Anthony Foster, Freelance WriterNASSAU, Bahamas: NATIONAL CHAMPION Debbie-Ann Parris-Thymes and Dean Griffiths warmed up for the World Championships with gold medal runs in the 400m hurdles finals on yesterday's opening day of the 20th Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Athletics Championships at Thomas Robinson Track & Field Stadium.
Parris-Thymes, who trailed compatriot Shevon Stoddart into the straight took over at the eighth hurdle and pulled away to win her second CAC title in 55.26.
A win is always good, always a good thing to have in your corner," a happy Parris-Thymes said. "The weather conditions are not the best, it's very windy, so I think whatever we do out here, it must be thought of as good, " she said.
Stoddart was third in 56.64, but she believes 'hitting the eighth hurdle' cost her the race.
"I felt up to it at about the eighth hurdle and then I went really high and it sort of took me out of it a little," Stoddart, who finished behind second-placed Barbadian Andrea Blackett ( 56.47), said. "Besides that, my race went well," she said.
In the men's event, Griffiths lived up to his pre-race tag to win in 48.99, a time he said he could live with.
PLEASED
"I'm pleased with it, base on the weather," he said. "I just came out and do my best, and bring back the gold for Jamaica," said Griffiths, who had the fastest semi-final time of 50.69.
Moya Thompson (53.22) and Shellene Williams (53.10 ) are into today's women's 400m final.
Claston Bernard, who hurt his right arm in the decathlon shot put, was in first position after four events, completed at press time.
Bernard won the first event, the 100m in 10.89 seconds, which gave him 885 points, and the high jump with a leap of 2.12m for another 915 points, but had to settle for third in the long jump (7.13m), shot put (13.50m) for 3343 points to lead Cuban's Albert Junanorena Junior (3277).
Bernard, who has the javelin, pole vault, hurdles, 1500m and the discus to complete today, admitted he is just using this meet as warm-up for World Championships, but is worried about his injured arm with two throwing events today.
Maurice Smith, who was listed to run in heat two, did not face the starter. He, however, did participate in the men's discus where his throw of 51.15m placed him fourth.
The Sunday Gleaner caught up with the national champion after the discus, and he explained why he did start in the men's decathlon.
Smith said the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) had given him a choice of events to participate in.
"I said (told JAAA) I will throw the discus just to get proper rest for the World Championships (August 6-14) because I have already have the A standard for the decathlon," Smith said.
He said with less than a month away to the World Championships, the decathlon would take a lot out of him now. "I think that would put some pressure on me because I think I would need more time for full recovery in order to give it my best shot at the World Championships."
