Asafa Powell on his way to 19.90 for 200m in Jamaican Champs (© Sporting Eagle)
Joint World 100m record holder Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson were in top form on the final day of the Jamaican Track & Field Championships on Sunday (25) at the National Stadium.
Both athletes, Powell and Simpson secured world leading times of 19.90 and 22.00 in the men's and women's 200m events respectively.
Still fearful of injury
Powell's time equalled the world leading time Wallace Spearmon ran at the United States' Track & Field Championships in Indianapolis, also on Sunday.
In idle condition and a supporting wind of 1.3m/s behind him, Powell running out of lane seven executed very well from start to finish. He ran a very comfortable curve, but as soon as he entered the homestretch, he exploded before shutting down 10 metres inside the finish line.
After the race, Powell said he took it easy on the curve because he is still fearful of the groin injury he sustained in his last 200m at the Felix Sanchez Invitational in Santo Domingo last May.
"The groin injury I have to be watching it, so I could not run the curve hard. I had to take it easy," Powell explained.
Powell's time, the first sub-20 seconds clocking on Jamaican soil, was four hundredths of a second off the Jamaican 35-year-old record held by Olympic 200m gold medallist Donald Quarrie.
"I did not come here to break the national record, I just came to do my best," Powell who eased up 10 metres from the line, told journalists. He said easing up is "a bad habit and I will soon get rid of it," he said after beating Ricardo Williams (20.61) and Xavier Brown (20.66).
He also sent a message to his rivals. "The run was not my best, it was just another race, and you haven't seen my best yet," he warned after improving on his personal best of 20.06. "This showed that I can be the best in both events."
Simpson’s sizzling form secures sprint double
On the women's side, Simpson completed the double when she crossed the line in a world-leading and personal best 22.00 seconds.
Simpson, who beat her previous best of 22.14 seconds, now holds world leading times of 10.82 and 22.00 in both sprints.
Simpson's time, the fourth fastest by any Jamaican - behind Merlene Ottey (21.64), now a Slovenian, Grace Jackson (21.72) and Juliet Cuthbert (21.75) - came as a surprise to her - "when I saw the replay I was really surprised, because in the last five metres I was very easy. I am feeling good and I just hope I can go to Europe and perform well," added Simpson after her stadium record.
Asked if she robbed herself of a sub-22 seconds clocking, Simpson whose time is the fastest sine American Inger Miller ran 21.77 in August 1999, replied: "Yes, I did, I did … next time I won't ease up, but come Crystal Palace my aim is to go under 22 seconds.
Grenadian Hazel-Ann Regis (23.18) and Jamaica Junior Schillonie Calvert (23.26) took the minor places behind Simpson.
Foster-Hylton wins encounter
In the sprint hurdles, Commonwealth Games champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Decosmo Wright reigned supreme.
Foster-Hylton won the women's 100m Hurdles event in 12.74 seconds, ahead of Lacena-Golding (12.90) and Vonette Dixon (12.94).
Foster-Hylton had mixed feeling after the event. "A win is a win and I have to be happy for that, but I am not happy with the time," she said. However, "12.6 would be satisfactory, but I'm satisfied, I won the race.”
In the men's 110m Hurdles, Wright raced to a personal best 13.58, beating Eric Keddo ( 13.80) and Gerald Waugh (13.99).
First 400m titles
The men’s and women’s 400m finals respectively went to Novlene Williams and Ricardo Chambers, both securing their first national titles.
Chambers won the men's event in 45.13, ahead Jermaine Gonzales (45.49) and Sanjay Ayre (45.88) and he was happy for his first national title.
"I am satisfied with the win … I think I would have run faster, but I didn't get out hard as I usual did, but I am satisfied with what I did today," said Chambers, the NCAA silver medallist.
Gonzales, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, was also pleased with his second place, but not with the time. "The only disappointment is that I didn't run faster. I am not disappointed that I loss, because Ricardo Chambers is a good athlete and he is really running well …."
In the women's event, Novlene Williams ran 50.24 seconds to dethrone Shericka Williams (50.57) of her national title. Jamaican Junior, Sonita Sutherland, the World Junior bronze medallist was third in 51.37.
Williams, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, was pleased with her performance. "It was an excellent run, I can't complain," she said.
Her main rival, Shericka Williams, said she tightened in the straight. "I did not relax and drive my hands as I should, but I know I will work on that for my next race.”
Double victories for Sinclair and Talbert too
World Indoor silver medallist, Kenia Sinclair, and Wainard Talbert, like Simpson completed double victories at these championships.
Sinclair, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist, won Sunday's women’s 800m title in 2:00.91 seconds, to add to her 1500m (4:19.70), while Talbert took the 10,000m in 31:25.47 to add to his 5000m (15:27.57).
After the race, Sinclair said, "I wanted to go out there, take the lead and run as comfortable as possible, and that's exactly what I did."
Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Championships bronze medallist, Natalie Grant, won the women's Hammer Throw with 58.10m.
In the women's High Jump, Karen Beautle leapt 1.85m to beat Michelle Williamson (1.70m).
Anthony Foster for the IAAF
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