By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net    

Bahamians benefitted from competing on home soil yesterday evening at the NACAC New Life Invitational hosted at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

Athletes excelled on both the track and field picking up first place finishes, setting new personal bests and for veteran jumper Donald Thomas, setting a NACAC meet record.

FIELD

Thomas, who is 39-years-old, replaced his previous New Life meet record of 2.26m and soared to 2.28m last night in the men’s high jump event. He posted the mark on his seventh attempt to earn the first place spot. 

Jamaica’s Raymond Richards was second with his mark of 2.21m and Puerto Rican Luis Castro came third with 2.18m. The veteran high jumper spoke about how it felt to set the new record at home. “It felt good. I always appreciate coming home and representing in front of the Bahamian crowd. It is always an honour and privilege to be here and I just wanted to put on a show,” Thomas said.

He acknowledged that he took a lot of jumps and although he was unable to attain the Olympic qualifying standard of 2.33m, he intends to keep trying.

“I knew I had it in me to jump it. I took a lot of jumps tonight but it is a jump that I could make. I just have to keep trying,” he said.

The former World champion expressed that it felt good to be at home and represent the country in the win.

“It is lovely, being home is always fun and always a privilege. I just love this little country so every time I go out there I try to represent us to the best that I can,” he said.

Anthaya Charlton posted a winning mark of 6.50m in the women’s long jump event. Hong Kong’s Nga Nga Yan Yue was second overall with 6.35m and Puerto Rican Alysbeth Felix settled for third with 6.32m.

The 20-year-old described the process of achieving the winning jump.

“It started off a little rocky because I wasn’t quite on the board but throughout the series I kind of got the hang of what I was doing. My fifth jump was my best jump but on my last jump I over thought it. It was all-in-all a good series,” she said

Earlier in the evening, Charlton was a part of the women’s 4x100m quartet which placed first with a New Life record of 43.59 seconds. Despite feeling a bit tired, she used the home supporters to keep her going.

“I was a wee bit tired after the 4x100m but I have been doing it all season so it didn’t take me that long to recover. It is always good to compete at home. I had people calling my name when I was on the runway so it was really good,” Charlton said.

LaQuan Nairn came away with a New Life meet record in the men’s long jump event. He soared to a winning height of 7.83m. Nairn bested the Demarcus Simpson, of the USA, previous meet record of 7.75m.

Dominica’s Tristan James was also remarkable in the event. He came second with a jump of 7.79m. Hong Kong’s Ming Tai Chan got the third spot with 7.70m.

TRACK 

The relay team of Antoine Andrews, Terrence Jones, Ian Kerr and Wanya McCoy emerged victorious in the men’s 4x100m event with a time of 38.89 seconds. Trinidad and Tobago stopped the clock at 38.99 seconds and Haiti crossed the finish line in third place.

In the women’s event, the quartet of Olympic qualifier Charisma Taylor, Camille Rutherford, Printassia Johnson and Charlton took the first spot in the women’s 4x100m relay event. The ladies came away with a New Life meet record of 43.59 seconds.

The All-Stars team of Murielle Ahoure-Demps, Flordalisa Cofil, Nia Richards and Lauren Rain James trailed Team Bahamas for second place in 44.70 seconds.

Wanya McCoy, who is on the cusp of dipping under the Olympic qualifying standard of 10.00 seconds, completed the men’s 100m (Final A) event in 10.06 seconds. Davonte Howell, of the Cayman Islands, along with Omari Lewis, of Trinidad & Tobago, had identical times of 10.10 seconds for second and third overall respectively.

McCoy is looking forward to running a sub-10 time at the BAAA Jr and Sr Nationals next week.

“I feel pretty good but I am tired of running 10 seconds. I want to run sub-10. I am in shape to run sub-10 but I blame the gun this time he sent us off too quick and I wasn’t ready. I know at nationals I am gonna run sub-10 and get us an Olympic qualification,” he said.

Terrence Jones prevailed in the men’s 100m (Final B) stopping the clock at 10.13 seconds. Kion Benjamin, of Trinidad and Tobago, had the second best time of the event with 10.21 seconds. Darren McQueen of the USA was third in the event.

Antoine Andrews had the best time in the men’s 110m hurdles. He had the top time of 13.35 seconds. 

Meanwhile, in the women’s 100m hurdles event,  Taylor finished one spot behind Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent. The latter posted a time of 12.54 seconds which was good for an Olympic qualification and a New Life meet record. Taylor ended the event in 12.83 seconds.

P Johnson and Shakeem Hall-Smith were third overall in the women’s 200m finals and men’s 400m hurdles respectively.