The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER playing second fiddle behind arch-rival Donald Thomas for the past two years, Trevor Barry regained his men’s high jump title that he last held in 2009.

In the BAAA Scotiabank National Open Track and Field Championships Saturday where the marquee event was held earlier in the day, Barry soared 2.29 meters or 7-feet, 6-inches, which was just under the Olympic Games B standard of 2.28m (7-5 3/4).

Teenager Ryan Ingraham, who has already booked his ticket to the IAAF World Junior Championships, got second in 2.21m (7-3) , while Thomas relinquished his title with a third place finish at 2.15m (7-0 1/2).

Both Barry and Thomas have already achieved the Olympic A standard of 2.31m (7-7) and are set to travel to London, England, in July.

Ingraham just missed the trip, having only done the B standard.

“This wasn’t one of my better meets, but it’s all in preparation for the Olympics,” said Barry, who will be making his first appearance at the biggest sporting spectacular in the world.

“The competition wasn’t the best. I know the guys are capable of jumping higher. They just weren’t on top of their game. At the Olympics, I know that I will be ready to jump higher with the competition.”

Ingraham said he anticipated a tough competition and he was ready for the challenge.

“There wasn’t any pressure on me. It was on them. They are the seniors,” said Ingraham, who cleared 2.28m (7-5 3/4) for the BAAA junior national record on May 12. “I just did my best. I wanted to PR, but it didn’t happen today.

The former basketball player for the CI Gibson Rattlers said he knew that he had a chance to upset at least one of the two elite competitors as he gears up for the World Jrs.

“I know I was going to catch one. The thing is Trevor slipped. My ankle is sore right now, but I was going for him too,” Ingraham said. “I just have to concentrate on the World Juniors right now.

Without using any excuse, Thomas said the competition just didn’t go his way.

“I had some problems with my take off. I was twisting and hurt my ankle on my approach. It just wasn’t my day,” he said. “The competition was all right. I felt I would have been right up there, but it just wasn’t my day. I just have to get some rehab on my ankle and get ready for the Olympics.”

On the other side of the field, Raymond Higgs managed to soar 7.86m (25-9 1/2) to win the men’s long jump in a hotly contested battle with Rudon Bastian (second with 7.76m or 25-5 1/2) and Nyles Stuart (third with 7.52m or 24-8 1/2).

“It wasn’t as far as I wanted to go, but I came out with the win, so I was proud of that,” Stuart said. “I had some issues with my approach, so I was just trying to make it through and come out on top. I just hope to continue to train hard and work hard. I have two more games before the Games, so I hope to improve on my performance.”

On Friday night, national record holder Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands continued his winning streak by taking the men’s triple jump with a leap of 17.04m (55-11), which surpassed the Olympic B standard of 16.85m (55-3 1/2). Sands, however, has already done the A standard of 17.20m (56-5).

Latario Collie-Minns posted a second place finish with 16.64 (54-7 1/4), followed by J’Vente Deveaux with 16.10m (52-10). Collie-Minns’ twin brother Lathone was fourth with 15.83m (51-11 1/4).

On the female side, national record holder Bianca Stuart popped a winning leap of 6.46m (21-2 1/2) on Friday night. Her nearest rival was Wanetta Kirby of the US Virgin Islands with 5.92m (19-5 1/4). Keythra Richards was third with 5.50m (18-0 1/2).

Richards, however, won the triple jump with a distance of 11.82m (38-9 1/2), followed by Josie Lawrence with 11.50m (37-8 3/4).

Saniel Atkinson-Grier took the high jump, soaring 1.79m (5-10 1/2) over Kenya Culmer, who did 1.77m (5-9 3/4). Andriel Strachan was third with 1.55m (5-1). Culmer’s feat was a NACAC qualifier (1.75m or 5-8 3/4).

Also on the field, veteran Lavern Eve tossed the women’s javelin 49.04m (160-10), but it was well off the Olympic B qualifier of 59.00m (193-7), denying her a bid to compete in her sixth four-yearly games.