Raymond Graham, Freelance Writer

Sheri-Ann Brooks ... took sprint double at Belem meet. - file

NATIONAL 400 metres hurdles champion Melaine Walker clocked a good 54.18 seconds to win the 400m hurdles at the Belem Grand Prix meet in Brazil yesterday.

Coached by Stephen Francis at MVP Track Club, the former St Jago High and the University of Texas graduate who started the season very slowly stepped up a notch with just a month to go before the National Championships to become the fastest Jamaican over the distance this year. Her time is also the second fastest in the world as only American Lashanda Demus with her 53.99 set earlier this month has gone faster.

There were also victories for Sheri-Ann Brooks, Nesta Carter, Korene Hinds and Adrian Findlay.

Brooks took the sprint double, taking the 100m in 11.18 and the 200m in a personal-best 22.70. Shelly-Ann Fraser, who ran in the preliminary round of the 4x100m in Osaka last year, was third in 11.28.

Swept the medals

Carter took the 100m in 10.19. Former national representative Ricardo Williams ended fourth in 10.33. Williams was also second in the 200m in 20.46 where the wind reading was plus 2.1 metres per second.

Jamaican athletes swept the medals in the men's 400m hurdles. World Indoor 4x400m silver medallist Findlay clipped Markino Buckley to win the event. Both were awarded the same time, 49.11. Isa Phillips was third in 49.50. Dean Griffiths was sixth in 50.63.

Jovanee Jarrett leapt 6.54m to finish second behind Brazil's Maurren Maggi who won with 6.83m.

Former national representative Richard Phillips was in the 110m hurdles in 13.4.