Clarke, Watson win at Ed Murphey Classic
Roshawn Clarke and Antonio Watson continued their build-up to the World Athletics Championships to be held in Budapest, Hungary, with wins during Friday’s Ed Murphey Classic at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.
Clarke won the men’s 400m hurdles in 48.52 seconds and Watson took the men’s 400m race in a commanding performance running 44.69 seconds in their first races since last month’s national championships.
Chanice Porter also won the women’s long jump with a season’s best 6.67m while World Championships finalist Oblique Seville shook off some rust with a 9.98 seconds (0.0m/s) as he was second in the men’s 100m.
The 19-year-old Clarke, who equalled the World Under-20 record of 47.85 seconds a month ago, was always in control of the race until he clipped the final barrier allowing the field to get back to him.
Nigeria’s Eziekiel Nathaniel was second and American David Kendziera finished third in 48.77 seconds.
Watson, who was second at the national championships, held off World and Olympic Games champion Kirani James of Grenada for the win.
James was timed in 44.92 seconds, American Justin Robinson was third with 45.09 seconds and Jamaican Demish Gaye was fourth in 45.44 seconds.
Porter jumped her season’s wind legal best to beat a field that included the USA’s Tiffany Flynn (6.46m) and Nigeria’s Ruth Usoro Nigeria (6.42m).
Seville has run sparingly this year and was making his first appearance since he placed third at the national championships, battled to a gutsy second place behind American Marvin Bracy-Williams 9.96 seconds with Christian Coleman third in 10.03 seconds.
National champion Rajay Hamilton was just nipped on the line in the men’s 800m, running 1:46.72 minutes as Kenya’s Festus Lagat won with 1:46.58 after a sprint to the finish line while Abe Alvarado was third in 1:46.82.
In his first contest since setting the new national shot put record, Rajindra Campbell rallied for third place with 21.59m on final throw that took him from fifth place.
American Joe Kovacs won with 21.72m with Tripp Piperi third with 21.67m.
Andrew Hudson was third in the men’s 200m, running 20.51 seconds (-0.2m/s) as Canadian Andre De Grasse won with 20.19 seconds followed by American Kyree King-20.45 seconds.
Rasheed Dwyer was fourth in 20.69 seconds.
Ackera Nugent finished fourth in the 100m hurdles, clocking 12.68 seconds (0.2m/s), Danielle Williams was sixth in 12.70 seconds and Yanique Thompson seventh in 12.80 seconds.
Ashanti Moore ran 11.18 seconds (0.1m/s) to win the Women’s 100m Invitational B race, Nataliah White was third with 11.26 seconds and Remona Burchell ran 11.41 seconds for seventh.
White won the women’s 200m Open with 22.76 seconds (-0.4m/s), beating American Talitha Diggs- 22.83 seconds while Nigeria’s Favour Ofili who won her heat in 22.94 seconds (-0.8m/s) was third overall.
Dejour Russell was second in the 110m hurdles in 13.47 seconds (0.4m/s), as American Michael Dickson won with 13.37 seconds with is compatriot Dylan Beard third with 13.60 seconds.
Obrien Wasome finished fifth in the men’s triple jump with 16.53m (-0.0m/s), and Candice McLeod was also fifth in the women’s 400m in 51.71 seconds.