Bellille breaks national 400m record, Davis wins 110 hurdle title

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Texas A&M's Janeil Bellille set a national record of 51.83 seconds to claim the 400m title at the Trinidad & Tobago national championship meet held Saturday at Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Aggie Wayne Davis II threatened the Trinidad & Tobago national record in winning the 110 hurdles with a 13.21 (0.4 wind) as current record holder Mikel Thomas placed second in 13.45. Thomas set the national record a year ago with a 13.19 clocking. In the men's 400 final A&M's Carlyle Roudette finished fourth with a time of 46.00 seconds.

Bellille dominated the women's final as her career best of 51.83 bettered the 53.14 runner-up time posted by Shawna Fermin and a 53.60 from Romona Modeste in third place. The time from Bellille broke the national record of 51.96 set by Beverly Pierre in 1998 and moves her to No. 5 on the Aggie all-time list.

“The plan was just to stay relaxed and patient,” noted Bellille. “I just wanted to stick with the race plan. Claiming the win and a national record really made me happy. I ran an outdoor PR in the heats so that really boosted me going into the finals.

“It was really exciting running in front of the home crowd and having my family here to support me.”

The A&M all-time list in the 400 is topped by Jessica Beard's 50.56 school record and includes a 51.06 for both Clora Williams and Shamier Little along with a 51.72 by Kanika Beckles. Bellille is the fifth Aggie to post a sub 52 second time.

Davis posted his second fastest wind-legal time on the A&M all-time list, just behind his school record of 13.20. Davis has recorded the six fastest times in school history and also has the six fastest wind-aided performances on the Aggie all-time list, topped by a 13.14 that claimed the 2013 NCAA title.

Among hurdlers who can compete at the Commonwealth Games later this summer Davis currently ranks second with his 13.20 behind a 13.14 for Jamaica's Hansle Parchment, who ran that time at the Drake Relays at the end of April.

Roudette's 46.00 placed fourth in the men's 400 final behind a pair of 45.08 times by Renny Quow (45.073) and Lalonde Gordon (45.077) as well as 45.59 from Jarrin Solomon.