Miller-Uibo produces first victory for host Bahamas with 400 meet record, Jamaican star Jackson adds 100-meter title to 200 gold medal in 2018; Burks and Wilson become two-time NACAC champions for U.S., with Bruce, Crittenden III, Thompson and Winkler all achieving championship records

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The two most notable female stars at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Open Championships didn’t disappoint Saturday at the Grand Bahama Stadium in Freeport, with reigning World gold medalists Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Shericka Jackson both capturing titles.

Otherwise, it was another show of strength by the United States, resulting in 11 more gold medals and 24 overall, including a pair of two-time NACAC champions in Ajee’ Wilson in the women’s 800 meters and Quanesha Burks in the women’s long jump.

Every event winner earns the World Athletics Championships qualification standard for next year’s global event in Budapest, Hungary.

Miller-Uibo eclipsed the meet record in the women’s 400-meter final by clocking 49.40 seconds to hold off Sada Williams of Barbados (49.86), the Commonwealth Games champion and World bronze medalist, and Jamaica’s Stephenie-Ann McPherson (50.36), as all three athletes ran faster than the 2015 standard of 50.82 achieved by American Courtney Okolo.

Natassha McDonald, a former Alabama standout, finished fifth in 51.51, with fellow Canadian and USC graduate Kyra Constantine earning eighth in 52.29. Gabby Scott, a Colorado graduate, was seventh for Puerto Rico in 52.18.

Jackson, who won the NACAC 200 gold medal in 2018 in Canada, lowered the 100 meet record by clocking a wind-legal 10.83 to improve upon the mark of 10.96 achieved four years ago by American Jenna Prandini.

Celera Barnes, a USC standout, captured silver for the U.S. in 11.10, edging Jamaican Natasha Morrison in 11.11.

Javianne Oliver, a Kentucky graduate, was fourth for the Americans in 11.21, with Canadians Crystal Emmanuel (11.25) and Khamica Bingham (11.44) finishing sixth and eighth overall.

Jamaica added two more gold medals, with Christopher Taylor running 44.63 to emerge victorious in the men’s 400, eclipsing the 2015 meet record of 44.64 set by Trinidad and Tobago’s Lalonde Gordon.

Former Auburn standout Nathon Allen, also representing Jamaica, achieved silver in 45.04 and Texas A&M’s Bryce Deadmon, competing for the U.S., earned bronze in 45.06.

Ackeem Blake, 20, won the men’s 100-meter title in 9.98 for Jamaica, with Americans Kyree King (10.08) and Brandon Carnes (10.12) capturing silver and bronze.

Cejhae Greene of Antigua and Barbuda, a former Georgia standout, finished fourth in 10.17 and Indiana’s Rikkoi Brathwaite, competing for the British Virgin Islands, was fifth in 10.20.

In one of the most thrilling races of the meet, Ajee’ Wilson battled stride for stride in the final 50 meters with fellow American Allie Wilson – no relation – in the 800 final, relying on a well-timed lean to prevail by a 1:58.47 to 1:58.48 margin.

Ajee’ Wilson also triumphed in 2018 in 1:57.52 for the U.S., which has captured all four NACAC gold medals in the event.

Adelle Tracey earned bronze for Jamaica in 1:59.54, with Canada’s Jazz Shukla finishing fourth in 2:02.65 and former Ohio State standout Aziza Ayoub securing sixth for Puerto Rico in 2:05.45.

Burks, the 2015 NACAC long jump gold medalist in Costa Rica and reigning U.S. champion, soared to a third-round mark of 22-1.75 (6.75m) to become the first two-time winner in the event.

Canada’s Christabel Nettey secured silver at 21-2.50 (6.46m) and Jamaica’s Chanice Porter, a former Georgia standout, grabbed bronze at 21-1.25 (6.43m).

Tiffany Flynn represented the U.S. by finishing sixth with a mark of 20-7 (6.27m).

Stephanie Bruce, Freddie Crittenden III, Curtis Thompson and Rudy Winkler all achieved meet records for the Americans.

Bruce, 38, representing HOKA Northern Arizona Elite, took the lead for good at the 6-kilometer mark and dominated the second half of the women’s 10,000 final to triumph in 33:12.42, eclipsing the championship record of 33:27.19 by fellow American Marielle Hall in 2018.

Emily Lipari added silver for the U.S. in 33:54.61, with Beverly Ramos of Puerto Rico achieving bronze in 35:01.33.

Crittenden ran a lifetime-best 13.00 seconds to become the first American winner since Dexter Faulk in 2007, along with eclipsing the meet record of 13.23 by Trinidad and Tobago’s Mikel Thomas in 2015.

