BY RAYMOND GRAHAM, Freelance Writer

( L - R ) Nickiesha Wilson, Danny McFarlane - file photos

FOLLOWING back-to-back victories in the 100 metres hurdles, former Alpha Academy standout, Nickeisha Wilson, displayed her versatility at the LSU Tiger Invitational in Louisiana with a win in the 400 metres hurdles over the weekend.

Wilson, who was fourth in this event at last year's World Championships and who was running the event for the first time this season, posted a collegiate leading 55.83 seconds to take gold, beating her nearest rival by over four seconds.

In the men's equivalent, Wilson's teammate, Patrick Lee, formerly of Jamaica College, also took home gold by winning in 51.57 seconds.

Four other Jamaicans in Kayann Thompson, Nadia Alexander, Jason Morgan and Melissa Ogbourne were all victorious at the meet.

Thompson, the former Edwin Allen middle-distance runner who now competes for Louisiana Technical University (LSU), did 2:06.11 to win the 800 metres. Her teammate,Ogbourne, formerly of St Jago High, took a double by winning the long and triple Jumps with 5.91 and 12.34 metres, respectively.

Jamaican athletes continue to show improvement in the field events as Alexander, the St. Hugh's High alumni now competing for LSU, won the women's discus with a throw of 44.58 metres, while finishing second in the shot put with 15.83 metres.

Morgan, a member of Jamaica's team to the World Championships last year, took the gold in the men's discus with 56.84 metres.

In the men's 100 metres event, World Indoor representative Yhann Plummer had to settle for second in a wind aided 10.37 seconds. There was also a second place finish for LSU's Samantha Henry as the former Queen's School student took silver in the women's 200 metres in 23.14 seconds as Kelly Ann Baptiste took gold in 22.96 seconds.

At the John Jacobs Invitational in Oklahoma, four other Jamaicans were victorious.

Danny McFarlane, who won a silver medal at the last Olympic Games and who was a finalist at last year's World Outdoor Championships, opened his season with a win in the 400 metres hurdles as he was timed in 50.26 seconds.

World Indoor 4x400 metres relay silver medallist, Michael Blackwood, who has represented Jamaica many times in the 400 metres, was victorious in his new event, the 800 metres. Blackwood won in 1:50.11 as Oral Roberts University's Shaun Smith was third in 1:51.37 and Aldwyn Sappleton, who represented Jamaica at the World Indoor in Spain this year, was fourth in 1:52.63.

After a very successful indoor season, former Herbert Morrison Technical athlete Nickeisha Anderson started her outdoor campaign on a successful note as the Kansas University athlete won the women's 200 metres in 23.07 seconds.

Following her good second place finish behind Nickeisha Wilson at the Texas Relays in the 100 metres hurdles, former Queen's School athlete Latoya Greaves went one place better this time around. Representing Oklahoma University, Greaves won the event in a wind-aided 13.18 seconds.

Two former Calabar High athletes had to settle for silver at the meet. Sheldon Leith out of Oklahoma University was second in the men's 110 metres hurdles in 14.08 seconds while Nicholas Gordon, representing Nebraska University, took second in the long jump with 7.57 metres. He also finished third in the triple jump with 14.90 metres.

World outdoor 4x400 metres relay silver medallist, Shereefa Lloyd, took second in the 200 metres at the Sea Ray Relays in Tennessee in a wind-aided 22.76 seconds with Patricia Hall finishing fourth in 23.40 seconds.

At the Clemson Solid Orange Classics, former national sprint champion Petagaye Dowdie captured the 400 metres in 54.13 seconds.