Simpson sizzles at Jamaica International
.Runs personal best as 10 meet records fall
KAYON RAYNOR, Observer staff reporter
Monday, May 08, 2006
Sherone Simpson (left) winning the women’s 200 metres in a personal best 22.14 seconds ahead of compatriot and Olympic champion Veronica Campbell at the Jamaica International Invitational Meet at the National Stadium on Saturday night. At right is American Lauryn Williams, the 100 metres World champion. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)
Ten meet records were broken at Saturday’s third staging of the Jamaica International Invitational Meet at the National Stadium witnessed by a fair-sized crowd.
The senior women were responsible for four of the new marks set in the 400 metres, 800 metres, 200 metres and triple jump, while the 1,500 metres, 110-metre hurdles, and 200-metre records fell on the men’s side.
The other records to fall at the meet were the girls’ 4 x100 metres, as well as the boys’ sprint and mile relays.
Commonwealth Games champion Sherone Simpson, out of the MVP track club, exploded to a world-leading and personal best 22.14 seconds in the 200 metres, smashing the old mark of 22.53 set by Veronica Campbell in 2005.
Campbell finished second in the event with 22.51, while Muna Lee of the United States clocked 22.77 for third.
Simpson, number five on the Jamaica women’s 200m all-time list, was delighted with the win. “I knew that it was going to be competitive to finish in front of Veronica and Lauryn (Williams of the USA) … so I knew I had to run the corner well and I did 22.14 so I’m pretty satisfied,” said Simpson.
National 800 metres champion Kenia Sinclair continued her good form this season, posting 2:00.02 minutes to break her own meet record of 2:00.05 done in 2005, adding to her Commonwealth and world indoor silver medals earlier in the year.
The Commonwealth and World Indoor Championships silver medallist, Sinclair described the race as a success: “I just came here to have fun, relax you know… I know it wasn’t as competitive as the other races on the (European) circuit, so I just did my best under the circumstances.”
Hazel Clarke and Treniere Clement both of the USA were second and third with 2:00.24 and 2:01.77 minutes, respectively.
Jamaican-born American Sanya Richards showed her class in the 400 metres, romping to a world-leading 49.89 seconds and bettered her own meet record of 49.96 set last season.
Richards is looking forward to dominate the event for the remainder of the season, “I’m pretty happy with the time… it has set me up ery well for the remainder of the season… I ran 49.9 (last year) and had a great season, so I’m a 10th faster this year and hopefully I can go undefeated this year,” added Richards.
American Monique Henderson was second in 50.83, while Novlene Williams of Jamaica did 51.04 for third.
In the field, World and Commonwealth gold medallist Trecia Smith retained her triple jump title by leaping 14.34 metres (-2.3 m/s headwind) to erase her old record of 14.33m a season ago.
Yamile Aldama of Sudan finished second in 14.22 with Candice Bauchman of the USA third with a jump of 12.96.
World Junior 200 metres record holder Usain Bolt picked up where he left off on April 30 (world-leading 20.08) in Martinique, by clocking 20.10 seconds to erase his previous meet record of 20.14 posted in 2005.
Tyson Gay of America did 20.12 for second, ahead of Aaron Armstrong of Trinidad and Tobago, 20.53 seconds.
Bolt is aiming to dominate his pet event this season, after an injury-shortened 2005 and missing the Commonwealth Games last March.
“My injury is gone,” said Bolt. “It was my back as everybody knew. I’ve been doing a lot of exercise now … it’s keeping it away… so I’m just looking forward to a good season.”
Geoffrey Runo of Kenya clocked 3:40.98 to win the 1,500 metres, blitzing the old mark of 3:41.10 done by countryman Eliud Njubi in 2004, while Joel Brown of the USA returned 13.30 seconds to better the 13.41 done by compatriot David Payne in 2005 in the 110-metre hurdles.
The women’s equivalent went to Commonwealth champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton, who clocked 12.69 seconds.
“For the rest of the season, I want to get better… I want to run personal bests … I want to run records and I’m hoping I can run a personal best before the year ends,” said Foster-Hylton.
Damu Cherry of the USA finished second in a personal best 12.78, while another Jamaican Delloreen Ennis-London was third in 12.90.
Chairman of the Organising Committee Howard Aris, who is also president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) , described the meet as a success and promised “more of the same in 2007”.
“We are hoping that our athletes will continue to emerge so that we can dominate more lanes and bring greater satisfaction and joy in the traditional events, as well as those that we’re not as yet outstanding in,” Aris noted.