KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaicans Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Rasheed Dwyer and Hansle Parchment were the only Caribbean winners on a night when Americans Francena McCorory and Christian Cantwell produced two world-leading marks at the Jamaica International Invitational meet here Saturday.
Triple World champion Fraser-Pryce, the headliner at the event, won the women’s 200 metres in 22.53, supported by a head wind of +0.2 m/s.
Fraser-Pryce, who was challenged off the curve but pulled away on the straight to take a comfortable victory, beat Americans Kimberlyn Duncan (22.61) and Jeneba Tarmoh (22.69) into second and third respectively. Jamaican Anneisha McLaughlin was fourth in 22.72.
“Tonight was just to see where I am. I am happy that I ended healthy and I’m now looking forward to my next race,” said Fraser-Pryce who runs the opening Diamond League meet in Doha next week.
In the men’s half lap event, Dwyer won a close race in 20.53 over USA’s world bronze medallist Curtis Mitchell (20.54) and Jamaican Jason Livermore (20.55).
Parchment, meanwhile, scored another sprint hurdles win in 13.42 seconds (-2.2 m/s wind) over American Ryan Wilson in 13.45 and Andrew Riley, also of Jamaica, in 13.56.
On the windy night of the IAAF World Challenge meet, Cantwell’s mark of 21.85m came in the men’s shot put. The event proved competitive with Jamaican Odain Richards setting a personal best of 21.11m, and USA’s Kurt Roberts throwing 21.07m.
“This meet is getting harder and harder. We had three guys over 21 metres,” said Cantwell.
In the women’s 400m, American World Indoor champion McCorory dismissed a field including Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross, to win in 50.24.
Jamaican Stephenie McPherson, who challenged in the straight, finished second in 50.58 with Jamaican Novlene Williams-Mills third in 50.90 and hurdler Kaliese Spencer, fourth in 51.22. Richards-Ross was some way back in 51.62.
Apart from Cantwell’s mark, there were two other meet records in the 3000m with European winner Terzic Amela of Serbia winning in 9:41.12 and Kylie Hutson capturing the pole vault with a measurement of 4.50m.
Meanwhile, visitors to the nation’s sprint factory, Justin Gatlin and Blessing Okagbare, emerged as the 100m winners.
