By Tamica Garnett
Continuing her phenomenal season, Guyana’s Brenessa Thompson yesterday became the first Guyanese to set a national track record on local soil after she championed the women’s 100m in a blistering 11.14 seconds, when the Aliann Pompey Invitational went down at the National Track and Field Centre in Leonora.
Before a pumped up home crowd, Thompson blasted away the 32 year old 11.26 seconds record set by Jennifer Innis, as she set a new personal best and claimed her second national record. An excited Thompson was elated to make such a historic achievement before the local crowd.

“My main goal was to push from the start and make sure that my first half of the race was good because that part of the race is normally my weakest part and today I got out. I feel really great, I’m looking forward to lowering it again.” the women’s 200m record holder shared.
“I feel really good competing in front of the home crowd, you know getting the love from everybody. The track was really good, and the conditions was better than expected. It was really hot earlier, but then it cooled down.”

Thompson also celebrated a sprint double after she also ran away with the women’s 200m in a time of 23.08 seconds.
Thompson who has already qualified for both the 100m and 200m sprints at the upcoming Rio Olympics, has been on a road of steady development since her outdoor season began. Thompson shared that her amazing performances for the year was somewhat of a come from behind development.
“At the beginning of the year I hadn’t expected this at all because my indoor season wasn’t that good, but then when I came out for outdoor it was better. For now I’m just going to stay focused and train.”
Meanwhile, USA’s Donald Scott made an Olympic qualifying standard in the men’s triple jump, after clearing 17.02m, while in the women’s 400m Kadecia Baird stood just milliseconds outside of the Olympic qualifying standard, clocking 52.26 seconds for the win. The Olympic qualifying time for this event is 52.20 seconds.
Guyana’s Olympic qualifier Aaliyah Abram was also in this event clocking 53.53 seconds for third. Second place went to British Virgin Islands’ Ashley Kelly with a time of 53.24 seconds.
Baird was also in the women’s 200m, where she finished behind Thompson in 23.38 seconds, again just outside of an Olympic qualifying standard, with the mark in this event being 23.20 seconds.
A confident Phil DeRosier, of the United States, was relentless in the men’s 100m, which he claimed in a time of 10.25 seconds. Guyana’s Rupert Perry took fourth in this event with a time of 10.29 seconds.

Following the race,Perry commented on how much he enjoyed the competitive of the race , since it gave him the extra push to improve his timings. Perry had recently clocked 10.40 seconds just

two weeks ago at the National Seniors Championships. Perry still remains hopeful of making the 10.16 seconds Olympic qualifying time in this event, and is still overlooking possible qualifying meets to attend before the July 11 deadline.
Guyana’s Olympian Winston George took the win in the men’s 200m, crossing the finishing line in 20.76 seconds. In the men’s 400m Guyana’s George’s best was not enough to overcome the United States Brycen Spratlin. George clocked 45.85 seconds for second place while Brycen took the win in 45.84 seconds.