Youngsters look to finish on a high at Youth Champs

André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

LILLE, France:

Jamaica will be looking to close out the 2011 IAAF World Youth Championships with a medal blitz on today's final day of competition inside the Stadium Lille Metropole, Lille, France and add to the five (two gold, three bronze) already won.

Yesterday's penultimate day ended without a Jamaican medal, with the lone final entrant on the day Omar McLeod, failing to finish in the top three in the boys' 400m hurdles.

The day did not end without controversy, however, as the Jamaican management team had to be locked in a meeting with the championships' Technical Committee after 100m champion Odail Todd was given a warning prior to winning his 200m semi-final.

Todd looked extremely impressive; shutting down at 180m to post a personal-best 21.02 seconds on his way to victory, but the officials, charged the youngster after it was claimed that he delayed and disrupted the race.

Team officials told The Gleaner after the meeting that a resolution was arrived at and that there was no real case against the youngster. It was extremely important to get the infraction removed because another in the final would lead to his ejection from the race.

'Ridiculous' reasons

It is understood that several "ridiculous" and "unrelated" reasons were heard, ranging from Todd taking too long to get into his starting blocks, moving his shoulder while in the 'set' position and distracting the athlete in front of him - an impossible scenario given the fact that athletes would not be able to see the Jamaican from his position.

Importantly for the Todd, team officials were recording the race and provided video evidence to the Technical Committee to challenge their call.

Less controversially, McLeod, who has been competing from the championships' opening day without rest after also being active in the 110m hurdles and the medley relay, ran out of gas in the one-lap hurdles final, finishing eighth in 52.82 seconds.

"Its been a good championship for me and I am pleased with my effort. It wasn't easy doing all these events but I never say never, I am a fighter," said McLeod, one of three Manchester High School student athletes in Lille.

Compatriot Odean Skeen's WYC experience got from bad to worse as he was ejected from his semi-final for a false start. Skeen, who had to be pulled from the 100m because of an injury, says he will try to make up for it by helping to push his country to the gold medal in the medley relay.

"The hamstring problem is still there but I am good enough to go out in the medley final and I will be putting all my focus there to help and push the team to the gold medal," said Skeen after the long, lonely walk from his would-be starting position and into the media area.

Jackson on course

Shericka Jackson, however, remained on course for a medal in the girls' 200m after posting 23.66 second to win her semi-final yesterday, but the Vere Technical student had to work a bit harder than she would have perhaps liked, after being forced into a recovery after a poor corner.

Kadisha Dallas, who was added to the semi-final pool late yesterday as one of the fastest losers from the first round after what appeared to be a timing error, could not do as well, finishing seventh in 24.72 seconds.

Jamaica's medley quartet were impressive in qualifying and seem a sure bet for the gold medal after being the only team to go under 2:08.00, posting a World Youth leading 2:05.59 in their qualifiers.

The team, which could threaten the 2:03.83 best-ever performance by a youth team, featured 100m bronze medallist Christania Williams, Shericka Jackson, 400m bronze medallist Olivia James and Chrisann Gordon.

In the boys' medley relay prelims, Jamaica finished second behind Caribbean neighbours Trinidad and Tobago to also ensure a lane in today's final.

The Jamaicans, who had Tyler Mason (100m), Odail Todd (200m), Lennox Williams and Omar McLeod running the legs, finished in 1:53.66 the second-slowest mark going into the final. Skeen is expected to replace Mason on the 100m leg for the final.

Gleneve Grange could not complete the heptathlon and therefore could not score after missing the final event - the 800m, after a flare-up of the shin injury that affected her at the Carifta Games during the penultimate event, the javelin.