Several Caribbean athletes won their events at the Colorful Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting 2009 yesterday at Daegu Stadium in South Korea.
The Bahamian pair of Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie and Leevan Sands was joined in the winner’s circle by Jamaica’s Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Dwight Thomas and the Dominican Republic’s Felix Sanchez. Former 100m world record holder Jamaica’s Asafa Powell finished second in the 100m in 10.00 secs behind winner USA’s Tyson Gay (9.94), with Jamaica’s Nesta Carter in third (10.15) and Trinidad & Tobago’s Marc Burns in fourth ( 10.37).
The USA’s Carmelita Jeter continues her late dominance in the women’s 100m with an easy 10.83 secs win. Jamaica’s Sherone Simpson was a distant second in 11.35 secs. During the season, Simpson had suffered injuries that prevented her from competing in Berlin.
The Caribbean swept the women’s 200m as Bahamas’s Ferguson-McKenzie won the event in 22.90, followed by Jamaica’s Shericka Williams (23.18) and Cayman’s Cydonie Mothersill (23.32). The 33-yr-old Bahamian has just completed a splendid season in which she placed third in the 200m final and sixth in the 100m final in Berlin. She ran a season best 22.23 in Stockholm in July 2009, which is .04 seconds off her lifetime best 22.19, done in July 1999. Ferguson-McKenzie’s compatriot, Leevan Sands, won the men’s triple jump with a leap of 16.50m. Sands also had a great season, finishing second in The World Athletics Final (17.19m) after taking fourth place in Berlin (17.32m).
Jamaica’s Brigitte Foster-Hylton continues to be in fine form as she won the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.60 secs, ahead of USA’s Dawn Harper (12.75) and Jamaica’s Nikeisha Wilson (12.96). Since capturing gold in Berlin, Foster-Hylton has remained undefeated in the event.
Dwight Thomas won the 110m hurdles in 13.36 secs with Gregory Sedoc (13.45) of the Netherlands in second and the USA’s Joel Brown (13.46) in third. The USA’s Allen Johnson was fourth in 13.76.
Dominican Republic’s Felix Sanchez has now put together two consecutive victories by easily winning the men’s 400m hurdles in 48.94 ahead of Japan’s Kazuaki Yoshida (50.33) and USA Michael Tinsley (51.16). Sanchez also won the 400m hurdles (48.91) in Kawasaki Meet held on two days earlier on September 23.
The 2011 13th IAAF World Championships will be held in South Korea from August 27 to September 4, 2011)