The third staging of the Grenada Invitation took place at the Kirani James Stadium, on Saturday, April 13, 2019, featuring a galaxy of regional and international stars. The meet commenced with the men's 110m hurdles, in which the Jamaican Andrew Riley, won in 13.49s, ahead of Gregmar Swift, and compatriot, Orlando Bennett in 13.66s and 13.96s, respectively, in a +1.0 m/s wind speed.
1 157 ANDREW RILEY JAM M 13.49
2 107 GREGMAR SWIFT 13.66
3 139 ORLANDO BENNETT JAM 13.96
The next event on schedule was the female 100m hurdles, which was won by Evonne Britton of the USA, in 12.81s. Megan Simmonds of Jamaica was second, in 12.93s, and ahead of Nia Ali of the USA, in 12.99s. The wind speed was +1.9 m/s.
1 220 EVONNE BRITTON USA 12.81
2 231 MEGAN SIMMONDS JAM 12.93
3 184 NIA ALI USA 12.99
Miguel Francis takes Men’s 200m race
The men's 200m A race was the main attraction of the meet, and showcased several talented athletes in Justin Gatlin, and rising sensations, Andre De Grasse, Miguel Francis and Akeem Bloomfield, all sub-20s runners over the distance.
The race ended somewhat in an anticlimax, as Bloomfield did not finish the race, and Gatlin crossed the line, hurt.
Miguel Francis of Great Britain was the eventual winner, in a meet record, and smart 20.16s, while Andre De Grasse was second, in 20.20s. Kyle Greaux of Trinidad and Tobago, was third, in 20.51s. The wind speed was +1.0 m/s.
1 181 MIGUEL FRANCIS GBR M 20.16
2 112 ANDRE DE GRASSE CAN M 20.20
3 172 KYLE GREAUX TTO 20.51
4 113 BRANDON RODNEY CAN 20.63
5 205 TRENTAVIS FRIDAY USA 20.81
6 159 TYQUENDO TRACEY JAM 21.13
7 206 JUSTIN GATLIN USA 22.16
8 141 AKEEM BLOOMFIELD JAM DNF
Belcher and Gaither took the other ½ lap events
The American, Christopher Belcher, returned in the men's 200m B race, to take top honours, posting 20.42s. Former Munro College standout, Delano Williams of Great Britain, was a close second, in 20.49s, while Johnathan Farinha of Trinidad and Tobago, was third, in 20.73s. The wind speed was +1.9s.
1 201 CHRISTOPHER BLECHER USA M 20.42
2 183 DELANO WILLIAMS GBR 20.49
3 120 JONATHAN FARINHA TTO 20.73
4 151 CHADRIC HINDS JAM 20.76
5 170 NATHAN FARINHA TTO 21.39
6 169 EMMANUEL CALLENDER TTO 21.67
The women's 200m final was won by the Bahamian, Tynia Gaither, in a modest 23.07s. Anastasia Leroy of Jamaica, was second, in 23.22s, while Marliedy Paulino of Dominica, was third, in 23.29s. Of note, former Olympic 100m silver medalist, Sherone Simpson, was fifth, in 23.48s. The wind speed was + 0.1 m/s.
1 101 TYNIA GAITHER BAH 23.07
2 129 ANASTASIA LEROY JAM 23.22
3 114 MARLIEDY PAULINO DOM 23.29
4 186 DEZEREA BRYANT USA 23.37
5 131 SHERONE SIMPSON JAM 23.48
6 168 KAI SELVON TTO 23.88
167 SEMOY HACKETT TTO DNF
197 JENEBA TARMOH USA DNS
Fraser-Pryce victorious in Women’s 100m
In what could be considered an average lineup, the two-time Olympic 100m champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, posted a modest 11.20s, to easily win the women's 100m, in a meet record. Jonielle Smith, also of Jamaica, came second, in 11.35s. And, Aliyah Brown of the USA, was third, in 11.46s. The wind speed was +0.6 m/s.
1 128 SHELLY-ANN FRASER-PRICE JAM MR 11.20
2 132 JONIELLE SMITH JAM 11.35
3 185 ALIYAH BROWN USA 11.46
Adam Gemili of Great Britain won the men's100m A race, in 10.11s, to edge out Aaron Brown of Canada and Christopher Belcher of the USA, who posted 10.13s and 10.14s, respectively. The wind speed was +0.4 m/s.
1 225 ADAM GEMILI GBR 10.11
2 111 AARON BROWN CAN 10.13
3 218 CHRISTOPHER BELCHER USA 10.14
4 211 ISIAH YOUNG USA 10.22
5 143 NESTER CARTER JAM 10.26
6 147 NIGEL ELLIS JAM 10.31
7 159 TYQUENDO TRACEY JAM 10.32
8 149 JULIEN FORTE JAM 10.35
The men's 100m B race was won by Emmanuel Archibald of Guyana, in 10.33s. The Jamaican compatriots of Jevaughn Minzie and Shivnarine Smalling, were second and third, in 10.35s and 10.42s, respectively.
1 217 EMANUEL ARCHIBALD GUY 10.33
2 154 JEVAUGHN MINZIE JAM 10.35
3 145 SHIVNARINE SMALLING JAM 10.42
Taplin protects home turf in the 400m
Bralon Taplin of Grenada won the men's 400m A race, in 44.92s, ahead of Vernon Norwood of the USA, and Dwayne Cowan of Great Britain, who posted times of 45.43s and 46.29s, respectively. Of note, Jamaica's record holder over the distance, Rusheen McDonald, was fourth in 46.35s.
