Two wins for Jamaica

Asafa Powell and Mardrea Hyman

JAMAICAN ATHLETES scored two wins at the Padua track and field meet in Italy yesterday.

Davian Clarke won the men's 400m in a relatively slow 46.08 beating American Mike Kenyon 46.14 and Australia's Pat Dwyer who was third in 48.81.

Mardrea Hyman scored a rare win in the women's 800 metres clocking 2:01.60 to finish ahead of Kenya's Janeth Jepkosgei 2:01.78 and Hugary's Judit Varga 2:02.03.

Commonealth Games sprint relay silver medallist Asafa Powell was third in the men's 100m behind Americans Coby Miller 10.10 and Darvis Patton 10.14. Powell clocked 10.22.

Miller won the sprint event in loaned spikes that were too big for him, on a wet track.

Miller's own shoes were packed away in his bags that got lost between the Brussels and Venice airports. Someone loaned him a pair, but they were too big for him.

World and Olympic pole vault champion Stacy Dragila, who had announced a possible world record attempt at 4.82m, won the women's event but went no higher than 4.62m. She missed attempts at 4.72m.

The 31-year-old Californian pole vaulter, the greatest ever in the women's newest athletic event, wore the No. 82 bib as good omen, but the record attempt never materialised at the Eugeneo stadium in this northern Italian city.

Dragila said she was gradually getting used to stiffer poles which may give her a boost in upcoming meetings.

American Dwight Phillips took the men's long jump, edging world and Olympic champion Ivan Pedroso of Cuba by six centimetres.

Phillips made a winning leap of 8.36m on his second and only valid attempt.

Another U.S. win was scored by Joey Woody in the men's 400m hurdles, in 48.91.

Amer Garcia beat fellow Cuban Yoel Hernandez in the 110m hurdles, clocking 13.37 seconds.

Germany's Astrid Kumbernuss took the women's shot put at 19.43m.

Cuban-born Magdeline Martinez of Italy beat Finland's Heli Koivula in the women's triple jump with a winning measure of 14.58m.

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