Stars cruise at Queen’s/Grace Jackson meet
OLYMPIC 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and a powerful-looking Nesta Carter cruised to effortless 100m victories in their first outings of the season at the Queen’s/ Grace Jackson Track and Field Meet at the National Stadium yesterday.
Fraser-Pryce, representing MVP Track Club, had her usual bullet start, but eased considerably off the pedal winning in 11.47 seconds. She was well clear of Rusheen Reid of University of Technology, 12.17, with Kristina Gentles third in 12.53.
A few minutes later, a muscular-looking Carter had things his own way cruising home in 10.59 seconds. He later said he was satisfied with the race and is looking forward to the indoor season.
“I just wanted to execute the first 30 to 40 metres. I am feeling pretty good. I am injury-free this year, and I have some indoor meets coming up and looking forward to that,” said Carter, who was a member of Jamaica’s world record 4x100m relay team.
“Preparation [is] going extremely well and [is] training coming on very good. We are doing a lot of different stuff this year. I am just looking for the outdoor season to start,” he added.
Quizzed as to his bigger, muscular frame, he said: “Yes, I am feeling much stronger.”
Meanwhile, all-island champions Calabar High and Holmwood Technical continue to look good on the track, winning a number events as they fine-tune preparations to defend their ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Championships.
The outstanding Michael O’Hara was again in fine form with the fastest overall time in the Class II 200m in an impressive 22.02 seconds.
Devaughn Baker of Jamaica College was second fastest with 22.12, ahead of Wolmer’s Boys’ Jaheel Hyde, 22.42.
Calabar’s much-talked-about 11-year-old Tyriek Wilson won his 100m heat with the fastest time of 11.41 seconds, ahead of teammate Javon Shaw, 11.71.
Earlier, he won his 200m heats in 22.92, but was second overall to the improving Nathaniel Bann of Kingston College (KC) in 22.55.
Bann later returned and ran a ‘blinder’ in the 400m and, along with Calabar’s Christopher Taylor, dipped unofficially under 51 seconds. Bann stopped the clock at 50.2 and Taylor 50.5 unofficially.
Calabar was at it again as Alex Hutton was the only competitor in Class I to go below two minutes in the 800m with 1:59.11 seconds.
With the outstanding Delano Williams of Munro opting to run in the 400m, which he won comfortably, Jevaughn Minzie of Bog Walk did 21.90 for the fastest time in Class I 200m ahead of Calabar’s Jevaughn Francis, 22.15. KC’s Mario Williams was third fastest in 22.37.
Wolmer’s emerging star Raheem Robinson stopped the clock at 10.64 for the fastest time in the Class I 100m. The KC pair of Tevin Lloyd Thompson and Gawayne Beckford did 10.75 and 10.89, respectively.
Clive Pullen captured the men’s triple jump Open with 15.04m, ahead of Jordon Scott, 14.76.
Dianna Johnson got things going for Holmwood with the fastest time in the Class II 200m in 25.10, just ahead of St Jago’s Natalliah Whyte, 25.20.
Holmwood showed their dominance in the 800m, running fastest times in two of the three classes. Chris-Ann Gordon did 2:12.03 to win the Class I, while Chrissani May clocked 2:21.99 in Class III. St Jago’s Genekee Leith won in Class II with 2:22.47.
Holmwood also produced the fastest times in three of the four classes over 100m. Kenisha Israel did 12.85 in Class IV; Christine Irving clocked 12.68 in Class III and Yanique Thompson stopped the clock at 12.07 in Class II. Class I was won by The Queen’s School’s Venessa Cameron in 12.32.
St Jago grabbed the ‘quinella’ in the Women triple jump as Tamoya Walters and Sabina Allen leaped 11.58m and 11.53m, respectively, to edge Holmwood’s Latavia Coombs 11.52.
St Jago went one better in the Class IV 200m with the three fastest times from Kimone Shaw (24.97), Sashel Frater (25.40) and Witney Thomas (26.06).
Jody Willington of Wolmer’s topped the times in the Class III 200m with 25.38, ahead of the Holmwood pair of Christine Irving and Lateisha Clarke, 25.43 and 25.82, respectively.
St Mary High’s Jodean Williams was quickest in Class I 200m with 25.03, ahead of the Holmwood duo of Kedisha Dallas and Chanice Bonner in 25.05 and 25.22, respectively.
The meet, in its 12th year, honoured Queen’s past students Samantha Henry Robinson and Latoya Greaves.