Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor - Sport
Sherone Simpson of the MVP Track Club winning the women's 400m in a world-leading 51.25 seconds at the University of Technology 50th Anniversary Track and Field Classic at the National Stadium on Saturday night. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Four world-leading times were registered at last Saturday's University of Technology (UTech) 50th anniversary Track and Field Classic at the National Stadium.
Two came in the men's and women's sprint relays while the others were produced by the MVP Track Club pair, Sherone Simpson and Nesta Carter, in the women's 400 metres and the men's 200 metres, respectively.
The meet, which attracted numerous athletes from American, Cuban, Puerto Rican and local colleges opened on a high note when in the very first event, an Asafa Powell-led MVP quartet clocked 39.22 seconds to win the men's 4x100m ahead of UTech Track Club, 39.93 and UTech, 40.01. The time bettered the previous world-best, 39.38, set by Hinds Community College in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on March 15.
Full advantage
G.C. Foster College's women took full advantage of a dropped baton by MVP to also serve up a world-best time. They clocked 44.12 to go under the 44.26 by Australia in Canberra on January 27.
Simpson showed that she is approaching her best when she displayed a great deal of determination to win the women's 400m in 51.25, beating the one-lap specialist Sonita Sutherland (51.32) and 400m hurdler Melaine Walker (51.61). The Athens Olympics sprint relay gold medallist had to dig very deep 50 metres out to thwart the twin challenges of Sutherland and Walker. Simpson's time bettered the 51.44 set by Australia's Tamsyn Lewis on February 29 in Brisbane.
Carter, a member of the MVP sprint relay team, clocked a personal best 20.38, showing excellent acceleration in the final 30 metres to beat Michael Frater (20.81) and Ghana's Seth Amoo, 20.93.
The MVP sprinter was extremely happy after his run in an event where world 100m record holder Powell was billed to compete but did not face the starter.
"It's good to know that I came out here and did my best. I am also very happy with the time because it's my personal record (PR)," Carter said.
The fastest 200m time in the world before Saturday was 20.47 by Brazil's Bruno de Barros.
One of the more exciting races of the evening was the women's 800m. Top schoolgirl, Bobby-Gaye Wilkins of Holmwood Technical, who brought the house down a week ago with a big run in the 4x400m at the annual Boys' and Girls' Championships, was at it again, this time in the 800m. Wilkins ran a well-judged race, coming from five metres behind 120m out, to beat Kaliese Spencer of MVP. The winning time was a personal best 2:04.87 for Wilkins, while Spencer clocked 2:05.84.
