Aug. 17, 2008

BEIJING, China - Kerron Stewart tied for second in the finals of the 100 meters as part of a Jamaican sweep of the top three spots Sunday, earning the first track and field medal for former Auburn athletes competing at the Olympic Games.

Stewart overcame a slow start to post a time of 10.98, tying for second with Sherone Simpson behind Shelly-Ann Fraser, who won the gold with a time of 10.78. Stewart, who reached the finals earlier Sunday by winning her semifinal heat with a time of 11.05, became the first Auburn woman ever to win a medal in track and field at the Olympics.

Stewart's Jamaican teammate, Vonette Dixon, competed in the opening round of the women's 100-meter hurdles Sunday, winning her heat with a time of 12.69 seconds, which tied for the third-best mark in the field and was just .01 seconds behind the co-leaders of the opening round. Dixon will run in the second semifinal heat Monday. The finals are slated for Tuesday.

Josanne Lucas, running for Trinidad and Tobago, finished a disappointing sixth in her opening-round heat of the 400-meter hurdles and 23rd overall, failing to advance to the semifinals. She posted a time of 57.76 seconds.

The fourth and final former Tiger competing on Sunday was Donald Thomas, the 2007 World Champion in the high jump. Thomas, who has struggled this summer since returning from an ankle injury, did not advance to the finals, jumping 2.20 meters in the qualifying round but falling out of the competition at 2.25 meters while tying for 21st place.