A FAST-FINISHING Andrew Hinds fought off the challenge by Stephen Headley to win his fifth straight national title in the men’s 100 metres late Saturday night at the National Stadium.Regardless of what shape he is in throughout the year, Hinds is always ready to run in June and this year was no different at the City of Bridgetown National Track and Field Championships.For the first 50 metres, Hinds and Headley matched strides before the former pulled slightly ahead to finish in 10:48 seconds. Headley was second in 10:51 and Rico Tull third in 10:64.Renaldo Bailey of Pacers won the “B” final in 11:03 seconds, punching the air in triumph when he crossed the line.Shakera Reece of Quantum Leap won her second straight women’s title in 11:70 seconds, easily defeating Jade Bailey (11:84) who missed last year’s championships.
Better formReece was clearly in better form, having just ended her collegiate career by reaching the NCAA nationals and narrowly missing the cut for the 100 metre finals where she did a season’s best 11:53.After two “false starts” with the green card shown in both instances, Reece got the better start and the long-legged Bailey could not close the gap. Tameka Rawlins of Foundation Track and Field Academy fell off the pace, third in 12:13, while Jaleesia Harper of Rising Stars won the “B” final in 12:72.In the other 100s contested, Brendon Hoyte of Rising Stars won the Under-13 boys’ race in 14:02 seconds; Shirley Harper took the senior women’s race in 14:94, and the evergreen Martin Jones the men’s event in 12:34.The “A” final of the men’s 400 metres was tense from the start. Even without Wilan Louis, who has won every year since 2005, it was a stacked field with Jamil Jones, Anthonio Mascoll, Shaquille Alleyne, Jamal Marshall, Jerrad Mason, Christopher Davis, Damian McCollin and Mitchel David from Dominica.When they came out of the turn, Mason fell off the pace and finished fourth in a personal best 48:55 seconds. Jones took a slight lead and went on to win in 47:72, leaving Mascoll and Alleyne to battle for second place. Mascoll was announced second in 47:82 and Alleyne reacted with disgust when his time was called at 48-point, but he smiled and applauded when it was corrected to reflect that both had the same time.
