Clarke, Watson electrify Camperdown Classic
ROSHAWN CLARKE, of Swept Track Club, and Antonio Watson, of Racers Track Club, treated a crowd at the Camperdown Classic inside the National Stadium yesterday to a dramatic dogfight in the invitational men’s 400 metres.
Drawn in lane five, Clarke, the World Championships 400-metre hurdles finalist, went out very hard, leaving Watson, who was tracking him from lane four with a lot of work to do.
Clarke covered his rivals very early to take the lead at the 200- metre mark, extending that lead against the slow-starting Watson, who was trying his best to get back on even terms. It was too late.
Clarke took the win in 46.05 seconds, ahead of Watson, 46.10, and Terry Thomas of Titans Track Club, third in 47.44.
Clarke was pleased with his win and season opener.
“I am very pleased with the win and season opener, as the plan was to run faster than my season opener from last year, and I did that. I am very pleased with my time, and this means a lot for me going into the remainder of the season,” said Clarke,
According to the young one-lap hurdler, beating the world champion was insignificant, saying the latter was a great runner and is world champion for a reason.
Watson, on the other hand, said he paid the price for going out too slowly.
“I did not run according to my race plan, as I got out too slow and allowed Clarke to get away from me. However, it was a good season opener and I am pleased to come out injury-free. My preparation has been going great and I expect another good season,” said Watson.
Oblique Seville, also out of Racers and a fourth-place finisher in the men’s 100 metres at last year’s World Athletics Championships won his heat in a personal best 47.44 seconds to finish fifth overall.
Kerrica Hill, Elite Performance Track Club and defending World Under-20 100-metres hurdles champion, went out like a scared hare, setting a fast pace and leaving her opponents struggling in the women’s 400 metres.
“This was my first 400 metres and it was not about time for me, it was just to work on my speed endurance and I am happy I finished the race healthy. I will just have to go back to my coach and assess the performance and see what is next for me,” said Hill.
Earlier in the day, Hydel and Calabar ruled supreme in the 4x100-metre relays, walking away with cash prizes of $50,000 for winning the Class 1 event.
Hydel won their heat in 45.76 seconds for the fastest time in girls’ Class 1, with St Jago, 45.92, second. St Catherine were third. Second- and third-place postings collected $30,000 and $20,000, respectively.
Hydel also won classes 3 and 4 and were second in Class 2.
They clocked 46.26 to finish ahead of St Jago, 46.56, and Wolmer’s Girls’ 46.91 in Class 3. In Class 4, they sped to 48.85, to finish ahead of Convent of Mercy, Alpha, 49.26, and St Jago 49.99.
St Jago won Class 11 in 46.57, ahead of Hydel, 47.32, and Immaculate Conception High, 47.36.
The Calabar quartet of Jamal Stephenson, Shaquan Gordon, Kimani Gordon and Mark Manley clocked a fast 40.69 seconds to win the Class 1 boys’ 4x100 and top prize of $50,000.
Jamaica College, 41.19, and Steer Town Academy, 41.28, took second and third.
Calabar also captured Class 2 in 41.61, ahead of Herbert Morrison Technical, 42.79, and Jamaica College, 43.01.
St Jago won Class 3 in 43.57s as Calabar, 44.41, and St Catherine High, 44.51s ended second and third, respectively.
St Catherine’s Kittania Headley looked good in her first 800 metres of the season, winning the Class 1 event in 2:12.26, ahead of Alecia Johnson of Alphansus Davis 2:16.62.
Alphansus Davis’ Alikay Reynolds won the Class 3 800 in 2 :14.48, ahead of teammate, Tabberel Williams, 2:15.66. Hydel’s Janice Dunkley won Class 2 in 2:17.30, ahead Kedreda Coombs of St. Jago 2:18.21.
Jamaica College’s (JC) Samuel Creary won the boys’ Class 2 800 metres in a personal best 1:55.93, ahead of Calabar’s Alejandro Palmer, 1:57.86, and JC’s Shemar Green, 1:58.45.
JC’s Camron Williams took Class 3 in 2:04.54, ahead of Obrian Clarke, 2:05.81 of Calabar.
Keandro Gordon of Excelsior won Class 1 in 1:55.54, ahead of the JC duo of Nellie Ambriton, 1:56.22, and Tyrone Lawson, 1:56.29.
Ferncourt High’s Rihanna Scott, competing in a negative 3.0-metre-per-second headwind, was impressive in winning the girls’ Class 4 100 metres in 12.51 seconds, ahead of Hydel”s Arrian Nelson, 12.81.
Wolmer’s Natrice East won Class 3 in 11.72, ahead of St Jago’s Adora Campbell, 11.77. Briana Campbell of St Jago won Class 2 in 11.89, ahead of Wolmer’s Tiana Marshall, 11.98.
In Class 1, Hydel’s Aalliah Baker, 11.63s, turned back the challenge of the Wolmer’s pair of Abigail Wolfe, 12.03, and Mickayla Gardener, 12.13.
Gary Card of Wolmer’s clocked 10.88 seconds to win Class 1, head of St Jago’s Raheem Pinnock, second in 10.93, with third going to Tremaine Hamilton of Clarendon College in 10.99.