Friday, July 21, 2006

by Gary Smith
Caribbean Net News Sports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannetnews.com

NAIMETTE-XHOVEMONT, Belgium: Grenada's 2004 NCAA 800m champion Neisha Bernard-Thomas was the only Caribbean winner at Wednesday night's Meeting de Liège in Naimette-Xhovémont, Belgium.

Despite not winning, there were also creditable showing from Jamaicans Nesta Carter, Ainsley Waugh and Vonette Dixon, as well as Dominica's Carlos Santa.

In the women's two-lapper, Bernard-Thomas clocked 2:01.25 to take the event over the Canadian pair of Aimee Teteris, who clocked 2:02.13 for second, and Julia Howard, at 2:02.43.

Bernard-Thomas holds a personal and seasonal best of 2:01.02, achieved in the opening rounds at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, in late March. She, however, clocked a slower time of 2:01.96 and had to walk away with 8th place.

Dominica's Santa, who set a national record in the 200m of 20.70 this season, was also impressive in the men's 400m, clocking 45.29 seconds for third place in the race. He finished behind American Derrick Brew - 45.14 - and Zimbabwean Young Talkmore Nyangani - 45.18.

The men's 100m saw training partners Carter and Waugh both clocking 10.24, but the former, the younger of the two, was credited with second with latter pushed back to third. The race was won by Jordan Vaden, who defeated both Jamaicans with a time of 10.21.

Another Jamaican, Ricardo Williams, a silver medallist at the World Championships in 2001 clocked 10.38 for sixth place.

The women's race saw Olympic relay gold medallist Aleen Bailey and 2006 Commonwealth Games Sheri-Ann Brooks both posting 11.51 for fourth and fifth respectively. Brooks again failed to spark in the 200m as she could only deliver a 23.34 for seventh. Grenadian Hazel-Ann Regis (23.20) picked up third as Jamaican veteran Sandie Richards, despite clocking a season's best, finished down the track.

There was another third place finish for the region with Dixon posting a seasonal best of 12.82 to finish behind American Lolo Jones' personal best of 12.61 in the women's 100m Hurdles. Haiti's lone seasonal star Nadine Faustin-Parker was fourth in a creditable 12.93.

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