Jamaica’s Farquharson wins 800m at Florida meet

Kimar Farquharson was Jamaica’s only winner at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational meet in Gainsville, Florida, last Saturday.

The former Calabar High standout, competing for Texas A/M University, led a Jamaican sweep of the top three places in the 800 metres. Farquharson won in 1:46.69 while Navasky Anderson took second in 1:46.76. Terese Rhoden, competing for Clemson University, was third in 1:46.82.

Tyler Mason, a winner just over a week ago at the Miramar Invitational meet in Florida, finished fourth in the 110m hurdles in 13.47 seconds. American World champion Grant Halloway won the event in 13.10.

There were three second-place finishes for Jamaican women in field events. National high jump record holder Lamara Distin, competing for Texas A&M University, cleared 1.92 metres, the same height done by winner Elina Kulichenko, from the University of Georgia.

World Championships representative Daniel Thomas-Dodd had a heave of 18.01m in the shot put behind winner Jalani Davis of the University of Mississippi, who won with 18.48 metres.

Former Vere Technical thrower Marie Brown took second in the women’s discus with 58.31m while competing for Clemson University.

Following her brilliant indoor season, former Hydel High sprinter Brianna Lyston was off to a sensational outdoor start after winning her 200m heat in 22.46 seconds (wind 3.1 metres per second). The Louisiana State University student was the third fastest over the distance. McKenzie Long of the University of Mississippi won in 22.18, ahead of Jahmeelia Ford of South Carolina, 22.41. The athletes were helped by a positive wind of 4.1 mps.

World 100m hurdles champion Danielle Williams had a fifth-place finish in her event in 12.57 seconds. Fellow Jamaican Ackera Nugent was fourth in 12.52 as Nia Ali of the United States topped the event in 12.44.

Nickeisha Pryce, the national 400m champion, had a fourth-place finish in the one-lap event. Competing for the University of Arkansas, she stopped the clock at 50.08 seconds.

Jacious Sears of the University of Tennessee sent out an early message to her rivals in the 100m as she clocked an impressive world lead of 10.77 seconds to win the event.