JADE BAILEY stole the late night session to win the women’s 100 metres for the first time in five years and Ramon Gittens won the men’s race last Saturday during the National Championships in Track and Field at the National Stadium.
Bailey, who had been unable to beat defending champion Shakera Reece recently, had the crowd on its feet when she pulled alongside her and went ahead in the last 50 metres to win in 11.59 seconds.
It was her best showing since 2008 when she set the meet record of 11.48.
Reece was second in 11.64 and Tristan Evelyn of Rising Stars, the baby in the bunch, was third in 11.92 seconds.
Defending champion Gittens of Rising Stars capitalized on the best start to win back-to-back titles in the men’s 100 metres in 10.18 seconds. Proving his 10.02 earlier this year was no fluke, he did not lose form or stride when Andrew Hinds tried to close the gap.
Hinds had to settle for second place again in 10.24.
Quantum Leap’s Levi Cadogan showed no signs of having played cricket for most of the day and raced to a new personal best 10.28 metres, jumping ahead of several seniors in the qualifying time for the Central American and Caribbean CAC Senior Championships to finish third.
Rico Tull of Wibisco Stars did not finish, and there was very little separating the rest of the field which came home in a bunch.
Jermain Hinds won the men’s “B” final in 10.72.
Earlier, Fabian Norgrove won the men’s 400m “A” final in 47.06 seconds as defending champions Burkheart Ellis Jr opted to concentrate on today’s 200 metres.
Norgrove had to fight off the challenge from Lodge School’s Anderson Devonish, who nosed ahead for a bit before finishing second in a new personal best 47.33 seconds.
Early race leader Nikolai Gall of Freedom Striders was third in 47.84, while Pacers’ Roderick Best took the “B” final in 49.43.
The women’s one-lap event was a runaway victory for Sade Sealy who clocked 53.05 seconds to win her fourth national title in six years.
Defending champion Althia Maximilien of Freedom Striders, who was expected to give her a challenge did not compete, and it was Ariel Jackson who was second in 54.58 and Sharon Larrier third in 55.55. (SAT)
