Jamaicans make fast start outdoors

Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

Sherrmaine Williams, last year's junior Pan Am 100 metres hurdles gold medallist, was one of several Jamaicans who started their outdoor season on a winning note over the weekend.

Others included Danielle Jeffrey, Akino Ming, Leford Green, Natasha Ruddock and Andrea Sutherland.

Competing for NCAA Division 11 school, Johnson C. Smith University, at the Charlotte 49er Classic Meet in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, Williams took a double.

The Convent of Mercy Alpha graduate first took the 100-metre hurdles in 13.45 seconds, then copped the 200 in 24.63 seconds, running into a negative 2.2 mps wind.

Williams was upset the previous year at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 60 metres hurdles.

KC old boys

Also competing for Johnson C. Smith University were two members of last year's Kingston College winning team at the Boys' and Girls' Championships, Akino Ming and Winston Brown. Ming captured the 400 metres in 47.60 seconds, while Brown had a third-place finish in 48.42 seconds.

Another former Kingston College athlete, Green, who was a member of Jamaica's team to last year's World Championships in Berlin, won the men's 400-metre hurdles in 50.59 seconds.

At the Bulls Invitational meet in Tampa, Florida, former Immaculate Conception High sprinter, Jeffrey, representing Florida State University, captured the women's 100 in 11.71 seconds. She returned later to take second in the 200 metres in 24.20 seconds.

Several Jamaicans also produced winning form at the fifth annual Carolina Classics in Puerto Rico.

The Texas A&M pair of Ruddock and Sutherland had good wins. Competing in a negative wind of 2.1 metres per second, Ruddock clocked 13.50 seconds for victory in the women's 100-metre hurdles. Sutherland landed the 400-metre hurdles, stopping the clock at 58.42 seconds.