By Clayton Clarke, TrackAlerts.Com Writer
National champions Reyare Thomas and Janeil Bellille were the top performers at the inaugural Falcons Invitational-Last Chance Meet at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo earlier today (Saturday 11 July).
Thomas won the women’s 200m in a 22.82 seconds (+0.8), dipping below the 23.20 qualifying standard for this year’s World Championships in Beijing, China from August 22-30. The victory is the second straight for the Abilene Wildcats sprinter after she won the national title on June 28 in a wind-aided 22.97 seconds (+2.1), just over the allowable limit of 2.0. Her 22.82 is a new personal best erasing her previous best of 23.17 set in 2014.
Thomas edged Kamaria Durant (Simplex) into second place, as she did at the Nationals with Durant also dipping under the World standard and setting a new pb of 22.83 to improve on her pervious mark of 23.08 set in the heats of the national champs. Two time Carifta under 20 champion Kayelle Clarke (Pt.-a-Pierre) jogged home in third (25.02).
Bellille (Abillene Wildcats) came out on the top in the women’s 400m hurdles in 55.68, running under the World standard of 56.20. The 2008 World Junior silver medallist was hoping to be pushed by her former training partner, Sparkle Mc Knight (Memphis Pioneers) and 2013 World Youth silver medallist, Tia-Adanna Belle of Barbados and 2009 World Championships bronze medallist, Josanne Lucas (Falcons). However, Lucas did not start, Belle dropped out of the race with just under 200m left and McKnight trailed behind in 59.11. Instead, Belille ran down the lone male in the race, teenager Tauren George (Pt. Fortin New Jets), who was first to line ahead of Bellille in 55.19.
Dan-Eil Telesford (Neon Trackers) turned the tables on national champion Kyle Greaux (Abilene Wildcats) in the men’s 200m, taking the crown in 20.56 ahead of Greaux (20.59). Telesford was 0.03 seconds off his pb of 20.53 which he set in finishing third at National Champs on June 28 behind Greaux.
Reigning CAC Junior and Carifta girls under 20 shot put champion Portious Warren (Toco TAFAC) secured the women’s shot put and discus title. Warren first landed the discus in 38.90m ahead of multiple World Masters gold medallist Geraldine George (Palo Seco) 35.84. The St. Augustine Secondary student then stepped over to the shot putt circle to land gold in 15.17, relegating George to second again (11.34) and Jael Lewis (Palo Seco), (10.59) to third.
World Youth selectee Akidah Briggs (Toco Titans) also competed but used the 3kg shot instead of the 4kg used by the women competitors and had a best mark of 13.91. Briggs along with T&T's other World Youth team members, Carifta 200m gold medallist Akanni Hislop (Zenith) and US-born Khalifa St. Forte, will depart for this year’s World Youth Championships on Monday (July 13).
The Championships begin on July 15 and run until July 19.
Jerod Elcock (Abilene Wildcats) missed out on a sprint double. Elcock first won the boys' under 18 200m in 22.75 (-1.2), leading an Abilene sweep of the top spots as his club mates Renaldo Moore (23.34) and Jahi Hernandez (23.35) followed him home. However, in the 100m. Elcock was forced to settle for second (11.08) as Carifta boys under 18 long jump bronze medallist, Clement Campbell (Memphis Pioneers) was first across the line in 11.03.
National champions Quincy Wilson (Rebirth), Deborah John (Air Bon Sonics) and Hezekiel Romeo (Rebirth) added the Falcon Invitational gold to the their national crowns. Wilson took the men’s discus with a throw of 56.29, over 1m short of 57.78 winning effort at the national champs. Taking the silver was Keon Francis (UWI) 46.03m while Micah Mc Nish (Striders) claimed the bronze with 43.35m. Romeo putt the shot out to 17.78, to improve on 17.04m effort to secure the national crown. His winning mark was over the Pan American Games standard of 17.75. However, his efforts may have come too late, as the national team has already been selected and is due to leave for this year’s Games in Toronto, Canada on July 17. The track and field competition at the Pan Am Games will be contested from July 21 to 26.
John cruised to victory in the women’s 100m hurdles in a windy 13.58 (+3.3), slower than her 13.37 clocking to win the national crown. National long jump gold medalist Dwaine Herbert (Dovers) did not have such luck, as he had to settle for third with a leap of 7.19 (-0.9). Former double Carifta jump champion Kyron Blaise (Rebirth) leapt to gold with a distance of 7.41 (-0.3), an improvement on his fifth place finish at the National champs.
Barbadian Levi Cadogan and Sade Williams landed the men’s 100m and women’s 400m sprints respectively. Cadogan took the second of two heats in 10.48 ahead of Nathan Farinha (Abilene Wildcats) 10.66 and Micah Ballantyne (Alpha) 10.72. Williams topped the women’s one lap field in 53.32, outsprinting Alena Brooks (Memphis Pioneers) 53.94 and early race leader Romona Modeste (Abilene Wildcats) 54.16. The Barbados teenager was short of her national junior record of 52.39 set at the Barbados National Championships on June 19.
For complete results click: http://www.ttnaaa.org/results/2015/falcon_invite/
