Thomas, the NCAA National 60m hurdle champion after running a personal best and collegiate-leading 7.51, took his good form outdoors winning the 110m hurdles in a personal best and world-leading 13.22 seconds.
The LSU junior powered away from the field leaving South Dakota freshman Brithon Senior (13.54) and LSU sophomore Erica Edwards Jr (13.56) to battle for the other podium spots.
McKnight won the Women’s 400m hurdles invitational in a creditable 57.27 ahead of Melissa Gonzalez of Colombia who was more than a second behind in the runner-up spot having crossed the line in 58.69.
Alana Yukich, a senior at UTSA, was third in 58.78.
Miller-Uibo, who is likely to run the 200m at the Olympics in Tokyo this summer, won in a world-leading and personal best 22.40 blowing away 400m hurdler Shamier Little who clocked a solid 23.40 for second place.
Miller-Uibo’s time, a Bahamian national record, tied the facility record set by Bianca Knight in 2008 and was just 0.07s off the American record set by Gwen Torrence in 1996.
The Bahamian said afterwards she was pleased with the run having wanted to get a chance to see what kind of shape she was in and was thankful to have finished the race healthy.
In the men’s equivalent, Richards, the 2018 Commonwealth Games 200m champion clocked 20.74 to win the 200m in a Trinidad and Tobago 1-2 finish. Deon Lendore clocked 20.89 relegating American Rodney Rowe (20.95) to third.
Meanwhile, in the Women’s 600m T&T’s Sparkle McKnight clocked 1:29.32 for third behind the USA’s Sammy Watson who won in 1:28.29 just ahead of Puerto Rico’s Gabby Scott (1:28.30).
Mario Burke ran 6.68 for third in the Men’s 60m that was won by the USA’s Maurice Eaddy in 6.63. Marvin Bracy was second in 6.66.
In the field, Jamaica’s Chanice Porter jumped a season-best 6.52m to finish second in the long jump event won by the USA’s Kendell Williams with her best jump of 6.60m. Yanis David of France was some distance back in third with 6.32m.
Rhonda Whyte, a former Jamaican champion in the 400m hurdles also chalked up a victory as she continued to prepare for the Jamaican championships next month.
The 27-year-old McLeod, the defending Olympic champion, gave an early glimpse of what can be expected this season when he raced to victory in 13.11, the second-fastest time in the world this year. Only Grant Holloway, who dethroned the Jamaican at the 2019 Doha World Championships, has run faster this season.
The American ran a world-leading 13.07 in Gainesville, Florida on April 17.
The victory represents a welcome return to form for the Jamaican, who has struggled over the past few years during which he changed coaches twice. Now under the guidance of coach Rana Rieder at the Tumbleweed Track Club in Jacksonville, Florida, he seems to have rediscovered the form that led him to the Olympic title at Rio 2016 and the World title in London in 2017.
“Ran 13.11s today for a season opener! Fastest opener in over 4 years and first 110 race in almost 2 years!” he declared proudly on his Facebook page afterwards. That’s patience, hard work, faith, resilience, commitment, staying true to you, blocking out the noise and trust!”
The former Razorback defeated a quality field of athletes including former USA champion Devon Allen, who ran 13.26 while finishing second. The talented and dangerous Daniel Roberts finished third, stopping the clock at 13.30.
Also in the race was world-record holder Aries Merritt, who is making a comeback after a serious illness. He was sixth in 13.90.
Britany Anderson, the 2018 World U20 silver medalist ran a fast 12.69 to win the 100m hurdles. The time would have been a personal best had the trailing wind not been just above the allowable limit, registering at 2.1m/s.
Second place went to Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas, who clocked 12.74.
Tia Jones, who edged Anderson at the World U20 Championships in Tampere, was third in 12.95, just ahead of Pedrya Seymour of the Bahamas who finished fourth in 12.96.
Former Jamaica national champion, Rhonda Whyte, won the 400m hurdles in 55.11 in an all-Caribbean 1-2-3. Whyte’s compatriot, Leah Nugent finished in second place in 56.12 while Sparkle McKnight from Trinidad and Tobago finished third in 56.54.
Lawrence, whose twin sister Shardia was sixth in the triple jump, sealed her third victory of the season with a throw of 57.76m in the discus. The Jamaican, who has already achieved the Olympic standard by way of her 63.75m effort in Florida on March 20, took the lead with her third throw of the competition.
However, Rachel Dincoff of the USA came close to taking the lead back with her final throw of 57.72, which was good enough to lock in the silver medal.
Kelsey Card, also of the USA, was third with her best throw of 55.50m.
Meanwhile, Barbadian Brathwaite was a comfortable winner in the 110m hurdles winning in 13.82.
The USA’s Ryan Fontenot was more than 0.10 behind, finishing second in 14.00. Jeff Julmis of Haiti picked up the final podium spot when he crossed in 14.50.
In the Women’s 400m, Jamaica’s Chrisann Gordon-Powell opened her season with a 52.47 as she finished second to the USA’s Jessica Beard who took the win in 52.38. Jaide Stepter Baynes was third in 52.54.
There was also a second-place finish for Shian Salmon in the 400m hurdles. The 2018 World U20 silver medalist clocked 56.90 while finishing behind the USA’s Ashley Spencer who crossed first in 56.36.
Gianna Woodruff of Panama was third in 57.22. Trinidad and Tobago’s Sparkle McKnight was fourth in 57.40.
The men’s 100m was won by Liberia’s Emmanuel Matadi in 10.29s. He held off the USA’s Isiah Young who clocked 10.35. Barbados’ Mario Burke ran a season-best 10.51 for third while Jamaica’s Odean Skeen, who is returning to competition after recovering from a series of injuries was fourth in 10.55.
It was her first win and first mark over 19m since she threw 19.17m on April 10 in Miramar, Florida. In her three, previous outings she had marks of 18.46m, 18.91m and 18.46, respectively. In Tennessee, she got the better of a quality field of athletes like Jessica Ramsay of the USA, who threw 18.78m.
Raven Saunders put 18.50m for third.
Fourth-place was taken by young Jamaican thrower Lloydricia Cameron, who managed a best effort of 17.57m.
Meanwhile, Christopher Taylor, also produced a season-best in the 400m, clocking 45.67 to finish behind Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas who cruised to victory in 45.06. Quintaveon Poole was third in 45.92.
Leah Nugent also produced a season-best 55.34 while chasing World Championship silver medalist Sydney McLaughlin. The second-fastest woman of all time over the distance clocked a world-leading 52.83 in her first race in the event this season.
Sage Watson of Canada was third in 56.04. Sparkle McKnight of Trinidad and Tobago also ran a season-best 56.06 for fourth.
The USA’s Andre Hudson ran 10.27 to win the 100m dash in which Jevaughn Minzie finished fourth in 10.41.
Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Mohammed (10.32) and Canada’s Bismark Boateng (10.35) took the other podium spots.
