V.I.'s Jones-Ferrette qualifies for Indoor Worlds

U.S. Virgin Islands sprinter Laverne Jones-Ferrette hasn't earned a spot in the 2012 Olympic Games just yet, but continues to turn heads during her comeback tour.

The two-time Olympian started her indoor track season last Friday at the Leonard Hilton Invitational in Houston, as she took second in the 60-meter finals with a time of 7.14 seconds.

The performance qualified the St. Croix native for the International Association of Athletics Federations World Indoor Championships, which will be held in Istanbul, Turkey in March.

Tabarie Henry of St. Thomas is a 400-meter standout and has also qualified for the championships.

It was the first indoor track meet for Jones-Ferrette, 30, in almost two years. She has been working her way back to international elite status since she gave birth to her first child, Asana, last March.

"Laverne - I call her 'Mother Jones' - is a professional, and she always steps on a track to win," USVI track coach Charles Golphin said. "She's done a great job getting herself back in the game … we're all excited about the future for her. She is still a magnificent competitor."

In her first international competition since having her daughter, Jones-Ferrette surprised many by advancing to the 100-meter finals at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg for me," Jones-Ferrette said after the Pan Ams final on Oct. 24. "I'm still getting back into prime racing shape so to make it this far was a pleasant surprise."

It appears the comeback is almost complete for Jones-Ferrette.

She was stripped of the silver medal she won at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships because she tested positive for Clomiphene, which is a banned substance. Because of IAAF rules, a two-year sanction immediately was put in place, but the IAAF said Jones-Ferrette qualified for a sanction reduction and it was shortened to six months.

In last week's preliminary 60-meter heat, Jones-Ferrette also raced alongside fellow USVI sprinter Allison Peter for the first time. Peter is a 19-year-old sophomore at Texas University and has already qualified for the 2012 Olympics in the 200-meter sprint.

In the preliminary race, Jones-Ferrette smoked a time of 7.16 and took first place, while Peter crossed the line in 7.49 and was fourth. Peter went on to clock a time of 7.45 and won the 60-meter B finals.

The USVI Track and Field Federation said Jones-Ferrette's time of 7.14 was the second fastest time in the world this year, and it tied a previous record she set at the University of Houston's Bill Yeoman Fieldhouse in 2010.

So far, three USVI track and field athletes - Peter, 400-meter sprinter Henry and triple jumper Muhammad Halim - have qualified for the 2012 Olympics in London, while many others are very close to hitting qualification marks and have put up solid numbers during the indoor season.

- Courtney Patterson had her best indoor track performance since college when she clocked a 6.96 in the 55-meter finals and finished third at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational in Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday.

- Morgan State University's Calvin Dascent finished second in the 500 meters with a time of 1:02.46 at NYC Gotham Cup in New York City on Sunday. Dascent also took first in 400 meters with a 47.92 at the Naval Academy Invitational last month.

- Virginia Tech triple jumper Hasheem Halim, Muhammad Halim's younger brother, took sixth at the Virginia Tech Invitational on Jan. 14 with a jump of 23 feet and 9 inches.

- Adrian Durant, who represented the USVI at the 2004 Olympics, took first place in his 100-meter heat and ran sixth in the final with a time of 6.91 at the Metro Coaches Invitational in New York City on Jan. 6.

- South Carolina State University sophomore Seymour Walter took third place in the 800 meters with a time of 1:55.18 at the UAB Blazer Invitational last weekend. He also ran a leg on his team's 1,600-meter relay team, which finished second in 3:18.53.

- Contact sports writer Aaron Gray at 714-9102 or email agray@dailynews.vi.

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