Burns fourth in Sacramento

SACRAMENTO: Trinidad and Tobago’s Marc Burns has placed a disappointing fourth in the 100 metres at the US National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division One Championships.

The event was won by American Mardy Scales in 10.25 seconds ahead of Pierre Brown (10.34) with Jamaican Michael Frater third in 10.35 seconds. TT’s Burns was fourth in 10.39 and Grenada’s Sean Lambert sixth in 10.43 seconds. Bahamian Leevan Sands and the Jamaican pair of Elva Goulbourne and Aileen Bailey captured gold medals on Friday night. Sands and Goulbourne landed the long jump titles for Auburn University, while Bailey topped a quality field to capture the women’s 100 metres at California State University. In the men’s long jump, Sands registered an 8.05-metre effort that edged Tony Allmond (8.02). Jamaican Aundre Edwards finished fourth at 7.90 metres.

Commonwealth champion Goulbourne became the first ever repeat winner of the NCAA women’s long jump, topping her field at 6.75 metres to maintain a strong Caribbean prominence in the event. Viktoriya Rybalko (6.53) was second, and Jamaican Cameal Rhule finished sixth at 6.35 metres. Goulbourne’s triumph completed an amazing eighth win in the event for the Caribbean in the last 13 years — following Jamaican Diane Guthrie (1991), Bahamians Jackie Edwards, Daphne Saunders and Dedra Davis from 1992 through to 1994, and Jamaican Trecia Smith (1997 and 1999). Bailey powered to an 11.18-second clocking to snatch the women’s 100-metre title, dismissing highly rated American Muna Lee (11.22), with Lauryn Williams (11.31) third, and Goulbourne eighth in 11.52 seconds.

Vincentian Natasha May-ers, the reigning NCAA 200-metre champion, is on the mend from injury and could only manage ninth in 11.58 seconds. Lambert helped the University of Tennessee win silver in the men’s 4X100-metre relay in 38.72 seconds, as Louisiana State University (LSU) sped to a stadium record win in 38.65 seconds, with Jamaican Pete Coley in their line-up. LSU also won the women’s sprint relay, in 42.55 seconds, pushing Bailey’s South Carolina (42.83) into second spot. Caribbean athletes held prominent spots in the 400-metre semi-finals. Women’s defending champion Allison Beckford, from Jamaica, won her heat in 51.13 seconds, with Grenada’s Hazel-Ann Regis second in a national record 51.44 seconds. Jamaica-born American Sanya Richards won heat two in 51.41 seconds. In the men’s semis, Jamaicans Sanjay Ayre (45.16) and Brandon Simpson (45.34) finished first and fourth respectively in semi-final two. American Mitch Potter won the first heat in 44.94 seconds.