Trinidad’s Clement breaks 26-year-old 400m hurdles mark at SEC Championships

by Gary Smith
for Caribbean Net News

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

TENNESSEE, USA:  Trinidad and Tobago-born Kerron Clement, a sophomore at the University of Florida erased Auburn's James Walker's 1979 48.48 400m hurdles record at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the weekend.

Clement, the man who broke Michael Johnson's World indoor 400m record on March 12 in Fayetteville, ran a world leading and personal best to win the event in 48.29. This time he removed South African Louis van Zyl 48.32 from the top of the IAAF top list of performances this season.

“I’m the biggest target right now, said Clement. ''I’ve got to stay focused and do what I’ve got to do. '' 

Commenting on the world indoor record, Clement said: ''That's behind me now.'' He also said that his main goal this season is to improve on his 400m hurdles time and that was why he decided not to run the open quarter during the outdoor season. 

American Kevin Young holds the world record for the event and being less than two seconds shy of the 1992 mark, the sophomore said: ''It just makes me train harder.'' 

Clement also contested the 110-meter hurdles where he finished sixth in 14.08. He was also a member of the winning 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams.

Clement ran the anchor leg on Florida's 4x100 team who took the event in a stadium record time of 39.10 ahead of Louisiana State (39.31). Mississippi State with Jamaica's Steve Mullings running the lead-off leg took third in 39.56.

The Trinidad native, Clement then joined junior Sekou Clarke (JAM), freshman Bernard Middleton and sophomore Reggie Witherspoon, to break the 1,600m relay meet record of 3:03.90. Florida won the race in 3:02.23. 

Mullings creates upset in men’s 100m

Jamaica’s national 200m champion Steve Mullings upset defending NCAA champion Tyson Gay of Arkansas to win the men’s 100m and set himself up as firm favourite to win this title at the Championships next month.

Mullings, a former junior college stand out and former teammate of Gay while attending Barton County, raced home in a wind-legal season best time of 10.15 to beat Gay who finished in 10.19.

Mullings equaled Mardy Scales 10.18 meet record in the first round on Saturday and came out stunning to dethrone Gay of his title.

''After I got out, I didn’t even know who was behind me, '' Mullings said.

Gay knew the Mississippi man would be tough to beat and after the start he got Gay said the race was over for him.

“Steve Mullings got out pretty well,” Gay said. “I started pressing, trying to catch him. Once you do that, the race is over. I couldn’t catch him.”

The 22-year-old Mullings, a more specialized 200m runner in the eyes of many was not as fortunate in the 200 as he placed fourth in 20.48.

In fact, meet favourite and world leader Wallace Spearmon of Arkansas did not even win the event. LSU’s freshman Xavier Carter created another upset as the Arkansas male sprinters left without a sprint title. Carter clocked 20.16 to beat Spearmon (20.25) and Gay (20.39)

Trinidad and Tobago’s Kelly Ann Baptiste took the bronze medal in the women’s 100m in 11.41. Jamaica’s Aneita Denton continues to dominate in the 800m as she cruised home in stadium record 2:02.95, removing the previous mark of 2:08.75.

Trinidad’s Damion Barry was edged out for third place in the men’s 400m which was won by LSU’s Kelly Willie in 45.51. Barry placed fourth in 46.31 while the Jamaican pair of Omar Brown and Sekou Clarke came behind him in 46.43 and 46.57 respectively. 

Jamaica’s Patricia Hall, who now attends Tennessee, took second in the women’s race in 52.24 behind Natasha Hastings' winning time of 51.94. Kasia Williams of Jamaica won the women’s 100m hurdles at 13.25 and T&T’s Sherridan Kirk finished third in the men’s 800m in 1:47.80.

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