Fraser-Pryce keeps indoor 60 gold for Jamaica

From Caribbean360

SOPOT, Poland, Sunday March 9, 2014, CMC – Reigning World and Olympic 100 metres champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica won her first World Indoor medal when she ran a world leading time of 6.98 seconds to capture the gold in the women’s 60m final here on Sunday.

Fraser-Pryce, among favourites in a highly anticipated match-up against rivals Murielle Ahoure of the Ivory Coast and fellow Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown, exploded out of the blocks to win the title in a world leading and personal best.

Campbell-Brown, who won in Istanbul two years ago, was fifth (7.13) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye was sixth in 7.16.

Fraser-Pryce, the triple gold medallist from the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, now joins Campbell-Brown as the only women to win world titles in the 60, 100 and 200m.

“It’s an amazing feeling of grace. I’ve never done the indoor championships before and I finally did it and it and I won,” she told reporters.

“It reminds me of the Olympics – I’ve never done the Olympics (before) 2008 but I went and I won so it’s an amazing feeling of grace and of course I lined up against girls who are seasoned in the 60m and it was just an awesome time to just go out and have fun.”

It was a strong finish for the Jamaicans who also picked up medals in both relays.

The quartet of Patricia Hall, Anneisha McLaughlin, Kaliese Spencer and Stephanie Ann McPherson ran a new national indoor 4x400m record of 3:24.83 to finish behind the United States (3:24.82).

Spencer ran a terrific third leg to give the Jamaicans silver after trailing Great Britain (3:27.90) over the first 800m.

The Jamaican men’s team also had a strong finish but could not overpower the dominant United States which set a new world record of 3:02.13. Great Britain (3:03.49) took the silver and Jamaica secured the bronze in a new national indoor record of 3:03.69.

Jamaican champion hurdler Andrew Riley did not start in the final of the 60m hurdles in which American Omo Asaghae ran a world leading 7.45 to take gold and the Frenchmen Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (7.46) and Garfield Darien (7.47), the silver and bronze respectively.

On Saturday, Spencer took the silver in the women’s 400m and Kimberly Williams was third for the bronze in the women’s triple jump.

Cuba with three medals and the Bahamas with two medals – one silver and one bronze were the other Caribbean countries on the medal table.

The United States led the table with 12 medals including eight golds, followed by Russia, Ethiopia, Great Britain and Jamaica with a total of five medals – one gold, two silvers and two bronzes.

PHOTO: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce wins World Indoor 60m (Getty Images)

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AND

Superb Husbands wins Gold Cup with Major Marvel

From Caribbean360

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Sunday March 9, 2014, CMC – Ace Barbadian jockey Patrick Husbands proved his worth in gold on Saturday, producing one of his now typical superb rides to clinch the $214 000 (US$107 000) Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup aboard American favourite Major Marvel at the Garrison Savannah.

The Canada-based reinsman settled the eight-year-old bay gelding in second just off early leader Areyoutalkintome before bursting into contention approaching the three-furlong marker, taking command of the field and cruising to the finish by 3-1/2 lengths in a time of one minute, 49.2 seconds.

Trinidadian entrant Nominee, with Nobel Abrego aboard, finished second while Dashing David, owned by prominent Barbadian businessman Sir David Seale and ridden by Reshawn Latchman, finished third.

For Husbands, the Gold Cup victory was the fourth of his career. He first won the event – the most prestigious horse race in the Eastern Caribbean – as a 16-year-old aboard Vardar in 1990, then in 2006 with Sharp Impact before triumphing in 2010 with Sterwins.

“This is a Grammy Award for me. When I passed the stands I had to look to the crowd and just start to smile,” said an elated Husbands, one of the leading riders at the Woodbine colony in Toronto.

“My horse is a galloper, a free-running galloper so I didn’t want to change his running style. He’s a nice horse.”

He continued: “This is a blessing. This unbelievable. This feeling is from my heart.”

The day was a successful one for the 40-year-old Husbands who also won the two co-feature events on the day’s 11-race card. He scored in race five, the Sandy Lane Spa Sprint Stakes over 1100 metres, with six-year-old bay colt Vitality before returning to win the Tanglewood Stakes and Trophy with six-year-old bay filly Kendal Moon.

However, it was the main feature where Husbands left tongues wagging. Going a mile and eighth, he broke the Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey-owned Major Marvel smartly, and tracked pace-setter Areyoutalkintome, who dragged the field through the first quarter in 23.2 seconds and the half in 48.6.

Shared Adventure kept an eye on the leaders from third with Dashing David, Nominee, Jakesam and defending champion Aristodemus in contention.

As the race went uphill towards the three-furlong marker, Husbands eased Major Marvel to the front, with Shared Adventure and Nominee going in pursuit.

At the quarter pole, Major Marvel was ahead by just a length but once the race swung into the final stretch, Husbands put the gelding to a left-handed whip and he sprinted away from the pack in style, to cross the finish unchallenged.

“My hat’s off to my trainer Mike Maker, to [local trainer] Jonathan Simpson down here, they’ve done an excellent job,” said owner Kenneth Ramsay.

“And of course Patrick Husbands who’s a legend down here. This horse is a professional. This makes 14 wins he had for us since we claimed him for US$10 000 at Keeneland in April, 2012. He’s a running machine.”

Major Marvel lost just twice in ten starts last year, and was unbeaten at one stage in seven outings

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