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Sunday, February 12, 2006
 

 Sinclair breaks national 800 metres record
 Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

Kenia Sinclair

KENIA SINCLAIR broke the national 800 metre record, while Veronica Campbell achieved a world-leading and personal best at Friday night's Tyson Invitational meet held at the Randal Tyson Track Complex in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Sinclair broke her own one-year-old national 800m record of 2:01.91, set in Gainsville, Florida, when she crossed the line in 2:01.81, the 13th best time this season.

Alice Schmidt, two-time NCAA champion, was second in 2:03.50.

In the women's 60m, Campbell, the World Outdoor 100m silver medallist, defeated Americans Me'Lisa Barber (7.10) and Lauryn Williams (7.16) to join Russian Mariya Bolikova on top of the list with her personal best 7.04 seconds clocking.

Despite a false start, Campbell, who ran 7.09 to beat Barber and Williams at the 99th Millrose Games last Friday in New York, said she was happy with her performance.

"I'm totally happy. It's a personal best. As long as I'm confident, I can run this well and my training has been really good," said Campbell in an interview after the race.

Michelle Freeman was the other Jamaican winner. Freeman, representing Puma, took the women's 60m hurdles in 7.89 seconds, while Melaine Walker of Texas University was fifth in a NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 8.19.

The University of Tennessee's Patricia Hall, a former Vere athlete, was also in impressive form. She was second in the women's 400m in 51.96, beaten by Tiandra Ponteen (51.16), who represented Reebok.

In the men's event, Ricardo Chambers, representing Florida State, placed second in 46.52 seconds, behind LSU's Xavier Carter (45.89). Terrence Trammell led a United States foursome across the finish line in the men's 60m dash. Trammell won in 6.56 ahead of Tyson Gay (6.56), Jason Smoots (6.58) and Shawn Crawford (6.60).

Former Boys' Champs 100m champion Omar Brown placed fourth in the men's 300m. Brown was timed in 33.20, behind Americans Wallace Spearmon (31.88), who broke the world record and pocketed a $25,000 bonus. Kerron Clement (31.94) and LaShawn Merritt (31.94) finished second and third, respectively.

Jovanee Jarrett of Auburn was fifth in the women's long jump with a leap of 6.37m while Auburn's Patrick Lee (7.22) finished 12th in the men's event.