T&T's Lalonde Gordon got his indoor season to a brilliant start winning the men's 200 metres in the Great Dane Classic at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, New York, USA on Saturday.
The Olympic double bronze medallist won the section one of 16 in a time of 20.97 seconds. The New York Athletic Club (NYAC) runner finished comfortably ahead of Winston George (CPTC New Balance) in 21.10 and Vykn Performance's Daniel Jamieson in 21.25.
Another local athlete Kareem Roberts also had a successful start to his season, nabbing gold in the men's high jump final with his best leap at 2.16m. The winning jump came on his third attempt at that height. Earlier, Roberts easily surpassed heights of 1.89, 1.94, 1.99, 2.04 and 2.09.
On the collegiate scene over the weekend, a number of collegiate athletes reached the podium in on both the track and field.
On Saturday at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Vulcan Invitational, held at the Birmingham Metro CrossPlex, Louisiana State University (LSU) sprinter Akanni Hislop won gold in the men's 60m, crossing the line in 6.74. It was the same time the junior student-athlete clocked in heat four of four in the qualifying round, to reach the final.
His schoolmate Xavier Mulugata, also a junior at LSU, finished in 6.95 to place 10th overall, not quick enough to reach the final as only the eight fastest finishers advanced.
Zakiya Denoon, another LSU athlete, bagged a bronze in the women's 200m final. The LSU senior sprinter placed third with a 24.04-clocking
On Friday at the same Birmingham venue, University of Alabama Portious Warren also picked up a bronze in the women's shot put event at the UAB Blazer Invitational.
The "Crimson Tide" senior best toss measured 16.69m, her fifth try. Her other marks were 16.13m in the first, she fouled the second try then went on to reach 16.21m and 16.41m in the third and fourth tries, respectively, and her last throw landed 16.18m.
Warren also competed in the weight throw finals and placed ninth with 18.17m.