media_artricles :: 2015

SILVER SUCCESS

Hackett, McKnight sparkle at NACAC Champs

Semoy Hackett scorched the track at the 2015 North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Senior Track and Field Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, yesterday, producing a 22.51 seconds national record run to strike silver in the women's 200 metres event.

Hackett just missed out on gold, the Trinidad and Tobago sprinter getting to the line marginally behind Kyra Jefferson, the American claiming the title in a meet record time of 22.50. The previous NACAC Seniors standard, 22.59, was established by Hackett in Saturday's qualifying round.

Hackett was also the holder of the previous T&T record, 22.55 seconds.

Another American, Dezerea Bryant got bronze in yesterday's half-lap final in 22.58.

Sparkle McKnight seized silver in the women's 400m hurdles with a personal best 55.41 seconds run. More importantly, the clocking secured a berth for the T&T hurdler at the August 22-30 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, on the eve of the qualifying deadline.

American Tiffany Williams was in dominant mood, capturing the one-lap hurdles title in 54.35 seconds--a new NACAC Senior Championship record. Bronze went to Cuban Zurian Hechavarria (55.97).

Jamaal James produced a courageous run in the men's 800m final, the T&T halfmiler returning a season's best time of one minute, 47.07 seconds to secure bronze.

Ryan Martin won in a meet record 1:45.79, forcing his fellow-American Clayton Murphy to settle for silver in 1:46.38.

T&T's Deandra Daniel earned bronze in the women's high jump with a 1.85 metres clearance. St Lucia's Levern Spencer was a cut above her rivals, going over the bar at a meet record-breaking 1.91m to capture the gold medal. Antigua and Barbuda's Priscilla Frederick (1.88m) snapped up silver.

The 4x100m relay events were originally scheduled for Saturday, but a heavy downpour forced them to be postponed. They were contested yesterday.

The T&T combination of Kamaria Durant, Reyare Thomas, Lisa Wickham and Peli Alzola combined for bronze in the women's sprint relay in 44.24 seconds. United States won in 42.24--a new NACAC Seniors record. Puerto Rico, meanwhile, clocked 43.51 to earn silver.

In the men's sprint relay, T&T's 110m hurdles champion Mikel Thomas, Kyle Greaux, Emmanuel Callender and Dan-Neil Telesford teamed up for fifth spot in 38.90 seconds.

Emanuel Mayers finished fourth in the men's 400m hurdles in 49.95 seconds. Greaux clocked 20.64 for fifth spot in the men's 200m final. In the women's 800m, Alena Brooks was seventh in 2:09.66. Hezekiel Romeo's 17.43m effort earned him seventh spot in the men's shot put.

In the men's javelin, which started on Saturday but finished yesterday, Shakiel Waithe threw 73.44m to finish fifth. And in Saturday's men's long jump, Kyron Blaise was fifth with a wind-aided 7.56m leap. His only wind-legal jump was 6.93m. Another T&T athlete, Dwaine Herbert jumped 6.84m to finish 12th.

The 4x400m events were contested after press time last night.

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