media_artricles :: 2013

Winning warm-up for Alexande

Ayanna Alexander struck gold in the women’s triple jump at the USA Track & Field (USATF) East Region Open Outdoor Championships, in New York, on Saturday.

The Trinidad and Tobago athlete produced a 13.58 metres effort, for a comfortable cushion on second-placed Tiombe Hurd, of the United States, whose best jump on the day was a wind-assisted 12.74m. Third spot went to another American, Shene Davis (11.78m).

Last Saturday’s meet was a warm-up for Alexander, ahead of this weekend’s NAAA Sagicor/NGC National Open Championships, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, in Port of Spain.

Alexander will bid for her eighth straight national title in the women’s triple jump. She won for the first time back in 2006, at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, in Tobago. The US-based jumper successfully defended her title the following year, at the Crawford Stadium.

Alexander held on to the crown in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, before making it seven wins on the trot, last year, celebrating the achievement with a 14.04m championship record jump.

Alexander is the national record holder in the women’s triple jump at 14.15m. Her best jump so far this season is 13.73m.

Another T&T athlete, Chris Hercules, finished second in the men’s triple jump, at the San Diego/Imperial USATF Association Championships, in California, two Saturdays ago.

Hercules disturbed the sand at 16.32m—his best jump since 2006.

Americans Chris Bernard and Josh Honeycutt finished first and third, respectively. Bernard jumped 16.78m, while Honeycutt produced a wind-aided 15.91m effort.

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