Cydonie tops as Blake blazes

Cydonie Mothersill made an emotional and exhausting debut as a professional at the inaugural Cayman Invitational. 

The meeting on Wednesday night at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex was packed with world and Olympic champions, including 100 metres world champions Yohan Blake and Carmelita Jeter.  

All three won their respective races but it was Mothersill who was cheered the loudest by the sizeable crowd, watched by Premier McKeeva Bush, Minister of Sports Mark Scotland and Jamaican sprint icon Don Quarrie.  

The meet was put together by Mothersill who was performing before her home crowd for the first time since doing the sprint double in the Cayman Islands at the CARIFTA Championships 17 years ago. 

Mothersill, 34, won the women’s 200m in 23.51 secondss. She was pleased with the win but slightly disappointed with the time, but considering she had not raced because of injury since taking 200m gold at the Commonwealth Games in October 2010, it was a fine performance. Milisa Barber of the USA was second in 23.57secs and Muriel Ahoure from Ivory Coast third in 23.63secs. 

Blake set his season’s best of 9.84 seconds in winning the men’s 100m. The 21-year-old Jamaican cruised to victory ahead of compatriot Michael Frater (10.05secs) and Keston Bledman of Trinidad and Tobago (10.06secs). 

Only Blake’s team-mate Usain Bolt has run faster this season. Bolt, the Olympic and world record holder in the 100m and 200m opened his campaign with a run of 9.82secs on Saturday at the Jamaica Invitational in Kingston, where Blake ran the 200m in 19.91secs. The two are preparing for a showdown in both sprints at the London Olympics this summer.  

Blake had previously run the 100m in 9.90secs this season. He said: “I’m very pleased with my time. In fact, it has put me ahead in my preparations for London. I’m looking forward to my next race in New York.” 

Former world champion Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis was fourth in 10.11secs. Local runner Kemar Hyman, who has qualified for London in the 100m, was fifth in 10.20secs. 

Jeter won the women’s 100m in 11.04secs. The American was comfortably ahead of compatriot Jeneba Tarmoh (11.13secs) and Muriel Ahoure of Ivory Coast (11.14secs). 

Jamaica’s Warren Weir won the men’s 200m in 20.13secs. Rondel Sorillo of Canada was second (20.57secs) and Jamaica’s Lansford Spences (20.65secs) third.  

Chris Brown of the Bahamas was the men’s 400m winner in 45.14secs, fellow Bahamian Ramon Miller (45.48secs) was second and Jamaica’s Ricardo Chambers (45.87secs). 

Jamaica’s Novelene Williams-Mills won the women’s 400m by a long way in 50.35secs, ahead of Jenna Martin of Canada (51.69secs) and Keshia Baker of the USA (51.73secs) third.  

Hansel Parchment was the men’s 100m hurdles winner in 13.31secs, Ginnie Crawford won the women’s 110m hurdles in 12.66secs and Canada’s Dylan Armstrong won the shot put with a throw of 21.15 metres.