media_artricles :: 2013

Lendore ends indoor season as world no 1

Olympic men's 4x400 metres bronze medallist Deon Lendore ended the indoor season as the top quarter-miler in the world. The 20-year-old improved the world leading time to 45.15 seconds in the men's 400m in the heats of the Southern Eastern Conference (SEC) Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA on February 13.

The Arima Boys’ Government/Queen's Royal College graduate went on to capture the SEC gold a day later in 45.23. He also clocked 45.36 in the preliminary round in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Championships on March 8 and was going for gold in the finals but suffered from cramps while warming up and could only finish sixth.

His fastest time is also a national record and pushes the 2010 World Junior semifinalist up to 10th on the world all-time performer listing. Lendore has been on top of the world rankings since his 45.91 clocking in January. His new time is 0.02 seconds shy of his 45.13 outdoor personal best (pb). His top three indoor times are quicker that the next best in the world Michael Berry (USA) who ran 45.64 behind Lendore in the heats at the NCAA Champs.

The Texas A&M University second-year student is among four local runners in the world top 60. Fellow Olympic bronze medallists Jarrin Solomon (16th-46.32), Lalonde Gordon is (34th-46.73) and Ade Alleyne-Forte (53rd-46.88) are also listed. Gordon, who also won bronze in the 400m individual event at last year's London Olympics, is fifth in the 200m standings with 20.60, missing his personal best of 20.58.

Wayne Davis 11 is next highest ranked local athlete behind Lendore and Gordon, lying at 13th in the men's 60m hurdles list following his national record run of 7.59 in taking silver in the event at the NCAA Indoor Champs. The Texas A&M teammate of Lendore improved on the national record of 7.65 he attained in the SEC Champs.

Among the women, Sparkle McKnight and Hilenn James are highest ranked at 36th. Mc Knight is in the top 40 in the women's 400m following her national record run of 52.52 at the NCAA Champs, lowering the previous national record of 52.77 she set at the SEC Champs. The 2012 Olympic team member is a student of Arkansas University. James of Georgia University moved up the rankings in the women's shot put with a personal best effort of 17.03m at the NCAA Champs.

Olympic relay finalists Michelle Lee-Ahye and Kai Selvon are two of four local lasses in the top 80 on the women's 60m performance chart. Geronne Black is ahead at 37th with a 7.27 pb posting with Sha-Shaun Mason at 46th (7.30 pb). Lee Ahye is next at 62nd (7.32 pb) with Selvon at 77th (7.34). Thomas is expected to be the top 50 in the next update of the 200m standings following her pb run of 23.51 at the NCAA Division Two champs. She is listed at 101st with her 23.88 run in New Mexico in February. Selvon is currently ahead of her in the 64th (23.67) spot.

Meanwhile, Jarrin Solomon had a great start to the outdoor season with him clocking 45.93 to win the men's 400m at the Willie Williams Classic in Tucson, Arizona, on the weekend.

Solomon, who ran the third leg on T&T's Olympic 4x400m bronze medal team, was among several athletes who recorded victories in the USA. Kernesha Spann, T'Keyah Dumoy and Gavyn Nero were among the winners.

Spann led the way in the women’s 400m flat (56.86) and 400m hurdles (1:03.97) events at the West Texas A&M Springbreak Classic. Dumoy took the women’s 200m (24.31) at the FIU Fesburg Invitational in Miramar, Florida, and also picked up bronze in the 400m (58.37) while Nero prevailed in the men's 800m at the TCU Invite in Forth Worth, Texas, in 1:55.20 and was beaten into third in the 1,500m (4:00.45).

Shermund Allsop was third in the men’s 100m at the Louisiana Classics in 10.48 with Alleyne-Forte 10th in 10.73 and Kryon Blaise 10th (10.93). Alleyne-Forte was also third in the 200m (21.73). At the UNLV Invitational, Alena Brooks was part of Minnesota's winning women's 4x400m team (3:52.70).

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