Mikel Thomas and Lalonde Gordon sped to gold medals in the Men’s 110 metres Hurdles and 400m, respectively, while Michelle-Lee Ahye took the Women’s 100m bronze on the second day of the NACAC Senior Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, last night. The 27-year-old Thomas, who won Pan American silver in Toronto last month, finished his final in 13.23 seconds to edge Cuban Jhoanis Portilla (13.30) and US Virgin Islands’ Eddie Lovett (13.31).
Olympic bronze medallist Gordon recorded a time of 44.89 to beat Costa Rican Nery Brenes (45.22) and Jamaican Ricardo Chambers (45.37). Ahye clocked 11.22 in her final, having run 10.98 in the semifinals the day before. On Friday night, Jaleesa Williams was also in medal-winning form for T&T, securing a silver in the Women’s Discus. Williams threw 37.06m on her fourth of six attempts with all her other tries ending in fouls.
American Summer Pierson won the event with 56.64m while Alma Guitierrez of Honduras was third with 36.67m. Kyle Greaux qualified for the Men’s 200m final when he won his semifinal in 20.47, the third fastest time of the round overall.
He finished ahead of St Kitts & Nevis’s Brijesh Lawrence (20.93) and Jamaican Mario Forsythe (20.61). In the other semifinal, Dan-neil Telesford suffered a disqualification when he strayed into the inside lane during the bend. Earlier in the day, Greaux had placed third in his heat in 20.62 while Telesford was also third in 20.96. The final will take place today.
Semoy Hacket and Kamaria Durant will each be present in today’s Women’s 200m final. Hackett sped to first place in her heat in 22.59, edging American Kyra Jefferson (23.10) and US Virgin Islands’ Laverne Jones-Ferrette (23.50), while Durant nabbed second in her heat in 22.44. She was beaten to the line by Jamaican Kerron Stewart (23.13). Hackett had the fastest time of the heat stage while Durant was sixth overall.
Sparkle McKnight won her Women’s 400m Hurdles heat, clocking 56.45 to beat American Turquoise Thompson (56.67) and Canadian Wendy Dorr (57.21). Her time was the second best of the round behind American Tiffany Williams (55.85). Josanne Lucas failed to qualify after placing seventh in her heat in 58.69.
Emmanuel Mayers was second in his Men’s 400m Hurdles heat with a 50.49 run, placing behind Javier Culson of Puerto Rico (49.65). His time was the third fastest of the round while his final is set for today.
Jamal James made it through to the Men’s 800m final though Nicholas Landeaur was eliminated. James placed second in his heat in a time of 1:50.69, behind American Clayton Murphy (1:50.54), while Landeau managed third in his heat in 1:53.20.
Alena Brooks qualified for the Women’s 800m final with a fourth place finish in her heat. Brooks’s time of 2:06.41 was the seventh best of the eight qualifiers. She was outrun in her race by American Channelle Price (2:04.62), Mexican Gabriela Medina (2:05.04) and Canadian Rachel Francois (2:05.74). The final will be run today.
Deborah John was eighth in the Women’s 100m Hurdles last night, crossing the line in 13.42. The event was won by American star Lolo Jones in 12.63 with her comrade Tenaya Jones (12.68) and Bajan Kierre Beckles (12.88) securing silver and bronze. Elton Walcott (16.00m) and Steve Waithe (15.67m) were sixth and ninth respectively in the Men’s Triple Jump with Dominican Yordany Duranona taking the gold with 16.98m.
