A sparkling world-leading time of 38.43 seconds in the men’s 4x100m by a Racers team void of double sprint world record-holder Usain Bolt was a highlight on yesterday’s 35th staging of the Gibson Relays at the National Stadium.
The quartet of Antiguan Daniel Bailey, Remaldo Rose, Kenroy Anderson, and Yohan Blake on anchor won the event, erasing the 38.56 seconds set by an MVP team which included Asafa Powell, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter at the Milo Western Relays a month ago. MVP were disqualified after false-starting.
Minutes after the race, Bailey said they were pleased with their showing, telling the Sunday Observer, “We’re satisfied, anything under 38.40 without our best team is good.”
Up to press time last night, three records were set on the new blue all-weather BSW Regupol track and one equalled — in the pole vault.
Shawn Pitter in the men’s mile open, Andre Parchment in 110m hurdles and the Jamaica College Class 3 sprint relay teams accounted for the new records.
Pitter retained his mile Open title by smashing the four-year-old record of 4:11.57 held by Cuba’s Evan Allen with a 4:11.30 clocking, while UWI’s Andre Parchment set a new standard in the 110m hurdles with 14.09 seconds, faster than the 14.25 set by Markino Buckley in 2006.
His teammate Duece Carter was second in 14.11, while Herbert Morrison schoolboy Harvey Peterkin was third in 15.18.
Kingston College’s Xavier Boland equalled the record in the pole vault, clearing 4.40m as Kazuma Davis of Calabar was second in 4.20m and Devon Dobson of Akan TC third in 4.20m as well.
JC won four relays, including three of the four high school boys sprint relays — classes 2, 3 and 4 — after St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) had taken Class 1 with a command performance with the team of Ronell Deer, Andrew Fisher, Kimarley Brown and Chadick Hines running 40.37 seconds.
STETHS’ extended their unbeaten run from last year when they won the ‘Small School’ consolation finals at the Penn Relays last April, then at Milo Western Relays in April and Milo Western Champs earlier this month — the last two at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.
Defending champions St George’s College were further back in second in 41.01, with Wolmers third in 41.06.
JC took the Class 2 event in 41.93 seconds, beating last year’s winners KC, 41.96, and STETHS, 42.14.
They won Class 3 with a record 43.38, breaking the 43.42 they set last year.Calabar were second in 43.75 and Wolmer’s third in 44.26.
The Class 4 title also went to the Hope Road school, in 45.56 seconds, as St Jago was second in 46.80 and Calabar third in 46.81.
Domanique Missick took the high jump Open, beating St George’s Kemarki Absolom after both cleared 2.10m, while Jason Lewis of Wolmer’s was third in 2.05.
Earlier, Wolmer’s Ramone Bailey won the men’s long jump with 7.28m ahead of KC’s Jerome Wilson, 7.23, and STETHS’ Leron Williams, 7.18.
Source:JA.Observer
