Raymond Graham, Freelance Reporter

Dorian Scott - Contributed

The great depth in Jamaica's track and field talent was demonstrated on the weekend at the Drake Relays in the United States. The relays are held on the same weekend every year as the Penn Relays.

Former Herbert Morrison Technical athlete, Nickeisha Anderson, who has been having an excellent season so far for Kansas University and will be vying for a spot on Jamaica's 4x100 metres relay team for Beijing, was victorious in the College women's 100m. Running in a positive wind of 2.7 metres per second (mps), she won in 11.18 seconds.

The Victor 'Poppy' Thomas-coached Lincoln University also had success as the female 4x100m team, which included three Jamaicans in Jodiann Powell, Marcia Woolery and Carla Thomas, won the college event in 45.61 as Oklahoma Baptist, anchored by former Edwin Allen star Sherene Pinnock, was second in 46.13.

Second-place finishes

There were many second-place finishes for Jamaican athletes.

World Championships representative, Dorian Scott, continued his progress in the shot put as he threw 20.34 m to beat the United States' Reese Hoffa, who took third place.

Shereefa Lloyd, a member of Jamaica's silver winning 4x400m team in Osaka last year, posted 51.80 for silver in the women's 400 metres. Former national senior representative, Shellene Williams (53.62), finished fifth in this event.

Another senior representative who is hoping to make it to Beijing, Vonette Dixon, was second in her pet event, the 100 metres hurdles, in 12.94, as the United States Lolo Jones won in an impressive 12.74.

Showed improvement

Lincoln University's Wilbert Walker, the former Morant Bay High athlete, registered a 16.18m mark to claim the runner-up spot in the men's college triple jump.

Tamilee Kerr, the former Wolmer's Girl's athlete now competing for Iowa University, showed improvement in the heptathlon as she tallied 5,417 points for second, with former Alpha athlete, Peaches Roach, just behind in third with 5,412 points.

Former senior representatives Lansford Davis (46.85) and Ian Weakly (50.90) finished third in the men's 400 and 400 metres hurdles, respectively. Nebraska's Nicholas Gordon, the former Calabar High jumper, was also third as he leapt 7.52m in the long jump.

Former Ardenne star Richard Phillips, who is expected to topple many-time national champion Maurice Wignall at the National Championships this year, had a fairly good time of 13.33 for his fourth place finish in the 110 metres hurdles.