Spencer reigns supreme in the 400m hurdles

BY HOWARD WALKER Observer senior reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com

Sunday, January 11, 2015    

HAVING already copped the Caribbean Sports Journalists and the JAAA Athlete of the Year titles, Kaliese Spencer has done everything asked of her to be named RJR Sports Foundation National Sportswoman of the Year.

The year 2014 was a supreme one for Spencer as she made her pet event — the 400m hurdles — her own, with some scintillating and dominant performances.

In March, Spencer showed her versatility and won two silver medals at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland. She was second in the flat 400m in a personal indoor best of 51.54 seconds behind American Francena McCorory in 51.12 seconds.

Spencer would later run the third leg of the 4x400m relays that included Patricia Hall, Anneisha McLaughlin and Stephanie McPherson to establish a national indoor record of 3:26.54 minutes. It is the third fastest time ever behind winner the United States of America, who did 3:24.83 for gold. The Russians with 3:23.37 minutes done in 2006 is the fastest.

In June, Spencer yet again became the Jamaican champion over the 400m hurdles in a world-leading time of 53.41 seconds before taking the world by storm.

Despite the outstanding performer of 2013, Czech Republic’s Zuzana Hejnova missing most of the year due to injury, nothing can be taken away from Spencer’s awesome displays throughout the year in which she had the three fastest times over the 400m hurdles, and eight of the top 10 times for the year.

Spencer, 27, who was born in Westmoreland, lost her opening race at the Doha Diamond League where she was upstaged by Bahrain’s unheralded Kemi Adekoya, but went on to win every race afterwards.

She would eventually win seven Diamond League races and was the overall champion, walking away with her piece of the precious stone for the fourth time since 2010.

In-between the Diamond League races, Spencer had time to be crowned Commonwealth Games champion over the 400m hurdles in 54.10 seconds.

Spencer’s dominant year ended with her dipping under 54 seconds four times and under 54.30 eight times.

The only other sub-54 hurdler was American Kori Carter with her 53.84 at the US Championships, but her best after that was 55.94 seconds.

Spencer would end her season in style, picking up another gold in September, this time representing the Americas in the IAAF Continental Cup in Morocco. Spencer clocked 53.81 seconds and once again she defeated the emerging star Eilidh Child of Great Britain, who clocked 54.42 seconds.

It would be a fitting end to her 2014 campaign as Sportswoman of the Year following an outstanding season in which she dominated IAAF Diamond League; picked up the Commonwealth Games title, won a silver medal as part of Jamaica’s 4x400m team at the IAAF World Relays in Nassau, and posted a world-leading time of 53.41 to win the Jamaican Championships in June.

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Spencer reigns supreme in the 400m hurdles

Kaliese Spencer wins on Diamond League circuit again

Three time Diamond Trophy winner Kaliese Spencer was the lone Jamaican winner after producing another command performance in Monaco on Friday.

Spencer clocked 54.09 seconds to win comfortably ahead of World Champion Zuzann Hejnova of the Czech Republic, who was 7th in her first race of the season in 55.86 seconds.

Meanwhile, Veronica Campbell-Brown 10.97 and Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce a season’s best 11.01 were 2nd and 6th respectively in the women’s 100 meters. New American sensation Tori Bowie upstaged her more celebrated rivals speeding to a world leading 10.80 seconds to win.

American Justin Gatlin produced a personal best and world leading 19.68 seconds to win the men’s 200 meters ahead of Jamaica’s Nickel Ashmeade who was 2nd in 19.99.

National Champion Andrew Riley with a season’s best 13.18 was 5th in the men’s 110metre high hurdles behind top Frenchman Pascal Martinot Lagarde who clocked a national record 12.95 to win.

National Triple Jump champion, Kimberly Williams leapt to a season’s best 14.59 meters to place 3rd in the women’s event. The mark came on her third attempt. The event was won by Colombian Caterine Ibarguen with a world leading and Diamond League record 15.31 meters.

