Olympic 200m quarter-finalist LaVerne Jones-Ferrete of the US Virgin Islands was the top Caribbean performer winning the sprint double. Jones-Ferrete clocked 22.76secs to win the 200m ahead of American Ebonie Floyd (22.76), before posting 11.28secs into a head wind of (-1.3 m/s) to win the 100m ahead of another American Tianna 11.31.
Churandy Martina of the Netherland Antilles, who is still smarting after being disqualified from the silver medal position in the 200m at the Beijing Olympics, posted 10.19secs to win the 100m ahead of Britain’s Dwain Chambers (10.21) and Mark Jelks of the USA (10.32). Antiguan Brendan Christian won the 200m in 20.61secs ahead of Jelks 20.80 and Daniel Grueso of Colombia 20.92secs.
Jamaican quarter-miler Clora Williams as well as sprint hurdlers Lacena Golding-Clark and Andrea Bliss turned creditable performances at Saturday’s Ponce Grand Prix in Puerto Rico.
Williams clocked 52.51 seconds to place second in the 400 metres behind Cydonie Mothersill of the Cayman Island who won in 52.18secs. Tiandra Ponteen of St Kitts & Nevis finished third with 52.52.
Lacena Golding-Clarke, the 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, returned 13.05secs to place second in the 100 hurdles behind American Danielle Carruthers 12.98. Bliss continued her good early season form by posting 13.11secs for third.
Little known Jamaican Karjuan Williams returned 1:48.40 to place fourth in the 800 metres won by Jonathan Johnson of the USA (1:47.23). Jovanee Jarrett leapt 6.66 metres to place seventh in the long jump behind American Funmi Jimoh of the USA, while Lanford Spence failed to finish in the men’s 400, won by Ato Stephens of Trinidad and Tobago.
