ANTHONY FOSTER, Freelance Writer
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Trecia Smith - Asafa Powell - FILE PHOTOS
TRACK AND FIELD fans will long remember the year 2005 for Asafa Powell's world record run and Trecia Smith's historic achievement at the World Championships.
It was in the Olympic Stadium, June 14 in Athens, Greece, at the Tsiklitiria Grand Prix IAAF Super Grand Prix, that Powell rewrote the history books in the men's 100m by running a sizzling 9.77 seconds.
Powell's run eclipsed American Tim Montgomery's two-year-old mark of 9.78 seconds.
However, banned by the Court of Arbitration for the drug THG, though he never tested positive, Montgomery's mark, which was also achieved on the same track, was later wiped off the IAAF's list.
Smith leapt a world-leading and national record 15.11m to capture the women's World Champion-ships triple jump title.
In creating history by becoming the first field event athlete to win gold at a World Championships for Jamaica, Smith was the only jumper in the final to make two leaps over 15 metres, 15.11, and 15.01 after injuring herself on her first jump.
Jamaica won eight medals in Helsinki, one gold, five silver and two bronze. Only the United States (25 medals), Ethiopia (20) and Cuba (nine) won more medals than Jamaica.
Veronica Campbell ran 10.95 for silver in the women's 100m but was a major disappointment in her pet event, the 200m, finishing fourth.
Michael Frater and Delloreen Ennis-London were also individual silver medallists in the men's 100m and 100m hurdles.
Frater edged out St. Kitts and Nevis' Kim Collins (10.05 each) in the photo finish room to collect silver behind Justin Gatlin (20.04). Brigitte Foster-Hylton was clocked in 12.76, the same as Ennis-London but got bronze in the 100m hurdles.
SEASON'S BEST
The women's 4x100m quartet of Daneile Browning, Sherone Simpson, Aleen Bailey and Veronica Campbell combined for silver in a season's best 41.99.
The women's mile relay team of Shericka Williams, Novelene Williams, Ronetta Smith andLoraine Fenton crossed the line in a season best 3:23.20, also for silver.
Jamaica's second bronze came from the men's 4x400m quartet of Sanja Ayre, Brandon Simpson, Lansford Spence and Davian Clarke, who finished in a season best 2:58.07.
American-based Natalie Grant's bronze medal performance in the hammer throw at July's CAC Championships in The Bahamas was a historical achievement.
She became the first athlete to win a medal in the hammer event for the country.
Usain Bolt (20.03), Lansford Spence (45.29), Dean Griffiths (48.99), Debbie-Ann Paris, Dorian Scott (20.21) and Claston Bernard (7877) were gold medals winners in the 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles, shot put, decathlon respectively at the CAC Championships.
Scott's mark was a national record, beating his previous best of 19.46m. Olivia McKoy also won silver with a national javelin record throw of 61.10m, months after setting the previous mark of 59.87m.
NATIONAL RECORDS
Also getting national records were Mardrea Hyman (9:27.21) in the women's 3000 Metres Steeplechase, beating Koreen Hinds' 9:30.12 set a month before.
Kenia Sinclair broke two records, first by reducing the 800m indoor mark from 2:02.00 to 2:01.95 and then ran 1:58.88 to erase the outdoor of 1:59.49 previously held by Inez Turner.
At the World Youth Champion-ships in July, Natasha Ruddock led Jamaica's three-medal tally with silver in the girls' hurdles in 13.38.
Schillonie Calvert (11.44) and Latoya King (23.57 PB) captured bronze in the 100m and 200m respectively.
The Pan American Junior Championships saw Anneisha McLaughlin closing her junior career with a 23.00 seconds gold medal run in the girls' 200m.
Nickiesha Wilson (57.40) captured gold in the 400m hurdles while Latoya Greaves (13.38) and Ruddock (13.42) finished one-two in the 100m hurdles.
The World Athletics Final in Monaco produced gold for Campbell (10.92) in the 100m and silver for Chris Williams (20.91) in the 200m. Foster-Hylton (12.55) and Ennis-London (12.57) with season best times were second and third in the 100m hurdles.
In March, Jamaica won 59 medals at Carifta with double wins from Theon OConnor 800m (1:53.72) and 1500m (4:05.59), Yohan Blake 100m (11.01) and 200m (22.19) and Natoya Goule 800m (2:14.16) and 1500m (4:39.05).
Jamaica finished third in the senior women's, junior male and female section at the NACAC Cross Country Championships in Florida.
Kingston College secured their fifth straight hold on the Boys' Champs title while Holmwood girls made it three straight. KC's Alain Bailey and Manchester's Natoya Goule were champion boy and girl with triple victories.
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