Kadrian Goldson and Rojé Stona strike gold at Ed Murphey Classic
Kadrian Goldson and Olympic discus champion Roje Stona emerged as winners at Friday’s Ed Murphey Classic, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver event held at the Billy Murphy Track Complex in Memphis, Tennessee.
Goldson ran a personal best 9.89 seconds (1.9m/s) to win the men’s 100m, lowering his previous best of 9.94 seconds set in 2023 and tying him for fifth best in the world so far.
Americans Ronnie Baker and Courtney Lindsey were both timed at 9.93 seconds.
Stona threw 63.56m to top the men’s discus throw, beating Americans Brian Williams (63.09m) and Reggae Jagers III (62.77m) with Chad Wright placing sixth with (60.08m).
Former World Athletics Championships gold medallist Antonio Watson ran a season’s best 44.70 seconds to place second in the men’s 400m, which was won by NCAA champion Samuel Ogazi of Nigeria in 44.57 seconds, with Kirani James of Grenada third with 45.04 seconds.
Kemba Nelson came within strides of victory in the women’s 100m before American Tamari Davis edged her at the line. Davis won in a wind-assisted 10.89 seconds (2.1m/s), with Nelson clocking 10.91 seconds. American McKenzie Long finished third in 10.95 seconds, while Sabrina Dockery was seventh in 11.10 seconds.
National champion Lloydricia Cameron continued an excellent season with another personal best, throwing 18.82m to finish second in the women’s shot put competition. The mark eclipsed the 18.77m she produced earlier this year. Sweden’s Axelina Johansson won with 18.90m, while American Adelaide Aquilla placed third with 18.66m.
Ashanti Moore was third in the women’s 200m, running a wind-aided 22.10 seconds and Niesha Burgher was sixth in 22.44 seconds behind Nigeria’s Favour Ofili who won with 21.74 seconds (2.8m/s) ahead of American McKenzie Long in 22.01 seconds.
Many times national champion Natoya Goule-Toppin was second in the women’s 800, running 2:00.50, behind Shafiqua Maloney of St Vincent who won with 1:58.72. Honour Finley of the United States was third with 2:01.17.
Shantae Foreman placed third in the women’s long jump with a wind-aided 6.51m (2.8m/s); Nigeria’s Ruth Osoro won with a wind-aided 6.76m (2.6m/s); and Trinidad and Tobago’s Tyra Gittens-Spotsville was second with 6.70m (2.5m/s).
Shaquena Foote returned to competition after a break of just over a month to place fourth in the women’s 400m with 51.71 seconds while Leah Anderson was eighth with 52.37 seconds.
National champion Christopher Taylor was sixth in the men’s 200m, running a wind-aided 20.02 seconds (3.9m/s).
— Paul A Reid
