Impressive indoor performances for Jamaicans
Published:Wednesday | February 10, 2021 | 3:23 AMRaymond Graham/Gleaner Writer
A number of the country’s top collegiate sprint hurdlers returned impressive times at two indoor meets in the United States over the weekend, with Daszay Freeman, Phillip Lemonious and Damion Thomas registering wins after strong performances.
Freeman, formerly of Manchester High and The Queen’s School, scored her first win of the season at the Arkansas Qualifier, which took place at the Randal Tyson complex.
After finishing in the top five in her two previous meets so far this season, the University of Arkansas sophomore clocked a season best 8.20 seconds, to win the women’s 60 metres hurdles event. Chorisha Taylor and Yoveiney Mota, of Washington State University and Arkansas, both clocked 8.24 seconds for second and third place, respectively.
It was a close win for former Jamaica College hurdler, Lemonious, the 2020 National Junior College Athletic Association hurdles gold medallist, who stopped the clock at 7.79 seconds, to take the men’s 60 metres hurdles event ahead of Sam Brixey of Washington State University, 7.80. Carl Elliot III of Arkansas, was third in 7.81 seconds.
IAAF World Under-20 110m hurdles gold medallist Damion Thomas remained unbeaten this season in the men’s 60 metres hurdles, after breaking a meet record to win the event, while representing Louisiana State University at the Charlie Thomas Invitational meet at College Station in Texas.
After a meet record run of 7.75 seconds in winning the heat, Thomas returned in the final to improve on that record with a winning time of 7.72 seconds. He got the better of his teammate, Eric Edwards, 7.76, with Bashira Abdullah of USTA and Isaiah Livingstone of Oklahoma University sharing third place with 7.80 seconds.
FANTASTIC FORM
At the same meet, former Hydel High School quarter-miler, Charokee Young, continued her fantastic form this season, while competing at home for the University of Texas A&M.
Young finished second in the women’s 400 metres in a personal best of 51.03 seconds with her teammate, the outstanding Athing Mu, smashing the meet record of 52.32 seconds, with a personal best of 50.52 seconds, which is also a World Under-20 record.
Meanwhile, former St Elizabeth Technical High School quarter-miler, Stacy-Ann Williams, representing the University of Texas, finished fourth in the event with 53.27 seconds, while her teammate, Sanique Walker, the former Vere Technical intermediate hurdler, was eighth overall in 56.69 seconds.
After being disqualified in her first 60 metres collegiate race some three weeks ago, former Edwin Allen standout, Kevona Davis, competing for the University of Texas, had her first finish in the event, a fourth-place run in 7.34 seconds. The event was won by her teammate, former St Catherine High School sprinter Julien Alfred, who hails from St Lucia. Alfred stopped the clock at 7.17 seconds to register a new meet record.