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

DOHA, Qatar: It was another good run in successive weekends for Darrel Brown of Trinidad and Tobago’s as he and Chris Williams of Jamaica led the way for the Caribbean at the IAAF Super Grand Prix Meeting in Doha, Qatar.

Looking smooth in comeback year

In a season which is expected to be huge turn around for him, following a series of injuries in the last three years, Brown, the World junior record holder and 2003 World Championships silver medallist defeated a strong field on Friday evening to cement himself as one of the best sprinters in the current early campaign.

Like he did in the opening rounds, Brown used his late race kick to win the men’s 100m dash in 10.13 seconds, a time which pushed him ahead of club mate Jamaican Michael Frater, the reigning world silver medallist and American Shawn Crawford, the Olympic 200m gold medal winner.

Frater, who won his heat in 10.38secs, finished second in 10.19, while Crawford (10.20) edged out last year’s second place finisher, Nigerian Olasoji Fasuba, who, despite his bullet start had to settle for fourth in 10.21.

Earlier in the opening round, Trinidad and Tobago’s Marc Burns failed to progress from heat one as he struggled from the get go and got stuck in the pack. In the end the sprinter finished sixth in 10.50.

Blinding curve sets up impressive 200m win

Another Jamaican Chris Williams used his 100m sixth place 10.27secs as a warm up for the 200m. After using his experience to book a place in the finals with a great last burst in the 100m heats, Williams returned to run an unstoppable 200m, which saw him out-sprinting American Olympic champion Crawford and company to the line.

The 35-year-old 2001 world silver medallist ran a blinding curve to draw level with the rest of the field coming into the straight away, before switching to another gear in the last 50m to cross the line unchallenged in the 20.24, which is the fourth fastest time in the world this.

Following Williams home in the +0.2 m/s wind event were Crawford, at 20.59 and Jaysuma Saidy Ndure (GAM) 20.62 and Uchenna Emedolu (NGR) 20.66.

Brooks continues to find form in the circuit

Commonwealth Game champion Sheri-Ann Brooks suffered a close defeat in the women’s 100m race. The Jamaican ran a sparkling second-half race, but was edged out on the line by American World Championships 200m champion Allyson Felix.

Felix held on, despite being hard pressed by Brooks and Rakia Al Gassra of Bahrain, the first Muslim women to ever compete in Olympic Games in the final 10m.

The 200m specialist got the win in 11.27, two hundredth of a second faster than the fast finishing Brooks and Rakia Al-Gassra (BRN) who both shared a time of 11.29.

Top three finishes for Williams and Hinds

In the women’s 400m dash, Jamaican Shericka Williams clocked a seasonal best to take third place in fast race won by Felix in a world-leading 50.40.

Felix completed a rare double after winning the 100m earlier by beating Senegal’s Amy Mbacke' Thiam (50.99) Williams (51.12) and Bahamian Christine Amertil (51.84).

Korene Hinds of Jamaica continues to prove amongst the best in the women’s 3000m Steeplechase, after she showed maturity to finish second behind a strong looking Dana McFarlene of Australia on Friday.

Running well into the pack for the major parts of the race, Hinds, not known for her finishing kick, wisely took the lead on sound of the bell in an attempt to stretch the field.

However, she was unable to match up with the speed of McFarlane, who immediately followed her and passed her with 250m to go in the race.

In the end the Australian came home to win in the second fastest time in the world this season, a 9:34.47 to beat Hinds, who recorded her second best time of the season, at 9:37.01 for second.

Results too in field event

There were also successes for the Caribbean in the field as well, as Bahamian Leevan
Sands and Grenadian Randy Lewis took top five places in the men’s Triple Jump.

Sands’ 16.91m attempt was earmark for victory, until Brazilian Jadel Gregório revised that mark with his final jump of the competition with a winning mark of 17.04m – thus pushing the Bahamian into second place.

Lewis, the Grenadian indoor record holder posted a best 16.49m, his best of the season to take fifth place.