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MCLEOD AND WILLIAMS- MILLS, TOP JAMAICANS AT DARKE RELAYS 2015

Drake Relays,Omar McLeod,Hansle Parchment

Photo: Omar McLeod (Getty Images)

The 2015 edition of the Drake Relays held inside the Drake Stadium – Des Moines, on April 22-26 lived up to its huge billing. A meet where several top athletes from around the world lined up against each other in events dubbed preview to Beijing, and with big bucks on offer to event winners $20,000 for 1st in track events and $10,000 for 1st in field events, several of Jamaica’s athletes were on show.

The Jamaican athletes were led by University of Arkansas star, Omar Mcleod, who won the collegiate section of the men’s 110 hurdles in a new Drake relays record of 13.21s and personal best while moving to number three in the world for 2015.

He also led his team to victory in the Men’s 4x100m Relay University in 39.78 ahead of Illinois in 40.17 and Eastern Illinois 40.45.

Chanice Porter representing Georgia University won the long jump with a mark of 6.42 m. Former St Jago athlete Todea Kay Willis, competing unattached was 9th with a mark of 5.89 m.

Lining up in a top quality 400m field which included two of America’s best, Novlene Williams-Mills ran 51.11 to finish third. She came home behind race winner Francena McCoroy who sped away to world leading 50.13 with Sanya Richards-Ross 51.09 crossing for second.

The male equivalent provide that top moment of the meet as the sensational Grenadian Olympic champion Kirani James broke Michael Johnson‘s Drake Relays 400m record on Friday night, beating rival World champion LaShawn Merritt .James clocked 44.22 seconds to erase Johnson’s mark of 44.41 from 1996.

Second place went to Yousef Ahmed Masrahi of Saudi Arabia in 44.70 seconds, and finishing third was Chris Brown of the Bahamas in 44.76 seconds. Merritt was a disappointing fifth in 45.27.

The men’s 110m Hurdles featured two Jamaicans, national recorder Hansle Parchment and Andrew Riley. Riley finished third in 13.32seconds, with Parchment ending fifth in 13.40 seconds. The race was won by indoor 60m hurdles champion Alec Harris who clocked 13.16 ahead of World champion David Oliver ( 13.19).

In the men’s 400m hurdles, Roxroy Cato (50.64 seconds) and Ansert Whyte ( 50.87 seconds) were only good enough for sixth and eighth place. The race was won by Bershawn Jackson in 48.87 seconds ahead of Olympic and World silver medalist Michael Tinsley in 49.39 seconds.

The Tracey Sisters, Nikita and Ristanana, finished at the back of the field in 58.15 seconds and 59.37 seconds respectively in the female equivalent.

Two time National high jump champion, Saniel Atkinson Grier cleared 1.80m for 6th in women’s high jump.

Other top performances over the meet came in the womens 800m where the new sensation Ajee’ Wilson, won the all American battle in a time of 2:00:03 over World bronze medalist Brenda Martinez. in 2:00.51 seconds and Phoebe Wright in 2:01.65 seconds . Fourth and fifth went to Molly Ludlow 2:01.72 seconds and Alysia Montano in 2:01.78 seconds.

The Women’s sprint hurdles provided the stadium with some thrills, as Jasmin Stowers turned back her more experienced opponents to win in a fast 12.40 seconds. Second spot went to Dawn Harper-Nelson 12.71 ahead of Kristi Castlin 12.72 and Brianna Rollins in 12.75 seconds.

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