media_artricles :: 2012

Bledman opens season with Millrose gold

Keston Bledman sped to men’s 60m gold at the 105th Millrose Games at the Amory, New York, USA on Saturday. The 2005 World Youth 100m bronze medallist was first to the line in 6.62 seconds in his first competitive race for the year. He finished ahead of Canadian Sam Effah (6.69) and USA’s Reggie Dixon (6.70). Bledman’s victory was one of five for T&T athletes on the US indoor circuit over the weekend. Annie Alexander, Jamol James, Durel Busby and Robert Collingwood all secured wins for their universities.

Tennessee’s Alexander and James triumphed at the Akron Invitational in Ohio. Alexander took the women’s shot put with a throw of 16.32m. The victory is one of several the two-time World Junior shot put finalist has been enjoying for the 2012 season in her final year at Tennessee.

In contrast, James recorded his first win in his first semester, getting to the line first in the men’s 60m finals in personal best of 6.72. James had earlier topped the heats in 6.80. At the Grand Valley State Big Meet in Michigan, Busby captured the 60m hurdles in record time. The Wisconsin-Milwaukee student cleared the barriers first in 7.80 seconds, smashing the meet and school record of 7.87 he had established earlier in the heats. The previous mark was 7.97. Collingwood (Southern Mississippi) snapped up the men’s shot put crown at the Vulcan Invitational with a toss of 17.43m. Robert’s twin brother Richard was fifth (16.05). In his last meet on February 3, Robert established a national indoor record of 17.51. Double Olympic silver Richard Thompson had mixed results. At the USATF Classic in Arkansas, Thompson was the fastest in the heats clocking 6.56 seconds. However, in the finals he failed to finish.

Lerone Clarke of Jamaica won in 6.52 seconds ahead of the American pair of Justin Gatlin and Trell Kimmons who both clocked 6.57. Shot putter Cleopatra Borel was third in the shot put with a World Indoor qualifying distance of 18.35m. Borel was over the 17.50 standard with all three of her registered throws. Bledman and Thompson also made the mark of World Indoor bettering the 6.67 barrier. Kyron Blaise (LSU), Kai Selvon (Auburn), Carissa Leacock (Iowa) and Zwede Hewitt (Baylor) all recorded top three finishes. Blaise was runner up in the triple jump at the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas, leaping to 16.03m on his fifth attempt. Selvon was third in the 200m in a personal best time of 23.52 seconds. Reyare Thomas (Iowa Central Community College) was 26th (24.32). Selvon was also sixth in the 60m finals, clocking 7.40 seconds. Thomas bowed out at the semifinal stage in 13th spot (7.46).

Leacock grabbed second in the long jump at the Iowa Classic, cutting the sand at 5.80m. She was also fourth in the triple jump (12.11). At the Texas A&M Invitational, Hewitt finished third in the 400m in 47.18, ahead of Deon Lendore (Texas A&M) 47.21. Hewitt’s team-mate, Garvyn Nero was sixth in the 800m (1:49:74). Lendore returned to help Texas A&M to victory in the men’s 4 X 400m in 3:07:36 with Hewitt’s Baylor A team in second (3:08:08) and Nero, on Baylor B team, in seventh (3:17:40). Wayne Davis 111 (Texas A&M) topped the heats in the men’s 60m hurdles (8.05) but did not compete in the finals. Hosts Texas A&M were the winners in the men’s competition totaling 211 points with Baylor in second (95).

See Trinidad Guardian article on-line for results

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