By Anthony Foster, Freelance WriterSHERONE SIMPSON continued her impressive season Saturday, equalling American World Junior Championships gold medallist Lauryn Williams' world-leading 11.01 seconds in the 100 metres at the Whitsuntide Games in St. George's, Grenada.
Simpson, a World Junior Championships relay gold medallist, who turns 20 in August, completed the sprint double with a 22.70 seconds clocking in the 200 metres.
In the 100m final, the number 48th ranked Simpson, who ran 11.61 (third fastest time) in the preliminary, returned to beat Antigua's Heather Samuel (11.49 seconds, national record), Sonia Williams of Antigua (11.78) and fellow Jamaican Jody-Ann Powell (11.84) to break the three year-old meet record of 11.30, previously held by St. Kitts/Nevis' Valma Bass.
Jamaica finished one-two in the 200m. Simpson broke the meet record of 23.70 held by Antonia Cadore of Grenada since 1999. Jenice Daley, a student at University of the West Indies (UWI) was second in 23.61.
Simpson, a former Manchester High student who led off the Jamaica's Girls' 4x100m team to a gold medal in the 2002 World Junior Champs at the National Stadium in Kingston, had earlier this year run 11.11 at February's Gibson Relays, the fastest time in the world at that time.
She also ran 11.16 at the Inter-Collegiate Championships held at G.C. Foster College in April.
The Stephen Francis-coached athlete, who is preparing for this summer's Olympic Games in Athens, was a fourth place finisher in the college women's 100m final at the Penn Relays. However, her 11.39 seconds clocking was below the 11.28, the third fastest time done in the heats.
Simpson, a student at University of Technology (Utech) has improved leaps and bounds since joining Francis' MVP camp last year. Her personal best (PR), before joining the Utech-based Francis' camp, was 11.37 done at Girls' Champs last year, which gave her second behind St. Jago's Kerron Stewart (11.34).
There were first place finishers for Winston Smith, Evan Allen and Descosmo Wright whereas Marvin Watts, Gregory Little, Karen Beautle and Kadine Geddes secured silver medals.
In the men's 100m, Smith helped by a 2.3 wind, took the event in 10.27 seconds ahead of Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles (10.35) and Dion Crabbe of BVI (10.36).
Wright, a student at G.C. Foster College topped the 110m hurdles field in 13.92 ahead of Gabreil Burnette (13.95) and Grenada's Alleyne Lett (14.15). Allen won the men's 800m in a new Games record 1:49.34 ahead of teammate Watts (1:50.14).
Geddes (6.19m) finished behind winner Elysee Vesanes of Martinique (6.46m); Beautle (1.82m) was second in the high jump behind Levorn Spencer (1.88); Little (50.59) placed behind Adam Kunkel of Canada (49.87).
