Jamaicans perform well in Switzerland

 

Germaine Mason

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Germaine Mason and Trecia Smith were the best-placed Jamaicans while Brandon Simpson and Patrick Jarrett won B races at the 30th edition of Athletissima, ( July 5) an IAAF Super Grand Prix meet in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Mason, the national high jump record holder, produced a season best 2.24m for third behind Russian Vyacheslav Voronin (2.31m) and Sweden's Olympic champion Stefan Holm (2.31m).

In the women's triple jump, Smith leapt 14.81 metres but was beaten by Russian Olympic bronze medallist Tatyana Lebedeva, who leapt a world leading 10.05m. Anna Pyatykh, also of Russia, was third with 14.88m.

Jarrett secured the top spot in the men's 100m B race, crossing the line in 10.33 seconds ahead of American Coby Miller (10.42) while Simpson, who lost his national title recently, won the B 400m in 45.26.

Simpson's time was better than that of Davian Clarke who ran 45.66 for fifth in the A race which was won by American Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner (44.96).

Dwight Thomas (10.06) and Michael Frater (10.08) were fourth and fifth in the big 100m dash, won by Frenchman Ronald Pognon in 9.99 ahead of Aziz Zakari of Ghana (10.02) and American Olympic champion Justin Gatlin (10.03).

Sherone Simpon, who ran 11.18, was beaten by a world-leading and lifetime best from Bahamian Chandra Sturrup (10.84).

Olympic silver medallist Lauryn Williams of the United States (10.91), Frenchwoman Christine Arron (10.94) and American champion Me'Lisa Barber (11.12) finished ahead of Simpson.

Lacena Golding-Clarke and Vonette Dixon got identical times of 12.67 for third and fourth in the women's 100m hurdles B race while Brigitte Foster-Hylton (12.71) and Delloreen Ennis-London (12.72) finished fourth and fifth in the A race.

American champion Michelle Perry won the event in 12.62 over her teammate, Anjanette Kirkland (12.65), and Swede Susanna Kallur (12.70).

Kenia Sinclair was fifth in the women's 800m in 2:00.63. The event was won by Cuban Zulia Calayud in 1:59.35.

Shericka Williams captured second in the 400m women's B in 51:76, a better time than those of Ronetta Smith (52.72) and Lorian Fenton (53.18) for fifth and sixth in the A event.

World-leading American Sanya Richards (49.95) beat Olympic champion and Bahamian Tonique Williams-Darling (50.14).

Maurice Wignall (13.60) closed the gate in the men's 110m hurdles which was won by Olympic champion Xiang Liu of China (13.05). American Terrence Trammell also finished in 13.05, but was given second.

Olympic silver medallist was fifth in the men's 400m hurdles in 49.80. American James Carter won in 48.47.