Lucas hits Olympic B 400m Hurdles mark

World Championships 400m hurdles bronze medallist Josanne Lucas won the women’s 400m hurdles at the Star Athletic Invite at the National Training Centre in Clearmont, Florida, on Saturday.  Lucas crossed the line in 55.92 and got under the Olympic B qualifying standard of 56.65. The national record holder is now one of two national athletes to notch the B standard in the women’s one lap hurdles race. Janiel Bellille clocked 55.91 at the Texas Relays in March earlier this year and 55.80 in 2011. The two are set to clash at this year’s Sagicor Open Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on June 23-24 for a spot on the Olympic team for the London Games. The “A” standard for the event is 55.30. 

Lucas has already attained the B standard in the sprint hurdles (13.15) with a 13.10 clocking in Auburn, USA in April. Aleesha Barber was fifth in the finals in 13.18 seconds. 

 

Marc Burns was runner up in the men’s 100m finals in 10.19 with Rondel Sorillo taking the fourth spot (10.28). Former World Championships 100m silver medallist, Derrick Adkins (Bahamas), raced to gold in 10.09. Burns was also the second fastest in the heats in 10.32. Mickel Thomas was third in the men’s 100m hurdles finals in a Olympic A standard  time of 13.51, just 0.03 seconds off his best time of 13.48 seconds achieved at the Texas Relays. Kamaria Durant (Simplex) sped to victory in the women’s B race at the OECS Invitational Championships at the Silver Jubilee Stadium, Bird Rock, St Kitts/Nevis on Sunday. Durant crossed the line in 11.72 ahead of Sherine Wells (Grenada) 11.74 and the T&T/Concorde duo of Lisa Wickham (11.82) and Shun-Shuna Mason (11.83). Virgil Hodge (St Kitts/Nevi) took the “A” race in 11.39 ahead of another T&T/Concorde lass Ayanna Hutchinson (11.58). Janelle Redhead (Grenada) 11.78 and Aaliyah Telesford (T&T/Pt Fortin New Jets) 12.04 took the third and fourth places respectively. Durant was also second in the women’s 200m (23.54) behind Redhead. The 2008 World Junior bronze medallist won in 23.21 (Olympic B Standard).

 

Durant, Telesford, Hutchinson and Wicham joined forces to take third in the women’s 4X100m in 45.13. Hosts St Kitts/Nevis sped to the gold in 44.90 ahead of Grenada (44.95). In the men’s event, Morian Morain (Simplex) and Jonathan Holder (Concorde) missed out on medalling. In the men’s 100 ‘A’ race Morain crossed the line in fourth in 10.41 as former World Champion, Kim Collins (St Kitts/Nevis), thrilled the home crowd with a 10.09 victory (Olympic A standard) ahead of fellow Kittians Brijesh Lawrence (10.21) and Jason Rogers (10.26). In the B race Ashron Sobers (Zenith) and Le Sean Noel were both disqualified for false start violations.  Recently crowned national junior 100m champion, Holder, was kept off the podium when he placed fourth in the men’s 200m B race. Tahir Walsh (Antigua and Barbuda) 21.26, St Vincent and Grenadines pair of Courtney Bascombe (21.52) and Courtney Williams (21.60) were the top three finishers. T&T’s team of Morain, Dillon, Holder and Noel had to settle for second in the men’s 4X100m relay in 40.05 as St Kitts/Nevis A squad took the top spot in 39.74. Jamaal James raced to a new personal best of 1:46.88 in the men’s 800m as he finished fifth in the Men’s Elite section 1 race at the John Hay PA Distance Festival in West Chester, Philadelphia.