Guyanese teenager wins 400m

Morelia (Mexico), July 7 (IANS): Guyana’s teenaged sprinter Kadecia Baird ran a season’s best 51.32 seconds to win the women’s 400 metres at the XXIV Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Senior Athletics Championships.

The 18-year-old also booked a place on Guyana’s team for the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, Russia, with an ‘A’ standard qualifying time, reports CMC.

Baird overcame challenges from Chrissan Gordon of Jamaica (52.52) and Kineke Alexander of St Vincent and the Grenadines (52.81) to win her first major title since securing a silver medal at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics in Barcelona, Spain last year.

Baird’s mark highlighted some good performances for Caribbean athletes Saturday including Jarrin Solomon of Trinidad & Tobago, Shane Brathwaite of Barbados and Monique Morgan of Jamaica.

Solomon won the men’s 400m (45.54), ahead of Omar Johnson of Jamaica (45.67) and Gustavo Cuesta of the Dominica Republic (46.20).

In straight tussle between Brathwaite and Wayne Davis II of Trinidad & Tobago for the men’s 110m hurdles’ title, the Barbadian prevailed in 13.70. Davis, who earlier advanced with the fastest qualifying time of 13.50 took the silver in 13.75 and Yordan O’Farril of Cuba was third in 13.82.