PONCE, Puerto Rico (Sporting Alert) — Machel Cedenio of Trinidad and Tobago backed up his impressive run at the Cayman Invitational a week ago, by delivering another solid run to beat some world-class sprinters in the men’s 400m at the 2015 Ponce Grand Prix in Puerto Rico on Saturday (May 23).
Cedenio, who ran a personal-best of 44.36 in the Cayman Islands seven days ago, returned this week with a 44.97 seconds effort to best reigning world champion LaShawn Merritt of USA.
Merritt, who has been having a slow season by his standards, went 45.42secs for second place, with Gustavo Cuesta of the Dominican Republic finishing third in 45.89.
Former world and Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner trailed home at disappointing sixth in a time of 46.22, while London Olympic silver medallist Luguelin Santos of the Dominican Republic crossed fifth in 46.19.
In the men’s 100m dash Keston Bledman of Trinidad and Tobago clocked 10.17 seconds to finish first ahead of Americans Harry Adams, who ran 10.26 and Maurice Mitchell, who crossed the line at 10.26.
The women’s race went to American Jessica Young in 11.38secs.
Young finished in front of compatriots Tawanna Meadows (11.39) and Sholanda Solomon (11.44).
Elsewhere on the night, Cuban pair of Rose Mary Almanza and Sahily Diago finished 1-2 in the women’s 800m.
Almanza ran a personal-best time of 1:59.35 to take the event and beat last year’s World Juniors silver medallist, Diago, who posted 1:59.91.
Jamaica’s Simoya Campbell ran a new personal record of 2:01.59.
Charles Jock of USA won the men’s race with a performance of 1:45.40.
In other results, Olympic silver medallist Jason Richardson (13.34) of USA edged out Cuba’s Yordan OO’Farril (13.35) in the men’s 110m hurdles, while Brigitte Merlano of Colombia took the women’s 100m hurdles in 13.14.
In the night’s final race at the meeting, Jeffery Gibson of Bahamas upset home favourite Javier Culson of Puerto Rico in the men’s 400m hurdles.
The Olympic bronze medal winner, Culson came in as the favourite, but had to settle for second in front of his home supporters in 49.31.
Gibson won the race in 49.19, with Miles Ukaoma of Nigeria finishing third in 49.39.
