COLLEGE STATION, Texas, CMC – Guyanese Aliann Pompey and rising US Virgin Islands (USVI) star Tabarie Henry recorded handsome 400-metre victories among a plethora of Caribbean triumphs at indoor track and field meets in the USA this past weekend.
Pompey dominated at the BU Valentine meet for a personal season’s best 52.40 seconds and Henry topped his 400-metre field in 46.14 seconds at the Texas A&M Challenge meet.
Pompey, the 2002 Commonwealth Games champion, secured a runner-up finish in the 200 metres in 23.69, in addition to her 400-metre win, which she took unchallenged over Melocia Clarke (53.70) at the BU Valentine event in Boston.
Jamaican Edino Steele picked up a fine double at the BU Valentine meet, landing the men’s 200 in 21.03 seconds and the 400 in 46.54, defeating Ryker Hamilton (46.70) and Sanjay Ayre (47.02) in a Jamaican sweep.
Chantel Malone, of the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and Jamaican Natasha Ruddock joined Henry as Caribbean winners at the Texas A&M Challenge meet in College Station.
Henry, who was the 400 world-leader at 45.81 until Americans Torrin Lawrence (45.03) and Tavarius Tate (45.80) surpassed him last weekend, fought off Bryan Miller (46.47) to score his victory.
Malone ensured a Caribbean 400-metre double when she clocked 54.27 seconds to win ahead Jamaican Trudeann Clarke (54.63).
Ruddock (8.18) and Kimberly Laing (8.30) made it a Jamaica one-two finish in the women’s 60-metre hurdles.
Grenada’s teenaged sensation Kirani James clocked 20.94 for the runner-up spot in the men’s 200 behind Curtis Mitchell (20.80).
There was also a Jamaican victory at the Iowa State Classic in Iowa, where Lancford Davis clocked 47.02 to land the men’s 400 ahead of Steve Willey (47.22).
