DEVONSHIRE, BERMUDA, April 09 — You wouldn’t know it by just glancing at the times, but the inaugural USATF Bermuda Games was indeed a world-class meet.
The first Gold stop on the WA Continental Tour this season brought in some big names but relentless headwinds at Flora Duffy Stadium blunted their speed considerably.
One who rose to the occasion was Olympic 100H gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, who left the other timber-toppers far behind with her world-leading 12.67 into a 2.5 wind. “I was nervous at first, just because of the strong headwind, but I knew what I had to do,” she said. Chanel Brissett finished a distant 2nd in 13.06.
Not so keen about the conditions was Grant Holloway, who warmed up, then campaigned via Twitter: “Flip the track. Please and thank you. It’s possible. Think about the athletes and not the viewers.” He added later, “The wind is –4.6 right now. Please…”
He ended up opting not to run, explaining, “I’m trying to do consistency, that is the main cue for this season.” In his absence, Shane Brathwaite of Barbados won in 13.78, wind –3.8.
The winds got stronger. Teenager Erriyon Knighton won his heat of the 100 in 10.61 while battling a 5.9. Noah Lyles won the second section in 10.42 (-4.5). They faced off in the final race against a 5.6 gust. Surprising Jerome Blake, who had won Olympic bronze as part of Canada’s 4×1 in Tokyo, nipped them both in the final with his 10.38, as Knighton edged Lyles in identical (to the 1000th) 10.39s.
With the long jump runway facing the other direction, Quanesha Burks rode a 3.6 breeze to victory with her 22-2½w (6.77).
An exciting men’s 200 saw Olympic 400 champ Steven Gardiner — in last coming off the turn —catch Trinidadian Jereem Richards, 20.79–20.86 into a 4.7.
After concentrating on the 100/200 last year, Shericka Jackson took the women’s 400 in 51.40. In the men’s 1-lapper, Tokyo bronze medalist Kirani James bulled ahead in the final 50 to win in 45.63, the only man under 46-seconds. It was his slowest final in 5 years.
Ajee’ Wilson followed the rabbit for the first half of her 800 in 61.61, then sped up for a 2:03.09 win over Jamaican Chrisann Gordon-Powell (2:04.19).
Teahna Daniels managed a dash win over Thomas into a 5.2, crossing the line in 11.45 to Thomas’s 11.49, with early leader Javianne Oliver crossing in 11.62. By then, the fierce conditions—rain falling, palm trees swaying—had become a matter of levity, with the top women laughing as they saw their all-too-mortal times flash on the scoreboard. “We just wanted to have fun with it,” explained Daniels.
BERMUDA GAMES MEN’S RESULTS
100(-5.6): 1. Jerome Blake (Can) 10.38; 2. Erriyon Knighton (US) 10.39; 3. Noah Lyles (US) 10.39; 4. Yohan Blake (Jam) 10.45; 5. Aaron Brown (Can) 10.53; 6. Brandon Carnes (US) 10.53; 7. Mike Rodgers (US) 10.68; 8. Jelani Walker (Jam) 10.68.
Heats: I(-5.9)–1. Knighton (US) 10.61; 2. Y. Blake 10.64; 3. Brown 10.68; 4. Rodgers 10.72; 5. Mouhamadou Fall (Fra) 10.81; 6. Christopher Belcher (US) 10.87; 7. Demek Kemp (US) 11.05; 8. Harold Houston (Ber) 13.36.
II(-4.5)–1. Lyles 10.42; 2. J. Blake 10.47; 3. Carnes 10.54; 4. Walker 10.57; 5. Devin Quinn (US) 10.78; 6. Tyquendo Tracey (Jam) 10.83.
200(-4.7): 1. Steven Gardiner (Bah) 20.79; 2. Jereem Richards (Tri) 20.86; 3. Emmanuel Matadi (Lbr) 21.04; 4. Kyree King (US) 21.06; 5. Isiah Young (US) 21.07; 6. Andrew Hudson (US) 21.07; 7. Christopher Belcher (US) 21.68.
400: 1. Kirani James (Grn) 45.63; 2. Alex Haydock-Wilson (GB) 46.05; 3. Jaheel Hyde (Jam) 46.27; 4. Kahmari Montgomery (US) 46.38; 5. Machel Cedenio (Tri) 46.70; 6. Aldrich Bailey (US) 46.72; 7. Noah Williams (US) 47.01.
1500: 1. Kamar Etyang (Ken) 3:45.26; 2. Amos Bartelsmeyer (Ger) 3:45.35; 3. Dage Minors (Ber) 3:46.82; 4. Kasey Knevelbaard (US) 3:46.86; 5. Eric Holt (US) 3:46.90; 6. Kyle Langford (GB) 3:47.89.
