16-yr-old Impresses in
Grenada
The recently concluded Grenadian National Senior Championships held at the National Stadium on June 20, 2009 was highlighted by the performance of reigning Commonwealth Youth Games 400m champion, World Junior and World Youth 400m silver medalist all in one, Kirani James. The 16-year-old from the Speed Zone Track Club won the ¼-mile race in an impressive 45.70 secs, followed by Bethune Cookman University'
s Joel Redhead in 46.70 and Morgan State University'
s Kevin Bowen in 47.10.
James has now established himself as one of the medal favorites for the upcoming 6th IAAF World Youth Championships, to be held in Italy from July 8-12. James may also participate in the World Championships in Berlin as he has met the '
A'
standard by running a personal best of 45.45 secs. this past April at the CARIFTA Games in Vieux Fort, St. Lucia. His time erased the CARIFTA 400m record of 46.35 set by triple Beijing Olympics gold medalist Usain Bolt in 2003.
Joel Redhead won the 200m in 20.50 sec, followed by Andon Mitchell in 20.60 and Ronde
ll Bartholomew in 20.80 secs. Redhead, the former student of Happy Hill Secondary has just completed a great season at Bethune Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida and has established a new Grenadian 200m record of 20.49 secs. at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Hazel Ann Regis easily won the women'
s 400m in 53.20 secs., followed by Marty Phillips in 56.90 and Nichelia John in 58.00. Hazel Ann is on the comeback trail after having a disappointing 2008 season. Noticeably absent from the 400m competition was the former University of Alabama standout and 2008 Beijing Olympian Trish Bartholomew.
Janelle Redhead captured the sprint double by first winning the 100m in 11.70 secs., followed by Lucy Fortune in 12.00 secs. and Marty Phillips in 12.10. Janelle'
s winning time of 11.70 was slower than her personal best 11.65 sec.
The 20-year-old, Canadian-based Janelle then took the 200m in 24.40. She was followed by Lucy Fortune in 25.30 and Alexandria Benjamin in 26.40.
Ando Mitchell captured the 100m in 10.20 secs., followed by Akim Bowen in 10.40 and Brent Joseph in 10.70.
Other male winners were: Kurt Felix in the long jump with a leap of 7.40m; Benjamin Hood in the shot put (14.6m); Michael Strachan in the discus (42.14m); and Kenton Olive in the Javelin (60.59m).
Female winners were Colleen Felix in both the javelin (40.45m) and shot put (12.23m); Patricia Sylvester won both the long jump (5.98m) and the triple jump (13.35m); Talisha Morain won the discus (35.39m); and Antonia Wilson, the 800m in 2:22.60 secs.
-Neil A. Reid
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In Jamaica...
Some Old Guards Stay Put; New Champs Emerge
(June 28): The curtain came down on the 2009 Jamaica National Senior Trials Sunday, June 28, ending three days of keen competition to select a team to the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Berlin August 15 to 23.
The trials which saw several junior athletes competing in their bid to step up to the senior level, closed on a high note as triple Olympic gold medalist and double world record holder Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell-Brown, double Olympic and World champion, regained their titles, while new kid on the block Alain Bailey used his final attempt to out jump defending championship Julian Reid.
Throughout the competition there were no wind-blown or hurricane times similar to those at the US trials. Instead, three athletes produced (legal) world leading performances even running into headwinds.
Saturday, the second day of the championships, was a d
ay for world leading performances.
First, Shelly-Ann Fraser, who shocked the world last year to win the 100m final in Beijing and become second fastest Jamaican woman over the distance, turned the tables on the Olympic silver medalist and defending champion K
erron Stewart to clock a world-leading 10.88 secs. (-1.5w). A visibly upset Stewart who left the blocks late said: "
there was a lot of noise and I didn'
t hear [the set order]. I realized only when I looked across at the others who were closest to the 
starter."
Last year Stewart managed to catch Fraser some 15 meters from home and beat her.
Next, it was Bolt who clocked a world leader with 9.86 (-0.2w). He quickly dismissed any threat to his world record by Tyson Gay, hinting that Powell was more the concern.
