Ackeem Blake runs 9.92pb, Bailey and Maloney win 400m as Caribbean athletes shine at Music City Track Carnival

Written by Leighton Levy. Posted in Athletics. | 05 June 2022 | 2803 Views
Tags: Athletics, Ackeem Blake, Andrenette Knight, Cejhae Greene, Music City Track Carnival, Nathon Allen, Sean Bailey, Shafiqua Maloney

Ackeem Blake ran a brand new personal best of 9.92s while winning the 100m at the Music City Track Carnival in Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday.

Shafiqua Maloney from St Vincent and the Grenadines and Sean Bailey of Jamaica were also winners at the meet where Antigua’s Cejhae Greene and Jamaica’s Nathon Allen ran season-best times in the 100m and 400m, respectively. Kimberly Williamson also won the high jump in a new personal best performance that makes her the second best Jamaican in the world this year.

The 20-year-old Blake, who along with Oblique Seville, is one of Jamaica’s most promising prospects this year, equalled his previous personal best of 10.08 in the preliminary round to be second fastest heading into the final behind Greene who qualified with a quick 10.06.

However, Blake sped a new lifetime best in the final to finish ahead of the Antiguan, who ran 10.02 for second place. The USA’s Kendall Williams was third in a season-best 10.05.

Maloney clocked a season-best 51.84 to comfortably win the 400m ahead of the USA’s Brittany Aveny (52.22) and Canada’s Kyra Constantine (52.26) who were locked in a hard-fought battle for second place.

Bailey won the men’s race in a season-best 45.18, just edging Jamaican compatriot Allen, who finished in 45.21, also a season’s best time and Bryce Deadmon of the USA, who was third in 45.23.

In the 400m hurdles for women, Andrenette Knight became the fastest Jamaican in the world this year, clocking a personal best of 53.39 but finished second to World Champion and world-record holder Sydney McLaughlin, who blazed a new world lead of 51.61.

Gianna Woodruff of Panama was third in 54.63.

In action in the field, Williamson cleared a massive new personal best of 1.93m to win the high jump. The former Edwin Allen and Kansas State jumper was three centimetres better than the USA pair of Rachel McCoy (1.90m) and Jelena Moore (1.85m), who were second and third, respectively.

Meanwhile, Lloydricia Cameron threw a season-best 18.01m for a second place finish in the shot put that was won by Jessica Ramsey with her best throw of 18.26m.

Haley Teel of the USA (17.31) and Portious Warren of Trinidad and Tobago (17.23), were third and fourth, respectively.