T&T multi-sport athlete Tyra Gittens grabbed the top spot in the women's high jump event at the Texas vs Texas A&M Dual track meet in the United States on Saturday.
The University of Texas A&M junior leapt 1.90 metres to comfortably beat Texas’ Marlene Guerrero, who was a far-off second with 1.73 and her teammate Trinity Tomlinson placed third with the same height.
Gittens also represented Texas A&M in three other events including the 100m hurdles, the shot put and the long jump.
The NCAA champion and national heptathlon record-holder won heat one of two in the 110m hurdles event, clocking 13.63 seconds but placed sixth overall. She finished fifth in the shot put with her best throw, reaching 12.07m but unfortunately she recorded no marks in the long jump event.
At Saturday’s USA Track and Field (USATF) Sprint Summit in Prairie View, Texas, T&T had three athletes in action.
In the men's 400m, Asa Guevara of Empire Athletics, running in lane three in heat two of two, crossed fifth in a time of 47.27 and placed eighth overall while compatriot Deon Lendore of Athletics TX, who was registered to face the starter in the event, but did not compete.
Winning the one-lap event was Kenya's Emmanuel Korir (Nike) in 46.06, followed by USA's Marcus Chambers of Take Notice Sports Management with 46.12 and third was another American Rashard Clark (TES Group) with 46.21.
The other local athlete was Sparkle McKnight and she featured in the women's 400m hurdles. She placed fourth in 57.40 in a race won by USA’s Ashley Spencer with a 56.36-clocking. In second place was World Under-20 silver medallist Shian Salmon of Jamaica (56.90) while in the third spot was Panamanian Gianna Woodruff in 57.22.