Then it was the Olympic 400m semifinalist Isa Phillips who showed he'
s ready to break the US dynasty when he beat defending champion Danny McFarlane and produced a personal best and world leading 48.05. He is now ranked as the joint-third fastest Jamaican of all time in the event.
On the final day, Campbell-Brown took the 200m in 22.40 secs. (-1.1w) ahead of 100m champ Shelly-Ann Fraser (22.58), who tested her at one point from lane two, and Simone Facey (22.96). The holder of an automatic bid to compete in the 100m at the World Championships, Campbell-Brown chose not to run the event at the trials to allow her toe injury to recover fully by not putting undue pressure on it.
Olympic 100m silver medalist and 200m bronze medalist Kerron Stewart withdrew from the 200m citing that she just wanted to concentrate on the 100m because doubling at the Olympics took a toll on her.
Bolt, who admited to not being in the best shape and to being a little tired after the rounds entered the home stretch ahead of his competitors and then cruised home in 20.25 secs. (-2.4) ahead of Steve Mullings, 20.40 and Marvin Anderson, 20.63. Calabar Schoolboy Ramone McKenzie was fourth in 20.68.
Across the way at the long jump pit, 21-year-old Alain Bailey, who attends the University of Arkansas in the US, snatched victory from defending champion Julian Reid with his final leap and an IAAF A-standard qualifier (8.21 meters). Reid, winner of the triple jump on the first day, led the competitors until Bailey'
s last jump, claimed the second spot with a wind-aided 8.18m (2.4 m/s).
In the 400m, Ricardo Chambers battled with Allodin Fothergill in the home stretch before getting home ahead of him in 45.55 secs. Fothergill clocked 45.57. Former national champion Lansford Spence was third in 45.78 and Dane Hyatt was fourth.
The women'
s 400m hurdles was a thriller. Former world junior champion Kaliese Spencer led the 2008 Olympic gold medalist and her teammate Melaine Walker until a split second from the end. Walker (54.70) had to dig deep to pip the determined Spencer (54.71) on the line.
Delloreen Ellis-London (12.79) claimed victory over Brigitte Foster-Hylton (12.89 secs. -1.1w) in the women'
s 100m hurdles while in the men'
s 110m event, veteran Maurice Wignall (13.48 -0.8) beat Dwight Thomas (13.50) who has returned to hurdling, and Olympic finalist Richard Phillips 13.61.
HERE THEY COME:
Usain Bolt leads the top 6 competitors in the final of men's 100m as they motor down the stretch at the National Stadium in Kingston June 27. From left are: Marvin Anderson, 4th; Yohan Blake, 6th; Steve Mullings, 5th; Bolt, 1st; Asafa Powell, 2nd; Michael
Frater,
3rd. Bolt clocked 9.86 secs. into a -0
.2 head wind and Powell ran 9.97.
NEW CHAMP SPEAKS:
Shelly-Ann Fraser (10.88 secs.) became the reigning women's 100m champion by beating Kerron Stewart (10.93), last year's winner. In photo at right, an elated Fraser (L) and Stewart face a battery of cameras and media questions after the race.
In photo at right, Asafa Powell talks with former Jamaican Olympian Grace Jackson for TVJ. Noting that his ankle was sore after the three rounds, said: "I'm happy it's over." (See more photos)
-Desmond Palmer
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Ferguson-McKenzieTakes Double in Bahamas
Bahamian veteran Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie captured the sprint double at her country's 2-day National Track & Field Championships June 27 and 28.
The 33-year-old, Nassau-born sprinter completed the 100m in 11.12 secs., running into a headwind (-0.1w m/s).
She was followed by Chandra Sturrup in 11.22 and Sheniqua Ferguson, 11.50 secs. Ferguson-McKenzie later won the 200m in 22.83 sec (-1.7w) ahead of reigning 200m Junior World champion, Sheniqua Ferguson in 23.48 sec., and Jernise Saunders who finished third in 24.45 secs. By virtue of capturing the sprint double, Ferguson-McKenzie has booked her ticketed to the 12th IAAF World Championship in Athletics to be held in Berlin from August 15- 23. This will be her 6th appearance in both the 100m and 200m at the Worlds. 
