Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU: ONE RECORD was established and five others broken in the 'flat' or individual events at yesterday's 27th staging of the Milo Western Relays, held at the Catherine Hall Sports Complex in Montego Bay.
The meet got off to a fast start with six of the first winners erasing records that were set last year when electronic timing system was introduced for the first time.
Gleaner Youthlink awardee Kay-Ann Thompson ran an easy 4:38.45 seconds to take the women's 1,500m Open to establish the record for that event, as Manchester High's Natoya Goule was second in 4:46.39, and Merecia James, of G.C. Foster, third in 4:59.13.
WINDALCO'S Sean Pitter handed Wainard Talbert his first loss in the 3000m Open event in three years, as he won in a new meet record time of 8:57.19. Talbert was second in 8:55.56, with Lamar Edwards third.
Both records in the 400m hurdles went to Kimani Williams of UTech/MVP, and Shereen Pinnock of Edwin Allen in the men's and women's events respectively. The event is the second leg of a four-part Grand Prix series.
Williams won the second heat in a quick 53.55 to beat the time of 59.10 established by Herbert Morrison's Lorne Campbell, while Pinnock easily outclassed the women's field in 1:00.09.
HAPPY WITH WIN
While she was happy with the win, Pinnock, who also won the event at the Youngster-Goldsmith meet at Kingston College last week, said she had hoped to run faster on the Mondo track, after running just over 1:01.00 last week on grass. Pinnock's time was faster than the 1:02.66 set last year by Trishana McGowan of St Andrew High.
MoBay Comets' Waddell Thompson won the men's 100m in a smart 10.26, beating Carl Barrett's 10.5 from last year, his third win in the event, but first in five years.
Olympian Jermaine Gonzales won the 400m for men in 47.18, just outside the 47.10 set by his High Performance Training Centre teammate Simon Pierre last year.
Gonzales, who made his first appearance of the season yesterday, said he was late in arriving at the venue and had to rush his warm-up routine, but was pleased nonetheless.
Mt. Alvernia High Class Two runner Alicia Cutenar won her school's first ever flat event title at the meet when she took the women's 100m in a modest 12.25 seconds.
