by Desmond G. Palmer, posted on 4/17/2012
World 200m finalist Nickel Ashmeade of Jamaica clocked 10.09secs in the 100m at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational in Florida on the weekend, April 14, to win over Trinidad and Tobago’s Keston Bledman (10.12) and USA’s Travis Padgett (10.29). In the women’s event, 2011 Daegu sprint relay gold medalist Shalonda Solomon of the USA ran 11.26 to defeat Jamaica’s Sheri-Ann Brooks (11.33) and former World 100m champion Lauryn Williams of the USA (11.34). Bahamas’s Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie was fourth in 11.44secs.
Over in California, World 100m champion Carmelita Jeter of the USA began her season with a 22.31 (+1.5w) win in the women's 200m on Saturday at UCLA’s Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational. Her compatriot, Michelle Perry, the 2005 and 2009 World champion, clocked her fastest time since 2009 of 12.75secs (+1.2) to win the women's 100m hurdles over 2004 Olympic Games winner Joanna Hayes.