Sada Williams, Shane Brathwaite and Akela Jones found it difficult in early season competition on Saturday at the 2023 Miramar Invitational at the Ansin Sports Complex.
Akela Jones opened her outdoor season in the women’s long jump with a mark of 6.41 (wind +2.3) metres to place fourth. This best leap came on her fifth attempt after previous distances of 6.01, 6.03 and 6.29 metres. The 2016 Rio Olympian achieved 6.40 metres on her final jump. Ruth Usoro of Nigeria won the event with a jump of 6.82 metres (wind +2.5).
Next in action was 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Shane Brathwaite who ran in lane two of the men’s 110 metres hurdles. Running in his first hurdles event of the season, Brathwaite finished fifth in a time of 13.59 seconds (wind +2.7 m/s) behind Eric Edwards of the United States of America (USA) who won the race in 13.21 seconds (wind +2.7m/s).
Sada Williams ran 23.13 seconds to finish sixth in the women’s 200 metres final. The 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist ran in lane 7 but was off the pace and finished down the pack in the race which was by USA’s Abby Steiner who triumphed in 22.23 seconds.
Tamari Davis, also of USA, finished second in a personal best time of 22.31 seconds. Williams has now completed her fourth 200 metres of the season with a season’s best time of 22.98 seconds achieved on March 25 at the MVP Velocity Fest 12 in Kingston, Jamaica.
Sha’Carri Richardson of USA won the women’s 100 metres final in 10.57 seconds (wind +4.1m/s) while Oblique Seville of Jamaica won the men’s equivalent in 9.91 seconds (wind +2.2m/s). (RW)
