Jamaican sprinters steal spotlight in New York meet

New York, May 26 (IANS/CMC) Jamaican sprinters stole the spotlight in the athletic events at the Adidas Grand Prix, New York Diamond League meet at Icahn Stadium.

Veronica Campbell Brown romped to victory in the 200 metres in 22.53 seconds ahead of a fast finishing Anneshia McLaughin (22.63) also of Jamaica on Sunday. Sherone Simpson finished in fourth place with 22.96.

Aleen Bailey sped to victory in the womens 100 metres in 11.37 seconds, ahead of Americans Mikele Barber and Lekeisha Lawson, who finished second and third respectively.

Jamaica’s Olympic 200m bronze medallist Warren Weir made light work of the field to clock an effortless season’s best 20.11 with Panama’s Edmond Alonso (20.38) in second. Jeremy Dodson of the US (20.65) was third.

Jamaicans Ramone McKenzie and Kevin Thompson finished fifth and seventh respectively.

Meantime, America’s Tyson Gay raced to an easy win in the 100 metres clocking 10.16 seconds with his country man Ryan Bailey second.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Ketson Bledman secured third spot in 10.16 seconds while Jamaica’s Nesta Carter was fourth.

Jamaica’s other finalists Jacques Harvey, Nickel Ashmeade and Kemar Bailey Cole finished fifth, six and seventh.

Also, Jamaica’s National Record holder Allison Randall threw a season’s best 57.85m in the discus in rainy and windy conditions.

Randall who started slowly had two throws over 57.00m finishing strongly with 57.66m.

Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic won in a World Leading and meet record 68.48m.

Two hundred metres specialist Mario Forsythe won the Men’s 400m B race in 46.65 seconds beating three other Jamaicans to the line – Dewayne Barrett — 46.85 seconds, Allodin Fothergill — 47.01 seconds and Nicholas Maitland — 47.05 seconds.

Former world champion Barbadian Ryan Braithwaite also shared the spotlight for the Caribbean by winning the 110 metre hurdles in a season’s best 13.19.

Cuba’s Orlando Ortega (13.24) finished second.

–IANS/CMC

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