BERLIN—T&T’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste and Jehue Gordon both won their events at the ISTAF Athletics Meeting in Berlin, yesterday while Richard Thompson was third in the men’s 100 metres. Baptiste followed up her bronze medal success at the recent World games in Daegu, South Korea, with a fine run which saw her clocking 11.15, to finish ahead of Jamaicans Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart. Gordon ran a season-best 48.68 seconds to win the 400 metres hurdle with South Africa’s Cornel Fredericks second in 49.18, and German Georg Fleischhauer third in 49.19. Thompson had to settle for third as World champion Yohan Blake equalled his personal best of 9.82 seconds to set a new 100-metre meet record.
The 21-year-old Jamaican, who clocked the same time at the Weltklasse in Zurich on Thursday, comfortably beat Kim Collins of Saint Kitts and Nevis, who finished in 10.01 at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, and Thompson (10.08). “That’s why they call me the beast,” Blake said. “There were some very good guys in this field so it wasn’t easy to win. I pushed myself to run faster. It’s a wonderful feeling to win here. ...Life changed a bit after the world championship.” Michael Frater—who like Blake helped Jamaica set a world-record in the 4x100-metre relay in Daegu, finished fourth. The previous meet record was 9.86 held by Maurice Greene and Asafa Powell. In the women’s 100 metre hurdles, Dawn Harper led an American 1-2-3 when she won in 12.68 seconds, ahead of Kellie Wells and Yvette Lewis. Canada’s Phylicia George finished fourth, ahead of another American, Ginnie Crawford.
Kirani James of Grenada followed up his win in Zurich to win the men’s 400 metres in 45.33 seconds, followed by Nery Brenes of Costa Rica and compatriot Rondell Bartholomew. James said he was tired after competing at Daegu and Zurich in such a short time. “I’m done for this season, I have to go back to school,” the 19-year-old said. Russia’s Anastasiya Kapachinskaya won a slow women’s 400 metres in 50.75 seconds, ahead of Francena McCorory of the US in 50.91 and compatriot Antonina Krivoshapka in 51.27. Kenya’s Augustine Kiprono Choge ran his season’s best to win the men’s 1500 metres in 3 minutes 31.14, ahead of Morocco’s Abdalaati and Iguider and Nixon Kiplimo Chepseba of Kenya. In the women’s 800, Kenya’s Janeth Jepkosgei Busieni finished strongly to win in 1 minute, 58.26 seconds, just ahead of South Africa’s Caster Semenya who finished in 1:58.74. Maggie Vessey of the US was third in 1:59.33.
American Ryan Whiting set a meet record of 21.61 metres to win the men’s shot put, with teammate Reese Hoffa second with 21.47. Poland’s Tomasz Majewski was third with a throw of 21.33. Jesse Williams of the US won the high jump by clearing 2.33 metres. Trevor Barry of the Bahamas was second and Raul Spank of Germany third. Alexandr Menkov of Russia won the long jump with 8.15 meters, ahead of Dwight Phillips of the US who settled for 8.05. Cuba's Wilfredo Martinez was third with 7.82.
Source: www.guardian.co.tt