1 118 BRALON TAPLIN GRN 44.92
2 208 VERNON NORWOOD USA 45.43
3 180 DWAYNE COWAN GBR 46.29
4 153 RUSHEEN MCDONALD JAM 46.35
5 173 ASA GUEVERA TTO 46.92
6 152 MARTIN MANLEY JAM 47.26
7 115 MITCHELL DAVIS DOM 47.52
Deon Lendore of Trinidad and Tobago, posted 46.05s, to win the men's 400m B race. Michael Berry of the USA, was second, in 46.38, while Trinidad and Tobago's seasoned campaigner, Renny Quow, was third, in 46.93.
1 175 DEON LENDORE TTO 46.05
2 200 MICHAEL BERRY USA 46.38
3 176 RENNY QUOW TTO 46.93
4 142 ANTHONY CARPENTER JAM 46.97
5 121 WINSTON GEORGE GUY 47.27
Christine Day of Jamaica was the highlight of the women's 400m final, winning in a respectable 52.48s, and stepping away from Jade Stepter, who posted 52.85s. Travia Jones of Canada rounded out the top three, in a time of 53.90s.
1 126 CHRISTINE DAY JAM 52.48
2 196 JADE STEPTER USA 52.85
3 226 TRAVIA JONES CAN 53.90
4 228 CARLINE MUIR CAN 54.13
5 125 VERONE CHAMBERS JAM 55.01
6 133 KALIESE SPENCER JAM 57.11
105 ANTONIQUE STRATCHAN BAH DNF
The French woman, Cynthia Anais, ran a meet record of 2:01:96, to win the Women's 800m. And, this she did, to finish ahead of Great Britain's Hannah Segrave, and Barbados' Sade Sealy, who finished in times of 2:03:24 and 2:03:79, respectively.
1 116 CYNTHIA ANAIS FRA M 2:01.96
2 194 HANNAH SEGRAVE GBR 2:03.24
3 102 SADE SEALY BAR 2:03.79
4 166 ALAINA BROOKS TTO 2:04.86
5 191 HEATHER MCLEAN USA 2:05.55
6 188 KIMBERLY FICENEC USA 2:12.43
7 117 KENISHA PASCAL GRN 2:15.75
193 LAURA ROESLER USA DNS
Haye-Smith and Gibson win 400m hurdles
The women's 400m hurdles final, was won by Yanique Haye-Smith of the Turks and Caicos Island, in 55.65s. Cassandra Tate of the USA was second, in 55.89s. And, Sparkle McKnight of Trinidad and Tobago was third, in 56.07s. These highlighted the top three performances, in this event.
1 178 YANIQUE HAYE-SMITH TKS 55.65
2 198 CASSANDRA TATE USA 55.89
3 144 SPARKLE MCKNIGHT TTO 56.07
4 135 NIKITA TRACEY JAM 56.10
5 103 KATRINA SEYMOUR BAH 56.96
Jeffrey Gibson of the Bahamas, won the men's 400m Hurdles, in 50.17s, while Quincy Downing of the USA, secured the second spot, in 50.31s. Third went to Javaran Gallimore of Jamaica, in 50.69s. Interestingly, none of the athletes dipped below the 50s mark.
1 179 JEFFREY GIBSON BAH 50.17
2 203 QUINCY DOWNING USA 50.31
3 106 JAVARN GALLIMORE JAM 50.69
4 204 JOHNNY DUTCH USA 50.72
5 187 ROMELL LEWIS JAM 51.47
6 162 JAUAVNEY JAMES JAM 54.31
7 174 JAMEEL JOSEPH TTO 59.81
8 212 DARREN MOODOO GRN DNF
Smikle sets meet record in Discus
In the men's Discus, Travis Smikle of Jamaica, threw a creditable 64.55m to take top honours, and in the process, set a new meet record. Rodney Brown of the USA, with 61.61m, finished second, while Basil Bingham, also of Jamaica, finished third, with 59.91m.
1 158 TRAVIS SMIKLE JAM M 64.55m
2 202 RODNEY BROWN USA M 61.61m
3 140 BASIL BINGHAM JAM M 59.91m
210 JARED SCHUMMER USA DNS
The men's long Jump was won by the Jamaican, Tajay Gayle, in 8.20m, while Emanuel Archibald of Guyana was second, in 8.05m, and ahead of the Trinidadian, Anduwulle Wright, who cut the sands in 8.00m dead.
1 150 TAJAY GAYLE JAM M 8.20m
2 217 EMANUEL ARCHIBALD GUY M 8.05M
3 177 ANDUWULLE WRIGHT TTO 8.00m
The women's high Jump was won by Amina Smith of the USA, in 1.88m. Marusa Cernful of Slovenia, took the second spot, in 1 85m. And, Priscilla Frederick of Antigua was third in a similar 1.85m, having cleared the height with more attempts than Cernful.
1 195 AMINA SMITH USA 1.88m
2 164 MARUSA CERNFUL SLO 1.85m
3 189 PRISCILLA FREDERICK ANT 1.85m
Top Performances
Overall, the meet delivered reasonable performances, and should be viewed as part of the early preparations for the "Diamond League", and for the World Championship, later in Qatar.
For me, the top performances of the meet, were as follow:
158 TRAVIS SMIKLE JAM M 64.55m
181 MIGUEL FRANCIS GBR M 20.16
118 BRALON TAPLIN GRN 44.92
225 ADAM GIMILI GBR 10.11
Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)
Sports Writer
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