INDIANAPOLIS — LSU’s Kelly Ann Baptiste won the 100 meter dash title in her home country’s national meet, while former Tiger NCAA Champion Russ Buller won the pole vault title as the AT&T USA Championships came to a close at Michael A. Carroll Stadium.
Baptiste was in a class of her own in the women’s 100m championship race. By the halfway point, she had separated herself from the field. Baptiste then cruised to the line, brushing aside a 1.6 metres per second headwind to stop the clock in 11.44 seconds. (Read the full story from the Sagicor National Open Track and Field Championships below)
Buller scored an emotional victory in the men’s pole vault. Dedicating his performance to his deceased brother, Jordan, Buller won his first USA title with a first-attempt clearance of 5.80m/19-0.25. Olympic silver medalist Toby Stevenson was second at the same height, clearing on his second attempt, and Tommy Skipper was third at 5.60m/18-4.5.
Buller was a two-time NCAA pole vault championships while at LSU.
“This past year I moved back out to the Olympic Training Center,” Buller said. “It was a big deal for me to leave my job and everything. To win a national title my first year back is just great. My whole goal is to make it to 2008. Hopefully, I can just maintain and make it to the next Olympics.”
Additionally, Lolo Jones, a three-time NCAA champion and 11-time All-American while competing for the Lady Tigers, turned in the best showing of the day, finishing fifth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.76. Recent USC graduate Virginia Powell claimed the meet title in 12.63 seconds.
Derrick Brew, a world and Olympic champion in the 4×400-meter relay, finished seventh in the men’s 400-meter final, crossing the line in 45.23 seconds. Andrew Rock captured the gold in 44.45.
In qualifying round competition, Muna Lee and Kelly Willie advanced to tomorrow’s semifinals in the men’s and women’s 200 meters, respectively.
Lee, who was coming off a fifth-place finish in the 100 meters on Friday, handily won her first round heat in 22.80 to automatically move on.
Willie was also an automatic qualifier, finishing second in his heat to 2005 World Championships silver medalist Wallace Spearmon (20.61) with a time of 20.63 seconds.
Action from the USA Championships will wrap up tomorrow afternoon.
by Kwame Laurence
Tobago
Jacey Harper and LSU’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste captured 100 metres gold on day one of the Sagicor National Open Track and Field Championships, at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago, on Saturday.
Harper regained the men’s century title he had claimed in 2003, while Zenith’s Baptiste made a successful defence of her women’s crown.
The men’s final was keenly contested, Harper and his Rebirth teammate Richard Thompson battling tenaciously for supremacy. Harper eventually prevailed, getting home in a season-best 10.25 seconds, just ahead of Thompson, who picked up silver in a personal best 10.27. Aaron Armstrong was third in 10.34.
Baptiste was in a class of her own in the women’s 100m championship race. By the halfway point, the 19-year-old Zenith sprinter had separated herself from the field. Baptiste then cruised to the line, brushing aside a 1.6 metres per second headwind to stop the clock in 11.44 seconds.
Ayanna Hutchinson secured silver in 11.75, the Phoenix athlete finishing well ahead of Zenith bronze medallist Semoy Hackett (11.93).
Another Zenith athlete, Renny Quow, topped the field in the men’s 400m. The two-time Carifta Games senior boys one-lap champion returned a time of 47.04 seconds to beat Rebirth’s Julieon Raeburn (47.32) and Darmunt David (47.49) of Falcons into second and third, respectively.
By the top of the home straight, the women’s one-lap final was a duel between Rebirth’s Nickeisha Charles and Romona Modeste of Eagles. Charles proved to be the stronger runner coming home, clocking 54.81 seconds to grab gold, ahead of Modeste (55.32) and Nikeshia Brown (55.59).
When the bell was sounded in the men’s 1,500m, Carlan Arthur, Gavyn Nero and Anthony Little John were still in contention for the top prize. On the home straight, though, it was a straight fight between Arthur and Nero.
Nero gave his all in a bid to reel in his older rival, but Arthur had enough gas left in his tank to hold off the valiant challenger, the Morvant Jets athlete winning in four minutes, 03.15 seconds. Nero earned silver in 4:03.43, and Zenith’s Little John claimed bronze in 4:05.61.
Rhonda Watkins was the class of the women’s long jump field, winning with a 6.35 metres leap. Sheron Mark was next best, picking up silver with a 5.96m jump, while third spot went to Caleigh Bacchus (5.36m).
The men’s long jump was a closer contest. US-based training partners Lejuan Simon and Chris Hercules finished first and second, respectively, Simon jumping 7.46m and Hercules 7.37m.
The Sagicor-sponsored Championships continue from 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Day 1 Results
Men’s 100m (wind: -0.3 metres per second)
1 Jacey Harper (Rebirth) 10.25 seconds
2 Richard Thompson (Rebirth) 10.27
3 Aaron Armstrong (unattached) 10.34
Women’s 100m (wind: -1.6 m/s)
1 Kelly Baptiste (Zenith) 11.44
2 Ayanna Hutchinson (Phoenix) 11.75
3 Semoy Hackett (Zenith) 11.93
Men’s 400m
1 Renny Quow (Zenith) 47.04
2 Julieon Raeburn (Rebirth) 47.32
3 Darmunt David (Falcons) 47.49
Women’s 400m
1 Nickeisha Charles (Rebirth) 54.81
2 Romona Modeste (Eagles) 55.32
3 Nickeisha Brown (Eagles) 55.59
Men’s 1,500m
1 Carlan Arthur (Morvant Jets) 4:03.15
2 Gavyn Nero (Memphis) 4:03.43
3 Anthony Little John (Zenith) 4:05.61
Women’s 1,500m
1 Pilar McShine (Success & Excellence) 4:47.80
2 Samantha Shukla (Success & Excellence) 4:53.89
3 Shermin Lasaldo (Success & Excellence) 5:03.26
Men’s 110 m hurdles (wind: -0.5 m/s)
1 Karriem Pierre (Eagles) 14.47
2 Adonnis Jones (Quantum) 14.98
3 Keal Armstrong (Falcons) 15.15
Women’s 100m hurdles (wind: -1.8 m/s)
1 Josanne Lucas (Falcons) 13.39
2 –
3 –
Men’s high jump
1 Dwayne Nicome (Burnley) 1.95m
2 Wendell Jeffery (Petrotrin Palo Seco) 1.90m
3 Mikhail Matthews (Zenith) 1.90m
Men’s long jump
1 Lejuan Simon (Memphis) 7.46m (wind: 0.0 m/s)
2 Chris Hercules (unattached) 7.37m (wind: 0.0 m/s)
3 Andre Coomes (Petrotrin Pointe-a-Pierre) 7.12m (wind: 0.0 m/s)
Women’s long jump
1 Rhonda Watkins (QRC) 6.35m (wind: 0.0 m/s)
2 Sheron Mark (QRC) 5.96m (wind: -0.4 m/s)
3 Caleigh Bacchus (Bishop Anstey) 5.36m (wind: -0.9 m/s)
Men’s shot put
1 Emmanuel Stewart (Zenith) 11.69m
2 Kesean Phillips (Zenith) 11.51m
3 Adrian Lewis (Toco TAFAC) 10.94m
Men’s javelin
1 Jeffery Williams (Zenith) 53.94m
2 Andre Andrews (Warriors) 51.63m
3 Kriston Caraballo (Toco TAFAC) 51.38m
Women’s javelin
1 Venice Frederick (Success & Excellence) 38.35m
2 Candis Edwards (Petrotrin Palo Seco) 33.71m
3 Nikita Frederick (Morvant Jets) 25.88m