Ruddock

DESPITE a host of Jamaica's collegiate athletes participating at the two-day New Balance Track and Field Meet at the Armory Track in New York on the weekend, only the University of Connecticut's Trisha-Ann Hawthorne was able to score a victory while a few others had top-three finishes.

The indoor meet which ended on Saturday saw Hawthorne, who was a member of the Jamaica team to last year's World Junior Championships, winning a very competitive 60 metres final in an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 7.32 seconds.

Other competitors

Former Queen' School athlete, Samantha Henry, competing for Louisiana States University, finished at the back of the field in eighth position, in 7.40 seconds.

There were top-three finishes for former St Jago High School athletes Natasha Ruddock and Andrea Linton, along with former Wolmer's Boys' jumping sensation, Julian Reid.

Ruddock, a final-year student at Essex County Junior College, who earlier in the week signed up to attend Texas A&M University in College Station next fall, got a poor start and had to settle for bronze in the women's 60 metres hurdles in 8.18 seconds. Houstan Univer-sity's Sevin Adigun created an upset by winning the event in a fast 8.09 seconds.

After a disappointing performance in the long jump on Friday, Linton, a final-year student at Louisiana State Univer-sity, returned on Saturday to finish third in the women's triple jump, with a mark of 13.02 metres.

Among the men, Reid was the best-placed Jamaican as the Texas A&M sophomore had two third-place finishes. After grabbing the bronze on Friday in the men's long jump, with a leap of 7.69 metres, he returned the following day to post a mark of 16.14 metres in the triple jump.

Former Kingston College athlete, Dwight Webley, competing for George Mason University, ended fifth in the long jump with 7.50 metres.

The meet was highlighted by an outstanding performance by Hampton University's Francena McCororoy, who posted a world-leading time of 52.06 seconds to win the women's 400 metres event, as she dismissed a strong field. The winning time also met the NCAA's automatic qualifying standard.

National senior representatives Michael Blackwood and Sherriann Brooks were also among the medals at the Reebok Invitational Meet in Boston.

The veteran Blackwood, who was a member of Jamaica's 4x400 metres relay team last year at the Beijing Olympics, finished second in the men's 400 metres in 47.31 seconds, as Trinidad's Renny Quow won the event in 47.22 seconds.

Following her last-place finish at the Millrose Games the previous week, Brooks improved for a third- place finish in the women's 60 metres in 7.24 seconds, and countrywoman Simone Facey could only manage a seventh-place finish in 7.31 seconds.

The United States' Lisa Barber won the event in 7.20 seconds.