Sport

Easy does it! - Campbell, Bolt stroll home

G.C. Foster College-based Lanford Spance falls at the finish line in winning the men's 400m in 44.77 at yesterday's third and final day of the JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Track & Field Championshps at the National Stadium. At left is Brandon Simpson, Michael Blackwood (second left) and Davian Clarke (second right). - ricardo makyn

WORLD JUNIOR RECORD holder Usain Bolt and Olympic champion Veronica Campbell easily won last night's 200m races at the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA)/Supreme Ventures National Track & Field Championships at the National Stadium.

Both were easy crossing the line, Bolt in 20.27 and Campbell in 22.53 seconds.

Bolt, who came off the curve to thunderous applause from the grandstand crowd, powered through to win ahead of reigning World Championships silver medallist, Christopher Williams' season best 20.36 and Omar Brown, 20.49.

Comfortable

Bolt said his start wasn't the best "but I got back into my race and did what my coach said I should do".

"I am comfortable with the time," he said. "As long as its 20 seconds, I'm comfortable," he added.

Campbell, a former Vere athlete and the only woman to win the sprint double at a World Junior Championships, had control from the start and maintained her good lead before easing up at the line.

Sheri-Ann Brooks was second behind Campbell in a personal best 22.80. Bailey was third in 23.00 and Peta-Gaye Dowdie 23.17. Anneisha McLaughlin finished fifth in 23.30. Beverly McDonald finished down the track in sixth place ahead of Marcia Wollery.

Campbell said she achieved her main aim.

"It was a good race," she said. "My main aim was to go out there and do fairly well."

Fans at the National Stadium were not only treated to Bolt's run but two big upsets in the 400-metre for males and females.

Lanford Spence of G.C. Foster and Sherika Williams of University of Technology stole the show in the one-lap event.

Spence, who overtook rivals in the straight, produced a very good run in the final 100 metres to beat three Olympic finalists, Brandon Simpson, Michael Blackwood and Davian Clarke.

However, he fell at the line before he could celebrate his upset 44.77-second victory.

Simpson was second in 44.83 ahead of Blackwood (44.99) and Sanjay Ayre (44.97). Clarke, was relegated to fifth in 45.28.

In the women's equivalent, Williams, who had rivals covered down the backstretch, used her 200-metre speed to stroll to an easy victory in a personal best 50.97.

Left in wake

In becoming the fastest Jamaican over the distance this season, the slim athlete left in her wake, national champion and world championships silver medallist Lorain Fenton (51.24) and Ronetta Smith, a member of Jamaica's 4x400m bronze medal team in Athens ( 51.45), both in season- best times.

In the men's 110m hurdles, Maurice Wignall won in 13.54 ahead of Chris Pinnock ( 13.72) and DeCosma Wright (13.81).

The women's 100m hurdles went to Delloreen Ennis-London and Brigitte Foster-Hylton, who both crossed the line in 12.60 seconds, sharing the national title in a dead heat. Vonette Dixon was third in a personal best 12.67, ahead of Lacena Golding-Clarke (12.68).

National record holder James Beckford won the men's long jump with a leap of 7.91m.

The women's 800m went to national record holder Kenia Sinclair in 2:00.37 ahead of Aneita Denton (2:01.91) and World Junior bronze medallist Kayann Thompson (2:02.64). Michelle Ballentine was dethroned of her title and relegated to third in 2:03.13.

Earlier, Olivia McKay produced the only national record performance. McKay threw the javelin 60.50 metres to erase her previous mark of 59.87 set at the same venue in February.

McKay's distance could take her to Helsinki as a B standard qualifier. Tammilee Keer took the under-20 section with a throw of 41.56m.

In the high jump for women, Sheree Francis, formerly of Vere won the event in a personal best 1.89 metres but failed to make the qualifying mark to Helsinki. Karen Beautle was second with a leap of 1.86m.