Trinidad and Tobago’s Machel Cedenio and Ruebin Walters were winners at the 2021 Pure Summer Invitational held at the National Training Centre in Clermont, Florida on Sunday.

The 25-year-old quarter-miler clocked 45.37 to win the 400m beating 2008 400m gold medalist LaShawn Merritt, who ran 45.45 for second place. Alonzo Russell of the Bahamas was third in 46.23.

Cedenio famously ran a personal best 44.01 to finish fourth at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil, and as a result, holds the record for the fastest time ever run for fourth-place.

It was the first time in Olympic history that the top three places came in under 44 seconds.

South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk won in a world record 43.03 while Grenada’s Kirani James was second in 43.76. Merritt ran 43.85 for third.

Back in Clermont, Walters ran 13.53 to win the 110m hurdles over Johnathon Santiago Pagan, who ran 14.16. Israel Nelson was third in 14.33.

There was good news for Jamaica’s Jonielle Smith, who opened her season with a sixth-place finish in the 200m. Smith, a relay gold medalist at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, clocked 24.29 in the race won by the USA’s Candace Hill in 22.99.

Khamica Bingham was second in 23.57 while Candyce MgGrone finished third having run 23.67.

Kortnei Johnson won the 100m in 11.17 over Tiana Bartoletta (11.18) and Bingham (11.42).

Trinidad and Tobago sprinters Kelly-Ann Baptiste ran 11.51 for sixth and Khalifa St. Fort clocked 11.58 for seventh.