Derrick Atkins, 100m silver medalist in the 100m at the 2007 Osaka World Championships, captured the men's 100m in 10.25 sec. Atkins was trailed by Adrian Griffith (10.44) and Shamar Sands (10.54). Atkins will now compete in his 3rd World Championships. Karlton Rolle won the men's 200m in 21.20 secs. (-1.2). He was followed by Adrian Griffiths (21.27) and Jamial Rolle 21.50. The women's 400m was won by Christine Amertil in 51.96 secs, follo
wed by Shakeitha Henfield in (54.07) and Sasha Rolle (54.08).
Chris Brown took the men's 400m in 45.21, with Ramon Miller (45.35) and
Andretti Bain (46.02) second and third, respectively.
Other male winner included Cerio Rolle in the 800m in 1:54.49 secs; Trevor Barry in the men's high jump with 2.23m (7-03.75); Carlyle Thompson in the 400m hurdles with 52.79 sec; Leevan Sands in the triple jump wit a leap of 17.14m (56-03).Delron Innis captured both the men's discus and shot put throws of 34.87m (114-05) and 13.32m (43-08.59), respectively.
Other female winners were Hughnique Rolle in the 800m with 2:21.19; and Bianca Stuart in the long jump with a leap of 6.35m (20-10).
-O'Neil A. Reid
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Baptiste's Time The Highlight in Trinidad
(June 23):
100m
The three-day Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) National Championships which was held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain from June 19 to 21 saw some local records broken. The highlight of the championships, however, was undoubtedly Kelly-Ann Baptiste's outstanding performance in the 100m when she clocked 10.94 sec. (1.7w) to win. Her time represents a personal best and a new T&T National record.
Richard Thompson, the 2008 Olympic 100m silver medalist, won the 100m sprint in 10.01 secs. ahead of Aaron Armstrong (10.03), Marc Burns (10.04) and Darrel Brown 10.05.
200m
Baptiste was absent from 200m and the event was easily won by Semoy Hackett in 23.23 secs. (0.0w), followed by Reyare Thomas (23.40) and Fana Ashby (24.21). Hackett also finished second in the 100m (11.19) behind Baptiste.
Rondel Sorrillo won the men's 200m in 20.62 secs. from Emmanuel Callender (20.75) and Jamil James (21.19 sec). Thompson did compete in the 200m.
400m
Renny Quow won the men's 400m in 44.91 secs., followed by Ato Stephens (45.59) and Jarrin Solomon (46.42). Quow's 44.91 represents a new stadium record but is well above the national record of 44.21 set by Ian Morris in 1992. Since March 2009, Quow has won the 400m at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Indoor Championship (46.45 secs.) and finished second (44.89) behind USA's LaShawn Merritt (44.75) at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York, on May 30.
Natalie Dixon took the women's 400m in 53.92 secs. over Karla Hope (54.93) and Afiya Walker (55.25).
800m
Florida State University's Pilar McShine, won the women's 800m in 2:05.22 secs. ahead of Melissa De Leon (2:05.84) and Alena Brooks (2:09.79).
Gavyn Nero, the reigning CARIFTA 800m and 1500m champion, easily won the 800m in 1:52.44 secs. from Jameel Walcott (1:53.44) and Jules La Rode (1:55.07). Nero was a double winner as he also captured the 1500m in 4:01.03 secs, which is pedestrian in contrast to his 3:46.56 performance in St. Lucia this past April.
Other victorious women include Josanne Lucas (13.19 secs.) in the 100m hurdles; Ayanna Alexander who set a national record in the triple jump with a leap of 13.96m, erasing the old mark of 13.78m set by Natasha Gibson in 1998; and Natoya Baird who amassed 4,679 points in the heptathlon.
Other male winners were: Adonis Jones in the 110m hurdles in 14.33 sec (-1.2w); Jehue Gordon, the reigning CARIFTA 400m hurdles champion who easily took the 400m hurdles in 50.45 sec; Cleavon Dillon winning the long jump with 7.61m; Quincy Wilson who threw the discus 52.69m; and Earl Edwards taking the decathlon with 4,849 points.
-O'Neil A. Reid