media_artricles :: 2013

Barber bags Cayman gold

Aleesha Barber produced the sixth fastest legal time of her career to strike gold in the Cayman International Invitational women’s 100 metres hurdles, in the Cayman Islands, late on Wednesday.

The Trinidad and Tobago athlete stopped the clock at 13.04 seconds to beat Colombia’s Bridgette Merlano (13.11) into second spot. Veteran Jamaican Deloreen Ennis (13.14) finished third.

Barber’s winning time was her fastest since the 12.91 she had clocked in Oregon, USA, on June 12, 2010. Two weeks earlier, in North Carolina, she had produced a personal best 12.85 seconds, which still stands as the national record.

Wednesday’s race was Barber’s fourth 100 hurdles outing in 2013. The 25-year-old athlete opened her outdoor campaign on April 5 with a wind-assisted 13.39 seconds clocking at the Florida Relays. Eight days later, in Georgia, she improved to 13.10. And in Kansas, on April 20, Barber got to the line in 13.34.

Olympic 4x400m bronze medallist, Jarrin Solomon was also in fine form at the Cayman International Invitational, the T&T quartermiler finishing second in the men’s 400m in 45.65 seconds. The clocking was Solomon’s fastest this season and the third fastest of his career.

Olympic 400m silver medallist, Luguelin Santos of Dominican Republic won in 45.35, while third spot went to Jamaica’s Riker Hylton (45.95).

T&T’s Jamaal James returned a time of three minutes, 53.43 seconds to finish sixth in the men’s 1500m event. American De’Sean Turner won the race in 3:52.26.

Usain Bolt was the headline act at the Cayman International Invitational. The sextuple Olympic champion topped the men’s 100m field in 10.09 seconds. His fellow-Jamaican, Kemar Bailey Cole finished second, also in 10.09. Antiguan Daniel Bailey was third in 10.23. The race was Bolt’s first 100m outing this season.

Carmelita Jeter was the class of the women’s 100m field, the American winning in 10.95 seconds, from her compatriot, Barbara Pierre (11.02), and Jamaica’s Kerron Stewart (11.10).

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