Published On:Monday, February 08, 2010

TRACK AND FIELD

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

TESS Mullings, who was preparing to put on a spectacular show at the Club Monica Track Classic this weekend, turned in one of the more impressive performances at the 7th Star Performers Track Classic at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

Competing in her speciality in the under-20 girls 400 on Saturday, Mullings clocked one minute and 4.25 seconds to win a keenly contested race over Bahamas Speed Dynamic's Deshana Burnside (1:05.87) and Star Trackers' Devinn Cartwright (1:07.86).

In the process, Mullings also dipped under the qualifying mark of 1:05.40 for the Carifta Games that will be held in the Cayman Islands over the Easter holiday weekend.

"Coming off a year rest, I was a bit nervous because I was wondering if I still had it in me," said Mullings, who left a broad smile on the face of her Club monica coach Dianne Woodside.

"I just went out there and did what my coach told me. I put God first and I did what I had to do. It was a relief to qualify, although I just wanted to do a good time to try to get off to school. But qualifying is just great. I just hope to lower my times every time I compete."

Another Carifta qualifier on the track was Stephen Newbold of the Star Trackers in the under-17 boys 400. He ran 49.73 for a new meet record and surpassing the mark o 50.00. His nearest rival was Stephen Hepburn of the Alliance Track Club in 51.01.

"I just had to get out hard and execute on the back stretch so when I approach the home stretch, I would be ahead," Miller said. "It's just good to know that I ran that fast. I owe it to my coach David Charlton for pulling me through the race."

On the field, Lathoune Minns soared 14.61 metres or 47-feet, 1 1/4-inches to take the under-17 boys triple jump as he also went over the Carifta qualifying mark.

Minns also won the long jump with a meet record of 6.63m or 21-9 as he out-distanced his twin brother, Lathario Minns (6.29m or 20-7 23/4).

And although she had already qualified in a previous meet, Raquel Williams did it again in winning the open women's shot put with a heave of 12.61m or 41-4 1/2. The qualifying mark is 12.00m.

Two other competitors joined her in surpassing the standard as Jennie Jacques threw 12.29m or 40-4 and her College of the Bahamas' team-mate Juliann Duncanson took third with 12.20m or 40-0 1/2.

Duncanson also went over the discus qualifying mark of 33.80m with an impressive 36.26m or 118-11. Williams got second with 34.20m or 112-02 as she too went over the qualifying mark.

The meet, sponsored by Baker Concrete/Greyco Limited, featured some visiting athletes from Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Abaco, the United States, Jamaica and Barbados.

In the marquee men's 800, Barbados' Anthony Mascoll took the tape in the two lapper in 1:54.91 for a new meet record and was just one tenth of a second of the Carifta qualifying time.

Cerio Rolle of the Alliance Track Club took second in 1:5.72 as he out-sprinted race favourite James Audley Carey, who had to settle for third in 1:57.78.

Earlier in the meet, Carey, representing the Star Trackers, easily won the men's 1,500 in 4:13.75. His nearest rival was Golden Eagles' Kingsley Cajuste in 4:20.92.

Patrick Bodie of the Star Trackers was a double winner in the men's 110 hurdles in 15.95 and the 400 hurdles in 56.43. Elvardo Carey of the RC Athletics took the men's shot put (13.54m or 44-5 1/4) and the discus (35.90m or 117-09).

American Ebony Morrison got second in the open women's long jump with a leap of 5.34m or 17-6 1/4. Winning the event was Club Monica's V'Alonee Robinson with 5.50m or 18-0 1/2.

"It was good to have competitors that you haven't seen before because they give you a push," said Robinson, who took the 100 hurdles in 14.83 just shy of the qualifying mark of 14.80 as she beat Mullings (15.44) and Morrison (15.89).

Robinson also won the century in 11.97 over Ambassador's Printassia Johnson (12.3) and her Club Monica team-mate Antonique Strachan (12.42).

Morrison, visiting from Miami, Florida, said although this was her first time competing here, she was very pleased with her performance because the competition was really hard here.

"I was disappointed in the hurdles, but I think I did very well in the long jump," she said.

"I definitely hope to be back to compete again."

In the under-17 girls division, Club Monica's Shaunae Miller doubled up in the 100 (12.30) and the 400 in a meet record of 56.78.

"It was a great meet. I had a lot of fun," she said. "I wasn't pleased with the 100, but the 400 was very good. I hope to run even faster this weekend."

* Among the multiple winners at the meet were:

Striders' Tamia Moss in the under-7 girls 50 (10.15) and 100 (18.71); Sunblazers' Christophe Butler in the under-9 boys 100 (16.31) and 200 (33.37); Spanish Wells' Kirby Albury in the under-13 boys 100 (13.77) and 200 (28.84); Club Monica's Makeya White in the under-15 girls 100 (13.09) and 200 (27.06); Striders' Talia Thompson in the under-17 girls 800 (2:24.98), 1,500 (5:18.38) and high jump (1.55m or 5-1); Golden Eagles' Julian Munroe in the under-17 boys 100 (11.18) and 200 (22.57) and Club Monica's Kyle Higgs in the under-17 boys shot put (11.76m or 38-7) and discus (29.85m or 97-11).