On Saturday St Lucia’s prolific high jumper and multiple Sports Woman of the Year, Levern Donaline Spencer, was for the fifth time this year on the medal winning podium as she continued her fine performance this season.
Competing at the popular Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, against a field that included three other Olympians, Spencer for the third time this season cleared the B standard qualifying mark for the World Championships scheduled for Moscow, Russia, later this year when she sailed over the bar at 1.92 metres (m) to capture the silver medal.
The Caricom record holder commenced her jumps at 1.83 m. After missing her first attempt at this height, the St Lucian made it on her second attempt, before going on to clear 1.86 m on her very first attempt. She then passed at the height of 1.89 m and went over her silver medal winning mark of 1.92 m on the second attempt. Spencer again had three close but unsuccessful attempts at the 1.95 m mark.
The competition was won by Ruth Beithia, the spanish champion who was the fourth place finisher at last year’s Olympics. She cleared a 2013 world leading mark of 1.95 m, while another Olympian Veneva Mateeva (Bulgaria) claimed the bronze medal with a clearance of 1.89 m.
Seven weeks into the outdoor season, Spencer the world class jumper from St Lucia, currently sits at number three on the IAAF world listing with a best clearance of 1.93 m behind Brigetta Baretta, last year’s Olympic silver medalist from the US at number two with a best of 1.94 m and the spaniard and fourth place finisher at last year’s Olympics Beithia, in the number one spot with a best clearance of 1.95 m.
