MARINGA, Brazil, CMC – World and Olympic 400 metres hurdles champion Melaine Walker tasted defeat as Caribbean athletes struggled at the Grande Prêmio Caixa Maringá de Atletismo held on Sunday.
The 27-year-old Jamaican, who has been dominant in the event over the last two years, clocked a slow 55.96 seconds to finish second behind eventual winner Muizat Ajoke Odumosu of Nigeria who clocked 55.66 seconds.
Walker’s compatriot Nickiesha Wilson finished third in a time of 56.47 with Trinidad and Tobago’s Josanne Lucas fifth in 57 seconds.
The loss was Walker’s second in the space of five days in the South American nation after she finished third in a meet in Uberlândia last Wednesday, as World Championship bronze medalist Josanne Lucas conquered.
It has been a disappointing start to the season for Walker who won gold at the Beijing Olympics in a record time of 52.64 seconds and repeated the feat at last year’s World Championships in Berlin when she clocked the second fastest time in history.
Jamaican Dorian Scott gave the Caribbean their only gold medal when he captured the shot putt with a throw of 20.07 metres.
