Jamaicans shine at US meets

Several Jamaica athletes produced top-level performances at meets in the United States last weekend.

At the Louisiana State University (LSU) Invitational meet in Baton Rouge, there were six wins by Jamaicans. They were led by World Under-20 triple jump champion Jaydon Hibbert. A freshman at the University of Arkansas, the former Kingston College (KC) standout had a winning mark of 17.17 metres, the best outdoor mark among collegiate athletes this season. His teammates at Arkansas, former KC jumpers Carey McLeod 15.67m and Wayne Pinnock 15.65m ended third and fourth, respectively.

Roja Stona, Philip Lemonious, Tyrice Taylor, Ackera Nugent, and Shanieka Ricketts were also winners.

Stona, a St Jago High past student and Ralford Mulllings who attended KC, finished one-two in the discus. Stona, competing for the University of Arkansas, had a winning mark of 67.02m while his teammate Mullings threw 62.16m for second.

Lemonious, a former Jamaica College hurdler who is also at the University of Arkansas, captured the men’s 110m hurdles in 13.63 seconds, defeating Olympian Omar McLeod, who was second in 13.67.

Former Enid Bennett High middle-distance athlete Tyrice Taylor picked up a win in the men’s 800m while competing for Indian Hill Community College.He stopped the clock at one minute 49.20 minutes. His college teammate and former Calabar High athlete Rivaldo Marshall ended fifth in 1:51.47.

Ackera Nugent, a former World Under-20 100m hurdles champion, was a winner in her pet event. Competing for the University of Arkansas, she raced to a season’s best 12.52 seconds to win ahead of LSU’s Alia Armstrong (12.56) and Michelle Harrison (12.93), representing Athletics Canada.

Commonwealth Games triple jump gold medallist Ricketts picked up the other win among the women after producing a mark of 14.06m.

Former Hydel High 400m hurdler Shania Salmon and Ackelia Smith, a former Edwin Allen High jumper, were winners at the Texas Invitational meet. Salmon won the women’s 400m hurdles in 55.83 seconds. Competing for the University of Texas, Smith took third in the women’s long jump with a best of 6.69 metres.

Kevona Davis, a former Edwin Allen sprint star now competing for the University of Texas, continued her good form this season after a second-place finish in the women’s 100m in 11.14 seconds, the same time given to former Hydel High sprint sensation Ashanti Moore, who ended third. St Lucian Julien Alfred, Davis’ teammate at University of Texas, won the event in 10.95.

Former Hydel 400m runner Charokee Young took third in the women’s 400m in 50.64 behind American Gabby Thomas, who won in 49.68.

In the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa Andrenette Knight had the best finish among the Jamaicans at the meet. Representing Puma, she took second in the women’s 400m hurdle in 56.17 behind American Anna Cockrel,l who won in 55.52.