Gordon beats Sanchez

Jehue Gordon blazed to victory in the men’s 400m hurdles on the final day of action of the 2011 Hampton Games at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, yesterday. The 2010 World Junior champion won commandingly in 48.92 seconds, leaving the two-time World champion/2004 Olympic gold medallist Felix Sanchez (Dominican Republic), 49.75 in his wake. Gordon started conservatively as his compatriot Emmanuel Mayers set a blistering pace out in lane six and was ahead up the 200m mark. The UWI St Augustine student changed gears and zoomed ahead of Sanchez, who was on his outside. On the homestretch, the national record holder pulled away to dip under the 49 second mark for the first time this season and established the fastest ever time run in the event on local soil. The time is also a season’s best for Gordon, lowering his 49.09 on May 26. Speaking after the win Gordon said he is feeling great after the victory.

Gordon gained revenge after Sanchez took silver ahead of him at last week’s CAC Championships in Puerto Rico. The five-time Carifta champion is preparing for next month’s World Track and Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea from August 27 to September 4. Janiel Bellille was seeking to match Gordon’s feat in the women’s event but the Neon Trackers hurdler was forced into second in 56.85 by American Takecia Jameson (56.45). The race is a rematch of the 2008 World Junior Championships where Jameson took the gold ahead of Bellille. Quincy Wilson set a new national men’s discus record with a throw of 58.66m. His mark replaces the 58.60m he set in winning the Palo Seco Games title in May. However, his effort was only good enough for second as Jamaican Jason Morgan took the gold in 60.81. Morgan took the CAC title in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico on July 15 with Wilson taking the bronze. Rondel Liverpool (T&TDF) was the best in the field in the men’s high Jump (1.85m) with Dover’s Dwaine Herbert taking the men’s long jump 7.35m (+3.0). Cleveland Forde (Guyana) ran away with the men’s 5000m (14:51:19) with T&T’s Kendis Bullard in a distant second (16:10:82).

Robert Novak, Ashton Gill and Aaliyah Telesford secured double wins. Novak of the USA followed up his 1,500m win on Saturday by taking the men’s 800m in 1:48:61 with T&T and Neon Trackers’ Jamaal James taking the silver (1:48:67) and Sterling Paul (Neon Trackers) the bronze (1:53:72). Gill completed a 800/1500 double. The Cougars athletes raced to the boys under-17 two lap title in 2:16:83 well ahead of Joseph Allen (Running Brave-Guyana) 2:25:85. Telesford (Pt Fortin New Jets) swept the girls under-17 sprints capturing the 200m in 24.75 ahead of the 400m champion Kayelle Clarke (Petrotrin Pointe A Pierre) 24.99 to add to the 100m crown on Saturday. Neon Trackers’ Ayoka Cumming was third (25.14). Aaron Armstrong failed in his bid for a sprint double. After racing to victory in the men’s International 100m dash on Saturday in a season’s best time of 10.13 the 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist was third in 200m section two in 20.93 and fifth overall. Brendan Christian of Antigua and Barbuda clocked the fastest time taking race two in 20.73 with Rondel Sorillo (20.76) in second and USA’s Antonio Sales in third (20.91).

2004 Olympic 200m champion Shawn Crawford (USA) finished eighth in 21.29. US Collegiate champion Candyce McGrone took the women’s dash in 11.18 with local sprinter Ayanna Hutchinson in second (11.53) with another American Jasmine Baldwin in third (11.60). Reyare Thomas (Neon Trackers) claimed the women’s open 100m in 11.69 while Concorde’s Shermund Allsop taking the men’s equivalent in 10.48. Natasha Hasting topped the women’s International 400m field. The American clocked 51.64 with Jamaican Patricia Hall taking the runner up spot in 52.66. Hall’s country man Oral Thompson grabbed the men’s one lap in 45.88 ahead of LaToy Williams (Bahamas) 46.18) with TT’s Jarrin Solomon (46.27) and Zwede Hewitt (46.45) behind. Da-Neil Telesford copped the men’s open 200 and 400m races. QRC’s Robert Collingwood was the victor in the men’s shot put in 16.00m with his twin brother in second in 15.17m.