Jamal Britt secured silver for the U.S. in 13.08 and Jamaica’s Orlando Bennett earned bronze in 13.18.

Thompson triumphed in the men’s javelin with a third-round throw of 276-4 (84.23m), surpassing the 2018 meet record of 261-4 (79.65m) established by reigning World champion Anderson Peters of Grenada.

Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, the 2012 Olympic champion and 2016 bronze medalist, captured silver with a second-round effort of 275-4 (83.94m) and Virginia’s Ethan Dabbs took bronze for the U.S. at 267-2 (81.43m).

Winkler prevailed in the men’s hammer with a fifth-round performance of 256-10 (78.29m), as he and fellow American Daniel Haugh – who opened his series with a 250-7 (76.38m) mark – both surpassed the 2018 meet record of 239-3 (72.94m) achieved by Costa Rica’s Roberto Sawyers.

It marked the first men’s hammer victory for the U.S. since Jake Freeman in 2007.

Rowan Hamilton, the collegiate leader from British Columbia, earned bronze for Canada with a fourth-round effort of 243-11 (74.36m), edging teammate Adam Keenan at 243-7 (74.24m) for the final podium spot.

Alaysha Johnson rebounded from a fall in the women’s 100 hurdles at the World Championships and overcame hitting the seventh barrier Saturday to capture gold for the U.S. in 12.62, leaning at the line ahead of Jamaica’s Megan Tapper in 12.68.

Devynne Charlton, a former Purdue standout, added another medal for the Bahamas, taking bronze in 12.71.

Tonea Marshall, a former star at LSU, finished fourth for the Americans in 12.75 and Michelle Harrison was sixth for Canada in 13:05.

Jonah Koech nearly took down the men’s 800 meet record in an impressive performance for the U.S., winning in 1:45.87.

Handal Roban, a 19-year-old athlete from Saint Vincent, captured silver in 1:47.03 and Brannon Kidder achieved bronze for the Americans in 1:47.63.

Puerto Rico’s Ryan Sanchez finished fourth in 1:47.66, with Canada’s Robert Heppenstall placing fifth in 1:52.36.

Woody Kincaid, representing Nike Bowerman Track Club, won a tactical men’s 5,000 final for the U.S., closing in 53.2 seconds to triumph in 14:48.58.

Canada’s Thomas Fafard (14:49.91) and Kieran Lumb (14:50.06), representing Washington, earned silver and bronze. Emmanuel Bor finished fourth for the U.S. in 14:53.33 and former Iona standout Ehab El-Sandali was sixth for Canada in 14:59.81.

Alina McDonald, a Winthrop graduate, produced a first-attempt clearance at 14-9 (4.50m) to help the U.S. win the women’s pole vault for the fourth straight time, with former South Dakota standout Emily Grove placing second for the Americans by clearing 14-5.25 (4.40m) on her third opportunity.

Rachel Hyink took third for Canada, clearing 13-9.25 (4.20m).

The final gold medal for the U.S. came in the inaugural mixed 4x400 relay contested at the NACAC meet, with Quincy Hall, Jaide Stepter-Baynes, Ismail Turner and Kaylin Whitney clocking 3:12.05 to hold off Jamaica in 3:14.08.

The bronze went to Cuba in 3:20.35.

Cuba also triumphed in the lone field event final that didn’t produce a medal for the U.S., with Luis Enrique Zayas Hernandez and Canada’s Django Lovett, representing New Mexico, both clearing 7-4.50 (2.25m) on their first attempts to share the title.

Donald Thomas of the Bahamas added a bronze medal for the host nation, also clearing 7-4.50, but not until his third attempt.

Auburn’s Dontavious Hill finished fourth for the Americans at 7-3.25 (2.22m), with Kyle Rollins of NCAA Division 3 St. John Fisher finishing ninth at 6-8.75 (2.05m).

Guatemala swept both 20-kilometer racewalk titles, with Jose Eduardo Ortiz Flores clocking 1:26:21 to win the men’s gold medal and Mirna Sucely Ortiz Flores prevailing in the women’s race in 1:40.04.

Robyn Stevens captured silver for the U.S. in 1:40:47 and fellow American Maria Michta-Coffey, the 2018 gold medalist in Canada, earned bronze in 1:42:14. Stephanie Casey was fourth for the U.S. in 1:44:07.

Evan Dunfee achieved the men’s silver medal for Canada in 1:27;17 and Erick Bernabe Barrondo Garcia added another medal for Guatemala, taking bronze in 1:28:32.