Trinidad and Tobago’s Shaniqua Bascombe, representing Uptimum, won the women’s 200m in a personal best time at Velocity Fest 19 at the National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica, on Sunday night.
The 22-year-old Bascombe stormed to the finish line in 22.68, upstaging the promising Jamaican trio of Alana Reid (22.89), Tina Clayton (23.02) and Tia Clayton (23.04). Sprint hurdler Ackera Nugent was fifth in 23.91. Reid, Tina and Tia Clayton all achieved their personal bests.
The winner of the Pan American Junior Games 100m final last year in 11.19 seconds. Bascombe was also slated to participate in the women’s 100m final, but along with hometown favourite Elaine Thompson-Herah, decided to opt out of the event, which was won by Jamaican Lavanya Williams in 10.98 with a headwind of +0.7, while Jonielle Smith (10.99) was second and Jodean Williams third in 11.09.
The other finishers in the 100m final were Theianna-Lee Terrelonge (11.36), Jura Lanconia Levy (11.51) and Chevauna Grant, sixth in 11.76.
Earlier on in the semifinal heats, Smith won heat one of the women’s 100m in 10.99 with Jodean Williams (11.02), Bascombe (11.08), a season-best, and Levy (11.47) completing the top four, while Thompson-Herah won the second semifinal in 10.92, followed by Vavanya Williams (11.04), Terrelonge (11.27), and Grant (11.77).
In the men’s segment, Bryan Levell turned on the thrills, while Adrian Kerr showed that he is an elite sprinter, taking down a number of world champions in the 200m.
Levell, who announced himself with a bronze at the 2025 World Championship in the 200m, won the men’s 100m in 9.90 (+1.3 m/s) ahead of Kadrian Goldson in 9.99.
The Uptimum Track Club sprinter is the second-fastest in the world this year, behind Busang Kebinatshipi of Botswana with 9.89. Sprintec’s Goldson comes in on the world list at number seven with his 9.99.
The men’s 200m highlighted the 2025 100m world champion Oblique Seville of Racers and his clubmate, the 2023 400m world champion Antonio Watson, along with 60m indoor bronze medallist Ackeem Blake of Dynamic Speed, but it was Kerr who stole the show, winning in 20.28 (+0.4 m/s).
Seville, looking a bit heavy, was second in 20.43, with Blake holding on for third in 20.58. Watson was fourth in 20.82. Kerr’s time puts him 18th best in the world.
Deandre Watkins of Elite took the Men’s 400m in 45.50 ahead of Jeremy Bembridge of Racers in 45.63, while MVP Shericka Jackson was beaten in the women’s 400m, finishing second in 52.55. Her clubmate Sada Williams of Barbados won in 51.38. Shiann Salmon of Sprintec was third with 52.77.
Canniga Powell of UTech won the women’s long jump with 5.68m, and Shawn-D Thompson of Sprintec captured the men’s equivalent in 7.78m.
Tio-Josh Mowatt of Explosive Movement won the men’s shot put with 15.29 m, as Altonique James of Utech took the women’s shot put with 13.00 m.
MVP’s Samanatha Hall broke the women’s discus meet record, throwing 64.00m. She already threw 66.39m at Throw Town in the USA, which puts her seventh in the world.
High school star Dejour Russell of Swept continues his comeback, winning the men’s 110 hurdles in 13.53 (+0.8) as Alexi James of Racers took the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.94.
