Olympic champions Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce safely navigated their way into the semi-finals of the 100m, while Clive Pullen stole the show capturing the triple jump with 16.90m and achieved the Olympic qualifying mark on day one of the Supreme Ventures Senior National Championships at the National Stadium last night.
Pullen, 21, a former Kingston College student now attending the University of Arkansas, soared to 16.90m with a wind of 1.9 mps and was the only jumper who surpassed the qualifying mark of 16.85m. Damon McLean was second with 16.46, while Wilbert Walker finished third with 16.42m.
Pullen, who punched his ticket to the Rio Olympics after improving on his personal best of 16.78m, said the distance didn’t surprise him.
Meanwhile, there was drama in the men’s 100m in which former world record holder Asafa Powell stumbled badly out of the blocks, but luckily for him, the race was called back quickly by starter Ludlow Watts. There appeared to be some issue with Powell’s block.
At the second time of asking, Powell wasn’t the best away, but recovered well and took the lead before easing down, but was relegated to third in 10.17 seconds. Jevaughn Minzie won the race in 10.15 seconds with Senoj-Jay Givans second with 10.16 seconds into a headwind of -1.1 mps.
Bolt won the final heat in 10.15 seconds, but not before the promising Julian Forte was disqualified for false-starting. It was anxious moments as Forte was drawn next to Bolt, and patrons held their breath for the outcome. Everton Clarke finished second in 10.16 just ahead of veteran Michael Frater in 10.31.
Double Olympic 100m champion Fraser-Pryce eased into the semi-final with a relaxed 11.38 clocking from heat two into a headwind of -1.3 mps. Remona Burchell was second in 11.59 with Natasha Morrison third in 11.61 seconds.
A relaxed Veronica Campbell-Brown won heat four in 11.39, while Elaine Thompson cruised into the semis clocking 11.39 into a headwind of -0.4. Simone Facey won heat two in 11.31 into a headwind of -2.1 mps ahead of Kerron Stewart with 11.44 seconds.
Action of the second day starts at 5:00 pm with the men’s pole vault final with the big races at 9pm tonight.