110H(-3.8): 1. Shane Brathwaite (Bar) 13.78; 2. Michael Dickson (US) 13.85; 3. Eduardo Rodrigues (Bra) 13.87; 4. Ruebin Walters (Tri) 13.95; 5. Dejour Russell (Jam) 14.58; 6. Jeffrey Julmis (Hai) 14.60; 7. Damion Thomas (Jam) 14.72.
Field Event
TJ: 1. Chris Benard (US) 54-4½w (16.57); 2. Jordan Scott (Jam) 53-8½w (16.37) (53-3¾/16.25); 3. Kaiwan Culmer (Bah) 51-11w (15.82); 4. Jah-Nhai Perinchief (Ber) 51-8¼ (15.75).
BERMUDA GAMES WOMEN’S RESULTS
100(-5.2): 1. Teahna Daniels (US) 11.45; 2. Gabby Thomas (US) 11.49; 3. Javianne Oliver (US) 11.62; 4. Destiny Smith-Barnett (US) 11.66; 5. Natasha Morrison (Jam) 11.77; 6. Morolake Akinosun (US) 11.81; 7. Shashalee Forbes (Jam) 11.94; 8. Kayla White (US) 12.17.
Heats: I(-2.5)–1. Daniels 11.32; 2. Oliver 11.34; 3. Akinosun 11.38; 4. Forbes 11.57; 5. White 11.58; 6. Kiara Parker (US) 11.61; 7. Felicia Edwards (US) 11.80; 8. Kasheika Cameron (Jam) 11.97.
II(-3.3)–1. Thomas 11.29; 2. Morrison 11.57; 3. Smith-Barnett 11.57; 4. Tamari Davis (US) 11.62; 5. Kortnei Johnson (US) 11.65; 6. Cambrea Sturgis (US) 11.67; 7. Maia McCoy (US) 11.90.
200(-5.0): 1. Anthonique Strachan (Bah) 23.24; 2. Dezerea Bryant (US) 23.72; 3. Briana Williams (Jam) 23.82; 4. Shannon Ray (US) 23.90; 5. Jessica Beard (US) 24.07; 6. Parker 24.31; 7. TeeTee Terry (US) 24.31; 8. Alaysha Johnson (US) 24.42.
400: 1. Shericka Jackson (Jam) 51.40; 2. Candice McLeod (Jam) 51.57; 3. Jaide Stepter Baynes (US) 51.93; 4. Kaylin Whitney (US) 52.79; 5. Kyra Jefferson (US) 53.30; 6. Chloe Abbott (US) 53.58.
800: 1. Ajee’ Wilson (US) 2:03.09; 2. Chrisann Gordon-Powell (Jam) 2:04.19; 3. Charlene Lipsey (US) 2:04.50; 4. Emily Richards (US) 2:05.87; 5. Ellie Baker (GB) 2:05.87; 6. Skylyn Webb (US) 2:05.96; 7. Sammy Watson (US) 2:06.09; 8. Danae Rivers (US) 2:06.38.
100H(-2.5): 1. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PR) 12.67 (WL);
2. Chanel Brissett (US) 13.06; 3. Christina Clemons (US) 13.15; 4. Jade Barber (US) 13.27; 5. Ebony Morrison (Lbr) 13.28; 6. Gabbi Cunningham (US) 13.57; 7. Erica Bougard (US) 14.45.
400H: 1. Shiann Salmon (Jam) 55.35; 2. Rushell Clayton (Jam) 55.89; 3. Janieve Russell (Jam) 56.56; 4. Grace Claxton (PR) 57.01; 5. Sage Watson (Can) 57.07; 6. Ashley Spencer (US) 57.87; 7. Cassandra Tate (US) 58.69; 8. Kaila Barber (US) 59.34.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Rachel McCoy (US) 6-½ (1.84); 2. Amina Smith (US) 6-½; 3. Inika McPherson (US) 6-½; 4. Kimberly Williamson (Jam) 6-½;… nh—Liz Evans (US).
LJ: 1. Quanesha Burks (US) 22-2½w (6.77); 2. Chanice Porter (Jam) 21-11¾w (6.70); 3. Tissanna Hickling (Jam) 21-4w (6.50); 4. Akela Jones (Bar) 21-3½w (6.49) (20-10/6.35); 5. Abigail Irozuru (GB) 20-10½w (6.36); 6. Sha’Keela Saunders (US) 20-4½w (6.21); 7. Michelle Fokam (US) 20-3¾w (6.19); 8. Yanis David (Fra) 19-11½w (6.08); 9. Bougard 19-½ (5.80).
TJ: 1. Shanieka Ricketts (Jam) 46-5¼ (14.15); 2. Naomi Metzger (GB) 45-11¼ (14.00); 3. Michelle Fokam (US) 44-½ (13.42); 4. Kiana Davis (US) 41-7 (12.67).
