Powell pulls up injured
Published: Monday | April 27, 2009
Jamaica's Asafa Powell pulled up on anchor in the men's sprint relay after aggravating an ankle injury, at the Penn Relays, University of Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
Powell pulled up about 30 metres. He limped to the finish and Jamaica clocked 41.24 seconds to place ninth.
The United States, which dominated the senior events at the Relay Carnival, won the race with their Blue Team recording a Penn Relay record of 37.92 seconds, the first sub-38 seconds clocking at the annual event.
Rocket start
Walter Dix gave the US a rocket start and Dwight Thomas had no answer. Michael Frater gained some ground on Travis Padgett on the second leg, but Shawn Crawford maintained the Americans' lead on the third leg, with Nesta Carter handing the baton to Asafa Powell behind Darvis Patton on the anchor leg.
The United States Red Team was second in 38.36 seconds, with Trinidad and Tobago, anchored by Beijing 100 metres silver medallist Richard Thompson, ending third in 38.37 seconds.
In the female equivalent, the United States fielded a very strong line-up with Lauryn Williams, Allyson Felix, Michelle Lewis and Carmelata Jeter (running order) beating a weakened Jamaica team of Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Sheriann Brooks, Kerron Stewart and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser on anchor.
Williams ran a great opening leg for the United States, but the Jamaicans roared back on the third leg as Stewart, who got the baton some 10 metres behind Lewis, cut into the lead. However, Jeter held on to win in 42.40 seconds, as Jamaica clocked 42.77. The Bahamas, anchored by veteran Debbie-Ann Ferguson, ended third in 43.64 seconds.
Jamaica's only victory came in the women's sprint medley.
The quartet of Sheriann Brooks, Rosemarie Whyte, Moya Thompson and Kenia Sinclair gave the Jamaicans a flying start by turning back their US opponents in a new world best and Penn Relays and Franklin Field record of 3:34.56, breaking the old mark of 3:37.16 set by the United States Blue Team in 2006.
After two 200-metre legs by Brooks and Whyte, the US, through a good 400 metres leg by Jamaican-born Debbie Dunn, gained a slight lead as Thompson handed over second to Sinclair.
However, Sinclair ran 1:57.3 on the 800 metres anchor leg as she easily disposed of Hazel Clarke to give Jamaica an impressive win.
Russia went past the United States for second in 3:37.37, with a fading Clarke holding on for third in 3:38.36.
Men's 4x400m
In the men's 4x400m, the quartet of Kerron Clement, Angelo Taylor, David Neville and Lashawn Merritt, was too strong as they won in 2:59.78. The Bahamas took second in 3:00.29 with the Jamaican quartet of Michael Blackwood, Ansat Whyte, Sanjay Ayre and Dewayne Barrett coming fourth in 3:02.21.
Despite three sub-51 seconds from Rosemarie Whyte(50.4), Novlene Williams-Mills (50.22) and Shericka Williams (50.88) on the anchor leg, following a 53.1 seconds opening leg by Nickeisha Wilson, Jamaica finished second, in 3:24.57, in the women's 4x400.
Led by a 49.64 seconds third leg by Allyson Felix and a 50.52 anchor leg by Sanya Richards, the United States Red Team romped to a victory in 3:23.08. The other members of the US team were Monica Hargrove (51.9) on lead-off and Natasha Hasting (51.0).