 75-metre mark, the engines were shutting down.
Though he did not remain in high gear, Bolt had no problems keeping his rivals at bay. Americans Mike Rodgers and John Capel were second and third, respectively, clocking 10.07 and 10.12. Trinidad and Tobago sprinter Aaron Armstrong was fourth in 10.15, one spot ahead of his compatriot Emmanuel Callender (10.24).
Rebirth’s Nicconnor Alexander was the best sprinter on show in the men’s 100m “B” race, winning in 10.30.
Tahesia Harrigan, the Hampton 2007 women’s 100m champion, was a no-show for the women’s international 100m. In her absence, Zenith Tobago sprinter Semoy Hackett won in a personal best 11.33 secs. Hackett seemed to beat the gun, but there was no recall, and she powered to the line ahead of Jamaican Nadine Palmer (11.41) and Barbadian Jade Bailey (11.56).
Concorde’s Ayanna Hutchinson won the “B” race in 11.42, from Wanda Hutson (11.68) and Guyana’s Alisha Fortune (11.76).
In the men’s 400m, Jamaal Torrance turned for home at the front of the field. He maintained his lead on the straight, the American earning gold in 45.87 secs. The race for silver was keenly contested, Grenadian Alleyne Francique just getting the better of Jamaica’s Jermaine Gonzales. Both quarter-milers clocked 46.32. Eighteen-year-old Trinidadian Zwede Hewitt was fourth in 46.74.
Haiti’s Ginou Etienne was a comfortable winner of the women’s 400m, getting home in 52.17 seconds to beat American Charlette Greggs (53.25) and T&T’s Janeil Bellille (54.52) into second and third, respectively.
James Grayman was unchallenged for gold in the men’s High Jump. The Antiguan cleared the bar at 2.26 metres, getting over on his third and final attempt. Grayman had enjoyed a first-time clearance at the previous height—2.21m. Barbadian Dwayne Lane (2.05m) finished a distant second.
Day Two - Sunday 18
On day two of the Hampton International Games, on Sunday 18, Kyron Blaise established a new national junior (under-20) record in the Triple Jump. The Toco TAFAC athlete produced a 15.88 metres effort to improve on the 15.81m standard he had set in bagging bronze at the Pan Am Junior Championships, in Brazil, last year.
The record jump earned Blaise third spot in the men’s international invitational Triple Jump. American Rafeeq Curry topped the field with a 16.21m effort, beating T&T’s Chris Hercules (16.11m) into second spot.
Late on Saturday, 18-year-old Blaise produced a 7.36m leap to win the men’s Long Jump.
American John Capel clocked 20.66 seconds to claim top honours in the men’s international invitational 200m. The 2003 World200m champion was first, coming off the bend. Capel stayed in front on the straight, keeping Jamaican Chris Williams at bay. Williams snapped up silver in 20.79, while third spot went to T&T sprinter Jacey Harper (21.48). Harper’s compatriot, Aaron Armstrong pulled up injured.
Guyana’s Lee Powell won the “B” race in 20.98, from T&T’s Rondell Sorillo (21.05) and Jurgen Theman (21.42) of Suriname.
T&T sprinters Reyare Thomas and Semoy Hackett won the women’s 200m events. In the first race, Thomas topped the field in 23.68 seconds. Hackett then produced the identical clocking to triumph in race two. Her run, though, was wind-assisted.
St Lucia’s Levern Spencer was the class of the women’s High Jump field, winning with a 1.92m clearance.
There was a one-two finish for the United States in the men’s 400m Hurdles. Rickey Harris was first home in 51.70 seconds, beating Adrian Mann (52.40) into second spot. T&T’s Ansil Nicholson clocked 52.71 to cop third spot.
Another American, Tiffany Williams triumphed in the women’s 400m Hurdles. She got home in 55.24 seconds. Jamaica’s Shevon Stoddart and T&T’s Janeil Bellille finished second and third, respectively, clocking 57.03 and 57.73.
Jamaican Bobbette Stewart was first in the women’s 800m in 2:05.48. And there were victories as well for Gavyn Nero in the boys’ under-20 800m (1:53.96) and Emmanuel Stewart in the men’s discus (46.11m).
Kwame Laurence (Trinidad Express) for the IAAF