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Kaliese Spencer wins on Diamond League circuit again

VCB triumphs again, while Kaliese Spencer runs world leading 53.41 secs

By Patrick R. Anderson

Veronica Campbell Brown is back !

VCB, as she is popularly known, clocked a sub-11 second time of 10.96 seconds to win the women’s 100-metre final at the Supreme Ventures Limited JAAA’s National Track and Field Championships at the National Stadium.

Campbell Brown was quickly away along with Kerron Stewart and Schillonie Calvert, and they came back to the finish line in that order after VCB’s famous top end speed took over and she pulled away marginally. Stewart was timed in 11.02 secs and Calvert 11.15 secs. Natasha Morrison was 4th in 11.18 secs while Carrie Russell disappointed and finished 6th in 11.38 secs.

“I am not doing anything of myself,” Campbell Brown told TVJ’s Spencer Darlington after the race.”It is God pushing through.” When asked how she felt returning home after resolving her positive doping test saga after being exonerated by the Court of Arbitration for Sports, Campbell Brown said:”It feels good. Jamaica is home and I have a lot of support here.”

The men’s 100 metre final, devoid of the top end fire power of the injured Usain Bolt, the ill Asafa Powell and the absent Yohan Blake, saw Nickel Ashmeade winning his first National title in 10.02 seconds easing down. Jason Livermore was second, slow starting Kemar Bailey Cole was third and Julian Forte was 4th.

Andrew Fisher and Nesta Carter were withdrawn from the final by their MVP coaching staff. “Both got hurt in the last 10-metres (of their semi-final) according to the coaches,” MVP President and TVJ analyst Bruce James told TVJ’s Neville Bell.

Kaliese Spencer was superb in winning the women’s 400 metre hurdles final in a world leading 53.41 seconds ahead of Jenieve Russell 54.75 and Nikita Tracey 55.18 seconds.

“I just came out and executed,” Spencer told TVJ. “I believe and trust in my coach (Stephen Francis), and whatever he tells me to do I will do it,” Spencer added.

In the men’s equivalent, Roxroy Cato won his first national title, winning in a personal best 48.48 secs. Answert Whyte was second in a personal best 48.58 secs, while Leford Green was 3rd in 49.00 secs, a season’s best.

“It feels good to be national champion,” Cato said. ” The hard work is paying off.”

Charlene Nichol won the women’s 1500 metres in 4 mins 30.73 secs while Lenford Adams won the men’s 1500 metres in 4 mins 00.45 secs.

The UWI’s Damarley Johnson won the men’s 5000 metres in 16 mins 08 secs.

Jovanee Jarrett captured her 4th women’s Long Jump National title despite hamstring and quad injuries. She leapt 6.38 metres. “I felt a little bit rusty,” Jarrett told TVJ. “But  I came out and gave it my all, so I can’t ask for better than that.”

Kellion Knibb won the women’s discus title with a heave of 58.88 metres. Knibb is awaiting ratification of a new national record throw of 61.34 metres which she did on May 30.

Damion McLean won the men’s Triple Jump with a hop, step and jump of 16.15 metres.

Saturday is day-3 of the 4-day Championships. TVJ, TVJSN and HITZ92FM will have LIVE coverage starting at 5p.m..

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VCB triumphs again, while Kaliese Spencer runs world leading 53.41 secs

Hejnova wins women’s 400m H; Spencer, Tracey 5th and 7th

Latest News

Friday, July 26, 2013 | 2:12 PM

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Zuzana Hejnova of the Czech Republic won the women’s 400 metre hurdles in a world leading time of 53.07 seconds in London at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games today.Great Britain’s Perri Shakes-Drayton was second in 53.67 seconds, while American Georganne Moline was third in 54.32.Jamaicans Keliese Spencer and Ristananna Tracey were fifth and seventh respectively.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Hejnova wins women’s 400m H; Spencer, Tracey 5th and 7th