FIL-AM hurdler Eric Shawn Cray improved slightly but pole vaulter Natalie Uy and sprinter Kristina Knott had sub-par performances yesterday (Monday in the US) in the Duval County Challenge trackfest at the University of Florida Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.
Cray topped the “B” finals of the men’s 400-meter hurdles in 50.40 meters while Nigeria’s Rilwan Alowonie and Cape Verde’s Jordin Andrade checked in with times of 50.98 and 51.72 seconds to take second and third places, respectively.
Cray’s time was only good for sixth place in the “A” finals ruled by American Quincy Hall in 49.04 seconds, with compatriot Amere Lattin settling for runner-up honors (49.34) and Jamaica’s Andre Clarke (49.48) third.
Cray, who bagged two gold medals in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, surpassed his previous season best of 50.77 seconds in his last race but was still far off the off the Olympic qualifying standard of 48.90 meters with barely a month to make the cut.
Uy, who booked a new national record of 4.30 meters in the USATF Journey to Gold Series meet in Prairie View Texas last week, finished fourth in the women’s pole vault with a jump of 4.20 meters.
She actually tied with bronze medalist American Jill Marols but lost in the countback, having more tries in clearing the height.
Eyeing to compete in both the 100 and 200 meters in the Tokyo Olympics, Knott was also a big disappointment, failing to reach the finals of the women’s century dash after clocking 11.50 seconds in the heats.
