Mikel Thomas established a new national men's 110m hurdles record when he clocked 13.19 seconds to win the final at the Star Athletic Sprint Series Meet 2 in Monteverde, Florida on Saturday.
The two-time Olympian slashed almost two tenths of a second off the previous mark of 13.37 set by recently crown NCAA champion Wayne Davis 11 in 2012. Thomas took the top spot ahead of Jamaican veteran Dwight Thomas 13.27. In the heats, Dwight Thomas was the quickest in 13.44 with Thomas second in a windy 13.55 (+2.5). Thomas also improved on his personal best of 13.39 set on April 20.
Thomas is now ranked fifth in the world and has gone under the World Championships A standard of 13.40 yet again. Speaking after the record run, Thomas said he was thankful to God.
He said: "I didn't actually see the time. It was broadcasted over the speaker system. But I fell to my knees and praised God. It has not been an easy road but I'm glad to show the world what I already knew." He added that he was not going after times but just to run a good race. "I don't race with times in mind. I focus on execution. The heat was a warm up. It was a very controlled 13.5. I have been running that all year so finals time I just wanted to let it go and attack."
Thomas said he was not surprised at the fast time as he had confidence in his ability. "I believe in my talents. I trust God. I just need to execute, be me and put it together. I've be consistent all year."
Thomas, 25, competes for TnT Elite and is coached by Erin Tucker with Sean Roach as his manager.
meanwhile, Triple Olympic medallist Richard Thompson raced to his best time of the season when he was sixth in the men's 100m finals in 10.14, improving on his 10.68 at the Diamond League New York leg on May 25. Thompson also dipped under the World Championships A standard of 10.15 seconds.
Marc Burns was behind in 27th in 10.58(+2.5). Gabriel Mvumvure of Zimbabwe topped the field in 9.98 ahead of Barbadian Ramon Gittens and Jamaica's Ramone McKenzie who both clocked 10.02. Bahamas' Derrick Atkins (10.06) and Commonwealth and Pan Am champion Lerone Clarke of Jamaica (10.13) all got the line ahead of Thomson. The 2008 Beijing Olympic 100m silver medallist, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Friday, was third quickest in the heats in 10.24/+2.6 with Burns in 13th (10.31).
In the 200m Thomas was 11th overall in 21.06. Zwede Hewitt was 15th in 21.17. Emanuel Mayers was third in the men's 400m hurdles in 50.45 behind T&T-born American Kerron Clement (49.49) and Puerto Rican Eric Alejandro (49.88).
Star Athletic Sprint Series Meet 2
Monteverde, Florida
Sat 8 June
Men
110m Hurdles
Finals-1st Mikel Thomas (TnT Elites) 13.19/+1.2
Heats-2nd Thomas 13.55+2.5
100m
Finals-6th Richard Thompson 10.14/+1.9, 4h1, 22nd Sean Stuart 10.46/+2.5, 27th Marc Burns 10.58/+2.6
Heats-3rd Thompson 10.24/+2.6, 1h1, 13th Burns 10.31/+1.6, 3h5, 25th Stuart 10.53/+, 3h7
200m-11th Richard Thompson 21.06/+1.3, 5h1, 15th Zwede Hewitt 21.27/+2.0, 5h2, 17th Sean Stuart 21.32, 4h3
400m Hurdles-3rd Emanuel Mayers (TnT Elites) 50.45, 3h1
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