2 months ago
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SPRINT HURDLER Ackera Nugent was Jamaica’s lone winner on day one of the Philadelphia Grand Slam, winning the 100-metre hurdles in the women’s short hurdles race group yesterday at Franklin Field.
Nugent raced to the line in 12.44 seconds, a new facility record, to amass 12 points in her quest to win her second consecutive Grand Slam title.
She finished ahead of the United States’ Tia Jones, 12.60, and Jamaican compatriot Megan Tapper, 12.66, who rounded out the event’s top three.
Danielle Williams, the final Jamaican in the race and the Kingston Grand Slam champion, was seventh in 12.84, faltering in the latter stages of the race.
The race also marked the first Grand Slam defeat for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who finished fifth in 12.70.
McLaughlin-Levrone, who was previously unbeaten in the long hurdles race group, had made the decision to move down to the shorter distances ahead of the meet.
Jamaica was also well represented in the women’s long sprints, with Nickisha Pryce clocking a season’s best 50.04 in the women’s 400 metres for second on the day.
Pryce finished behind Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino, who took the pole position in a season’s best and new facility record of 49.12.
Isabella Whittaker of the United States would round out the top three, clocking 50.16.
The US’s Kenny Bednarek and Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos extended their unbeaten streaks across the Grand Slam Track (GST) meets with wins in their respective race groups.
Bednarek crossed the line first in the men’s short sprints’ 200 metres, clocking 19.95.
He finished ahead of Zharnel Hughes of Great Britain, 20.50, and Canadian sprinter Aaron Brown, who was also credited with a 20.50 clocking.
Bryan Levell, the lone Jamaican in the field, marked his GST debut with a fifth-place finish in 20.63.
For Dos Santos, it was another 400-metre hurdles win as the Brazilian star raced home ahead of the field in 48.11.
He was closely followed by USA duo of Trevor Bassitt, 48.25, and Chris Robinson, 48.76.
Assinie Wilson of Jamaica was sixth in 49.68.
Anna Cockrell led the way in the women’s 400m hurdles in the absence of McLaughlin-Levrone, taking the win in 54.04, setting a new facility record.
Jasmine Jones was second in 54.65, with Andrenette Knight of Jamaica closing out the top three in 54.86.
Jamaican national champion Rushell Clayton marked her return as a GST racer following an injury at the Kingston Grand Slam by placing fifth in 55.14.
Action continues today with the final day of competition at the Franklin Field in line with the meet’s new two-day schedule.
The schedule of events will kick off with the men’s 400 metres at 2:41 p.m.
Today’s schedule
Men’s 400m (2:41 p.m.) - Long Hurdles
Women’s 400m (2:50 p.m.) - Long Hurdles
Women’s 800m (2:59 p.m.) - Short Distance
Men’s 100m (3:09 p.m.) - Short Hurdles
Women’s 100m (3:18 p.m.) - Short Hurdles
Men’s 3000m (3:27 p.m.) - Long Distance
Women’s 200m (3:43 p.m.) - Long Sprints
Men’s 200m (3:52 p.m.) - Long Sprints
Men’s 1500m (4:01 p.m.) - Short Distance
Women’s 100m (4:13 p.m.) - Short Sprints
Men’s 100m (4:22 p.m.) - Shorts Sprints
English (US) ·