While the Caribbean juniors were slugging it out at the 2011 Carifta Games in Montego Bay, Jamaica, several former Carifta Stars posted decent performances over the weekend, highlighted by Trinidad and Tobago’s (T&T) Richard Thompson's 9.91 (5.1 ws) in the 100m at the LSU Alumni Gold Meet on Sunday, April 23. Thompson, the 2008 Beijing Olympics silver medalist with a personal best 9.89 in the 100m, joins a selected few athletes to go sub-10 in the 100m so far this season.
Jamaica’s 400m specialist Riker Hylton of LSU ran a personal best (PB) 20.53 in the 200m winning heat #1 but finishing 3rd overall in the 200m. Trinidad’s Jamal James capture the 800m in 1, min 52.99secs.
On the women side, T&T’s Semoy Hackett, representing LSU, captured the women’s 100m in 11.08 (2.5 ws) ahead of USA’s and former University of Miami star Murielle Ahoure (11.09). Hackett, the former Lincoln University transfer, has recently put together a string of impressive performance.
Jamaica’s Clora Williams (2:03.99) and Grenada’s Neisha-Bernard Thomas (2:04.03) finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively, behind USA’s LaTavia Thomas who won the women’s 800m in 2:02.98.
Michael Johnson Classic
At the Michael Johnson Classic in Waco Texas, Trinidad’s Renny Quow was 4th overall in the 400m in 45.69 behind winner USA‘s Jeremy Wariner 45.61. Jamaica’s Kieron Stewart, representing the University of Texas, was 2nd in the men’s 110m hurdles in 13.74 behind winner Texas A&M Wayne Davis II (13.71). Stewart also took 3rd in the men’s 400m hurdles in 51.67.
Jamaica’s Shawna Anderson, representing the University of Oklahoma won the women’s 200m in 23.86 (3.2 ws). Anderson, the former South Plains College graduate ran a PB 23.78 in the 200m at the John Jacobs Invitational a few weeks ago.
Jamaica’s Natoya Goule of South Plains College dominated the women’s 800m capturing the event in an impressive PB 2:02.11 that erased the South Plains record, while Texas A&M’s Natasha Ruddock (Jamaican) took the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.96 (2.3 ws).
Mississippi Open
At the Mississippi Open, Grenada’s Kirani James, representing the University of Alabama, won the 400m in 45.12 ahead of the Mississippi State pair of James Harris (46.41) and Tavaris Tate (47.20). James recently has recorded an indoor personal best 44.80 in the 400m.
Representing Auburn University, Bahamas’s Sheniqua (“Q”) Ferguson, took the women 100m in 11.41 ahead of teammate Joanna Atkins (11.47). Nivea Smith, Ferguson’s teammate and fellow Bahamian, finished 2nd in the 200m in 22.92 (3.5 ws), behind winner USA’s Bianca Knight.
University of Alabama‘s Kim Laing (Jamaica) won the women’s 100m hurdles in 13.34.
UConn’s Trish-Ann Hawthorne (Jamaica) easily captured the women’s 100m in 11.82 seconds at the Princeton Larry Ellis Invitational on Saturday, April 23.