Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor - Sport
Jamaica's Usain Bolt is the centre of attraction after winning the men's 200m in 20.14 seconds at last Saturday night's Jamaica International Invitational meet at the National Stadium. - PHOTOS BY IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE QUALITY performance on the track, an astonishing early season national record 9.84 seconds, came from world number one Asafa Powell in the 100 metres, but the man who really brought the house down at Saturday night's second Jamaica International Invitational meet was Usain Bolt.
Ever since last year's disappointing Athens Olympics the big question hanging over Bolt has been whether he can repeat his heroics of the 2002 World Junior Championships, and last year's CARIFTA Games which saw him running a fantastic World Junior record 19.93 over 200m.
On Saturday night at the National Stadium, in a meet appropriately dubbed 'Athens Recreated' and featuring many of the medallists from last year's Games, Bolt showed in no uncertain terms that he was back to his best.
He raced past his rivals, clocking an impressive 20.14 seconds in the 200m, and ran into the arms of his adoring fans in the south-western section of the bleachers. They lapped him up with open arms and gave him the loudest cheers of all. For them the prodigal son had returned after a brief sojourn in the wilderness.
Bolt was back. He ran a beautiful curve and came in the straight well ahead of his rivals. They looked set to challenge 70 metres out but the tall long-striding teenager, with the ease of a Formula One racing car, hit overdrive and even had time to salute his grandstand fans in the last 10 metres as he streaked to victory.
He left in his wake Leo Bookman of the United States who was second in 20.34, American Olympic sprint relay silver medallist Coby Miller, 20.51, and compatriot Chris Williams, a 2001 World Championships silver medallist, fourth in 20.65.
CLEAR WARNING
Earlier, Powell, a 2004 Olympics finalist in both the 100m and 200m, sent a clear warning to his world rivals that he will be a stronger force in 2005 with an outstanding world-leading time in the men's 100m.
Powell simply outclassed his rivals to lower his own national mark of 9.87 down to 9.84. His time was the joint third-fastest ever. Canada's Jamaica-born Donovan Bailey and Bruny Surin have also clocked 9.84. Americans Maurice Greene, 9.79, and world record holder Tim Montgomery, 9.78, are the only athletes who have run faster.
Jamaicans occupied second and third spots in the men's 100m. Dwight Thomas, who is coached by Jamaica-born Trevor Graham, the same man who is charting the career of Olympic champion Justin Gatlin, was second in 10.05, Michael Frater took third in 10.09.
Trinidad & Tobago's 2003 World Championships silver medallist Darrel Brown was fourth in 10.12 ahead of Great Britain's Mark Lewis-Francis, 10.13.
TOP BILLING
Double Olympic gold medallist Veronica Campbell was given top billing leading up to the meet and she did not disappoint.
The Athens 200m champion brought the curtain down with her usual smooth sprinting in the half-lap event, crossing the line in 22.53, beating Americans Muna Lee, 23.02 and Lashauntea Moore, 23.25. Sherika Williams, also of Jamaica, was fourth in 23.38 while Beverly McDonald placed fifth in 23.47.
Local-based Sherone Simpson, another of Jamaica's fast-rising female sprinters, streaked to victory in the women's 100m.
Simpson, 11.03, was out early and repelled the twin challenges of fellow Jamaican Aleen Bailey, 11.07, and American Olympic silver medallist Lauryn Williams, 11.08.
American athletes took the 400m events.
Teenager LaShaun Merritt clocked a personal best world-leading 44.66 in the men's event, just edging out his compatriot Andrew Rock, 44.75. Jamaica's pair of Sanjay Ayre, 45.26, and Michael Blackwood, 45.32, were third and fourth respectively.
Jamaica-born American Sanya Richards became the first woman this year to go under 50 seconds, winning her event in 49.96. Monique Hennagan, also of the United States, was second in 50.83.
FEELING HER WAY BACK
Jamaica's national record holder, Lorraine Fenton, back after a year's absence because of injury, was clearly just feeling her way back but she beat the island's top one-lap runners of the past year in placing third in 51.78. Novlene Williams, the island's best 400m runner at last year's Olympics, was fourth in 52.07.
United States-based Kenia Sinclair, Jamaica's best 800m runner this year, ran away with the two-lap event. She took charge 250 metres out and went further and further away to cross the line in a world-leading 2:00.05. American Hazel Clark, 2:01.17 was second.
The women's 100m hurdles was expected to be the most competitive of the meet and it provided some thrills.
Canada's 2003 world champion Perdita Felicien, 12.67, came with a terrific late run from lane six to snatch victory from Jamaica's Olympic finalist Lacena Golding-Clarke, 12.72, and Delloreen Ennis-London, 12.78.
TOO STRONG
Sportsman of the year and Olympic silver medallist Danny McFarlane had his usual less than smooth trip in the 400m hurdles but was still too strong for Americans Ricky Harris and LaBronze Garrett. McFarlane clocked 49.01, Harris, 49.21, and Garrett, 49.55.
Other Jamaican winners at the meet were James Beckford, who took the long jump with a leap of 7.95m, and Trecia Smith who cleared 14.33m to win the women's triple jump.
Selected results from last Saturday's second Jamaica International Invitational meet at the National Stadium:
MEN
100m: 1. Asafa Powell (Ja) 9.84 (National record) 2. Dwight Thomas (Ja) 10.05, 3. Michael Frater (Ja) 10.09, 4. Darrel Brown (T&T) 10.12, 5. Mark Lewis-Francis (Brit), 6. Coby Miller (USA) 10.16.
