Ato teaches youngsters a 100m lesson

QUADRUPLE Olympic medallist Ato Boldon yesterday showed he’s far from washed up with a scintillating victory in the 100 metres at the Sagicor National Senior Track and Field Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium at Mucurapo. The Los Angeles-based Boldon, a former world 200 metres champion pulled away from a top class field to win his pet event in 10.09 seconds as his major rival Darrel Brown pulled up after 60 metres with a suspected hamstring injury. It was an aniti-climax to what was billed as a showdown between the aging star — Boldon — against Brown, an emerging champion who was second in the event at last year’s World Championships in Paris, France.
         
And in cool weather with scarcely a breeze, Boldon got a terrific start off the blocks and gave a glimpse of his immense talent, defeating Niconnor Alexander in second in a time of 10.19 seconds. Marc Burns, another potential world beater was third in 10.25. Another highlight of yesterday’s first day of the Sagicor Championships on the Mondo track of the stadium was the national record breaking performance of Fana Ashby who won the women’s 100 metres.

Ashby clocked 11.03 to finish ahead of Pydonie Mothersill (11.15) and Ayanna Hutchinson (11.20) who came in third. Earlier in the semi-final round, Ashby clocked 11.12 second to erase the national mark of 11.2 seconds, which she repeated in the final. Also bringing the appreciable crowd to their feet was Ato Modibo who stormed to victory in the 400 metres in 45.72 seconds. In second place was Damian Barry who clocked 45.75. Third was Renny Quow (46.6). Today the spotlight will fall on the 200 metres for men and women and the relay events in which the CAC junior women’s team will come up against a representative TT team.