400m hurdles sweep for Jamaica

Raymond Graham, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Andrea Sutherland and Leford Green won gold in the women's and men's 400 metres hurdles at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championships in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, last night to push Jamaica's medal tally at the meet to 13.

Claston Bernard also pocketed silver in the decathlon as Jamaica ended day two of the three-day meet with five gold, four silver and four bronze medals.

Former Edwin Allen High athlete, Sutherland, gave the country its fourth gold of the Championships when she had her best result of the season. Sutherland, who just completed her final year at Texas A&M University, took the women's hurdles in 56.75 seconds as Yolanda Osana of the Dominican Republic (57.23) and Katrina Seymour of The Bahamas (57.24) picked up the silver and bronze, respectively. Jamaica's Sheryl Morgan just missed a medal as she was fourth in 57.25 seconds.

National champion Green had an easy victory in the men's one-lap hurdles event as he won gold in 49.03 seconds to get the better of veteran Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic (49.41) and Trinidad and Tobago's Jehue Gordon who was third in 50.10. There was disappointment for the home fans as their local hero, Javier Culson, could only manage fourth in 50.27. Jamaica's other competitor in the final, Roxroy Cato, ended sixth in 50.38.

Gruelling event

Bernard, the former Commonwealth Games champion in the decathlon, gave the country its first medal of the day. He finished second in the gruelling event to pick up the silver medal with 7,299 points. Marcus Sanchez of Puerto Rico was the gold medal winner after amassing 7,397 points while Venezuela's Jonathon Davis picked up the bronze medal, placing third with 6,766 points.

In the morning session, there was preliminary action in the women's 800 metres where both Natoya Goule and Clora Williams advanced to today's final. Goule finished second in her heat in 2:05.83, behind winner Neisha Bernard Thomas of Grenada in 2:05.54 for the fastest time going into the final. Williams was also second in her heat in 2:09.58. The finals of the sprint relays were scheduled for last night.