AUSTIN, Texas (CMC);
JAMAICAN MELAINE Walker produced a career-best win in the
women's 400-metre hurdles and led a quartet of Jamaica winners at the Texas
Relays on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Walker, representing the University of Texas, clocked a splendid personal-best 54.87 seconds to win her event, while her Jamaican colleague Richard Phillips, St. Lucian Erma Gene Evans, and Churandy Martina, of the Netherlands Antilles also registered wins at the Mike Myers Stadium.
Walker, exhibiting a strong finish, scored her second Texas Relays 400 hurdles victory in as many seasons and became the world's second fastest in the event so far this year behind Australian Commonwealth Games champion Jana Pittman.
She was chased by American Dominique Darden (55.27) and Jamaican Nickiesha Wilson (56.93).
In the women's 100-metre hurdles, Trinidad and Tobago's Josanne Lucas ran a personal best 13.21 seconds for fourth as American Priscilla Lopes won in 12.98 ahead of Candice Davis (13.10). The versatile Walker had qualified fastest at 13.19 but did not contest the final.
Phillips, who was a semi-finalist at the Athens Olympics in 2004, won the University 110-metre hurdles in 13.71 seconds, defeating Linnie Yarbrough (13.73).
French star Ladji Doucoure won the Invitational sprint hurdles in 13.49 seconds.
Evans, a three-time CARIFTA Games medallist for St. Lucia, threw the javelin 51.80 metres to win ahead of Kayla Wilson (50.95m) and Roshunda Betts (50.10m).
Martina got a fast win in the men's 100 metres in 10.04 seconds, assisted by a 2.5 metres-per-second (mps) wind, edging American Walter Dix (10.17) who suffered an injury near the finish. Jamaican Yhann Plummer was seventh in 10.35 seconds.
In the Invitational 100-hurdles for women, Jamaican Toni-Ann D'Oyley (13.27) finished second to American Virginia Powell (12.79).
Jamaican Germaine Mason, now representing Britain, finished second in the men's high jump at 2.25 metres, the same height as the winner Andra Manson and the top four finishers.
Trinidad and Tobago-born Kerron Clement was part of the USA-White team that won the Invitational 1600-metre relay in 2:59.86, defeating Waco All Stars (3:00.04) that had Jamaican Sanjay Ayre and American Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner.
The IAAF web site reported that one timer clocked Wariner's second-leg split for the Waco team in an unofficial 43.2 seconds.
