Jamaica's Gallimore mines gold EUGENE, Oregon, CANA:
JAMAICA'S Shelly-Ann Galore won the Caribbean's first gold medal at the 2001 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division One track and field championship on Friday when she captured the women's triple jump title.
Gallimore posted 13.29 metres to win, while Jamaica snatched another medal through Alison Beckford's silver in the women's 400-metre hurdles. Among other gold medals decided, Kittitian Kim Collins and Lindel Frater of Jamaica, propelled Texas Christian University (TCU) to an outstanding win in the men's 4x100-metre relay. Gallimore, a triple CARIFTA champion (long, triple and high jump) at the 1999 Games in Martinique, topped American Gi-Gi Miller (13.15 metres) and Ukraine's Tatyana Obukohova (13.13) for the triple jump gold. "I am really excited because this year was a rough year for me. The key was that I just worked hard and remained focussed," said Gallimore, whose winning effort was her fifth jump. Jamaicans Kareen Clarke (12.90 metres) and Kerine Black (12.62) placed sixth and 10th, respectively in the event. Beckford, who was the fastest (51.50 seconds) into yesterday's 400 metre final, clocked her season's best 56.22 seconds behind American Brenda Taylor, who posted a fine 55.88 to snatch the one-lap hurdling event. Beckford was among the fastest finishers in the event, but was sloppy over the penultimate barrier. Frater, on lead-off, gave TCU a brilliant start in the men's 4x100-metre relay, and Collins was efficient on anchor, as their side posted a 2001 college-best and Hayward Field stadium record 38.58 seconds. Grenada's Sean Lambert helped Tennessee take second in 38.80 seconds. In the women's sprint relay, Louisiana State University (LSU) won in 43.54 seconds, with Clemson, including the Cayman Islands' Cydonie Mothersill and Jamaican Michelle Burgher, getting fourth in 44.19. Frater (10.26) beat Collins (10.28) to win semi-final two of the men's 100 metres semi-finals, and they are second and third fastest respectively - behind American Justin Gatlin at 10.16 seconds - going into last evening's final. Trinidadian Jacey Harper (10.41), and one of the race favourites, American Leonard Scott (10.46), failed to advance. American Angela Williams (11.19) was the fastest in the women's 100 semis, as Caribbean names Mothersill (11.79), Black (11.89) and her Jamaican colleague Peta-Gay Barrett (11.66) were eliminated after failing to make the top four in their semi-final heats. Jamaican Korene Hinds placed fourth in the women's 800-metre final in two minutes 04.58 seconds, and Sheena Gooding, in a Barbados national record 2:04.95, was fifth, behind the winner Brigita Langerholc (2:01.61). There was disappointment for Barbadian Stephen Jones in the men's 110-metre hurdles. The two-time CARIFTA champion hit the first and could not negotiate the second.
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