Roswell upstages field to claim national 100m hurdles title

SPRINT hurdler Demisha Roswell stole the spotlight on Sunday's final day of competition at the JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Championships.

   Roswell created a major upset by winning the women's 100 metre hurdles final in a personal best 12.40 seconds. Defending champion and favourite Megan Simmonds took second in 12.47 while Kerrica Hill of MVP Track Club was third in 12.67.

   Roswell who showed good form several weeks ago at the Lone Star Meet in College Station, Texas, when she defeated a strong field to win in 12.53, ran a well-executed race for an impressive victory. It was her first national title and her winning time was the fifth  fastest in the world this year.

    In the men's 110m hurdles, Demario Prince of Baylor improved on last year's second-place finish, winning in 13.13 seconds as collegiate athletes dominated the finish. Jerome Campbell of Arkansas  was second in 13.35  ahead of Sharvis Simmonds of Clemson, third in 13.39.

   Several other new champions were crowned on the night. Alana Reid and Christopher Taylor dominated the 200m. Reid made up for her disappointment in the 100m, where she finished seventh, by winning the half lap event in a personal best 22.25 seconds, ahead of Lavanya Williams of Dynamic Speed, who also clocked a personal best 22.44 in second place.  Ashanti Moore of SprinTec was third in 22.45.

In a very competitive men's event, Taylor, the former 400m champion, held off his rivals to win in 20.09. Jevaughn Powell of Racers Track Club was second in 20.14 and former 400m hurdles champion Roshawn Clarke of Swept Track Club took third in 20.28.

Stacy-Ann Williams and Antonio Watson also picked up their first national senior titles in the 400m.

Williams, the second-fastest Jamaican woman in the event this season, won convincingly in 50.34 seconds, ahead of Leah Anderson (51.04) and Shana-Kay Anderson who was third in a personal best 51.53.

In a very competitive men's 400m final, 2023 World champion Antonio Watson prevailed in the end in 44.73. Delano Kennedy of Uptimum was second in 45.11 with Javier Brown of Swept Track Club third in a personal best 45.26.

Sanique Walker of Academia Felix Sanchez closed the show by winning her first senior title in the women's 400m hurdles. Walker clocked a personal best 54.56 seconds. Shiann Salmon of SprinTec was second in 55.56 with Edwin Allen High's Kelly-Ann Carr placing third in 58.40.