200m: 1. Usain Bolt (Ja) 20.14, 2. Leo Bookman (USA) 20.34, 3. Coby Miller (USA) 20.51, 4. Chris Williams (Ja) 20.65, 5. Ainsley Waugh (Ja) 20.83, 6. Jimmy Hackley (USA) 20.83.
400m: 1. LaShaun Merrit (USA) 44.66, 2. Andrew Rock (USA) 44.75, 3. Sanjay Ayre (Ja) 45.26, 4. Michael Blackwood (Ja) 45.32, 5. Davian Clarke (Ja) 45.34, 6. Brandon Simpson (Ja) 45.76.
800m: 1. Benjamin Kiprurui (Ken) 1:46.86, 2. Bernard Lagat (USA) 1:47.07, 3. Derrick Peterson (USA) 1:47.44, 4. Elliott Blount (USA) 1:48.17, 5. Evon Allen (Ja) 1:48.29, 6. Simon Kimata (Ken) 1:48.82.
1500m: 1. Charles Gruber (USA) 3:41.70, 2. Eliud (Kenya) 3:42.29, 3. James Thei (USA) 3:44.69, 4. Dan Wilson (USA) 3:49.43, 5. Andre Drummond (Ja) 3:56.94, 6. Lawrence Mendez (Ja) 4:04.15.
110m hurdles: 1. David Payne (Ja) 13.41, 2. Aubrey Herring (USA) 13.71, 3. Maurice Wignal (Ja) 13.79, 4. Brian Clay (USA) 14.25, 5. Chris Pinnock (Ja) 15.50.
400m hurdles: 1. Danny McFarlane (Ja) 49.01, 2. Ricky Harris (USA) 49.21, 3. LaBronze Garrett (USA) 49.55, 4. Fred Sharpe (USA) 49.74), 5. Dinsdale Morgan (Ja) 50.24.
Long jump: 1. James Beckford (Ja) 7.95m, 2. Walter Davis (USA) 7.92m, 3. John Moffit (USA) 7.90m, 4. Tony Allmond (USA) 7.85m, 5. Brian Clay (USA) 7.71m, 6. Brian Johnson (USA) 7.58m.
High jump: 1. Adam Shrunk (USA) 2.28m, 2. Jamie Neito (USA) 2.20m, 3. Terrence Woods (USA) 2.20m, 4. Matt Hemmingway (USA) 2.20m, 5. Claston Bernard (Ja) 2.10m, 6. Brian Clay (USA) 1.95m.
100m Masters: 1. Maynard McIntosh (Ja) 11.95, 2. Cleston Morgan (Ja) 12.28, 3. Chris Wiles (Ja) 12.43.
WOMEN
100m: 1. Sherone Simpson (Ja) 11.03, 2. Aleen Bailey (Ja) 11.07, 3. Lauryn Williams (USA) 11.08, 4. Muna Lee (USA) 11.30, 5. Inger Miller (USA) 11.46, 6. Wyllesheia Myrick (USA) 11.56.
200m: 1. Veronica Campbell 22.53, 2. Muna Lee (USA) 23.02, 3. Lashauntea Moore (USA) 23.25, 4. Sherika Williams (Ja) 23.38, 5. Beverely McDonald (Ja) 23.47, 6. Connie Moore (USA) 23.67.
400m: 1. Sanya Richards (USA) 49.96, 2. Monique Hennagan (USA) 50.83, 3. Lorraine Fenton (Ja) 51.78, 4. Novlene Williams (Ja) 52.07, 5. Sandie Richards 52.07, 6. Moya Thompson 52.23.
800m: 1. Kenia Sinclair (Ja) 2:00.05, 2. Hazel Clarke (USA) 2:01,17, 3. Marian Burnett (Guy) 2:02.13, 4. Mardrea Hyman (Ja) 2:02.63, 5. Kameisha Bennett (USA) 2:02.90, 6. Kayon Thompson (Ja) 2:06.35.
100m hurdles: 1. Perdita Felicien (Can) 12.67, 2. Lacena Golding-Clarke 12.72, 3. Delloreen Ennis-London (Ja) 12.78, 4. Michelle Freeman (Ja) 12.84, 5. Joanna Hayes (USA) 12.88, 6. Vonette Dixon (Ja) 13.19.
Triple Jump: 1. Trecia Smith (Ja) 14.33m, 2. Yamile Aldama (Sudan) 14.15m, 3. Suzette Lee (Ja) 13.89m, 4. Taneeisha Scanlon (Ire) 13.23m, 5. Rosalie Retel (Fra) 12.47. High schools
Girls
4x100m: 1. Holmwood 44.58, 2. Manchester 46.03, 3. St. Andrew High 46.56, 4. St. Elizabeth 49.73.
4x400m: 1. Holmwood 3:36.33, 2. Edwin Allen 3:38.81, 3. Queen's 3:43.61, 4. Manchester High 3:46.63. 5. Vere 3:53.82.
Boys
4x100m: 1. Calabar 40.90, 2. Wolmer's 41.08, 3. KC 41.41, 4. Munro 41.77, 5. Camperdown 41.82, 6. Manchester 42.32.
4x400m: 1. St. Jago 3:14.43, 2. Ardenne 3:15.69, 3. KC 3:16.16, 4. Manchester 3:17.53, 5. JC 3:18.16.
