Williamson gets bronze

Raymond Graham, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Miramar, Florida:Kimberly Williams took bronze in the girls' high jump to give Jamaica's contingent their only medal on yesterday's second day of the Pan American Junior Championships in Miramar, Florida.

Williams cleared 1.8 metres as American Shanay Briscoe won gold with a best of 1.83 metres. Going into today's final day of the three-day meet, Jamaica's medal tally reads two gold, two silver and two bronze.

Former St Elizabeth Technical High long jumper, Rochelle Farquharson, who has just completed her first year at Mississippi State University and who was favoured to grab at least a podium finish in the event, could only manage fifth.

strong winds

Farquharson was bothered by strong winds during the competition. It resulted in her having three foul attempts. Her best leap was 5.8 metres. Jessica Reid of Brazil won the event with 6.39 metres. Caroline Erhardt of Canada took silver with 5.92m.

In another final in yesterday's morning session, there was also no luck for discus throwers Danniel Thomas and Sashagaye Marston.

Thomas, in her first competition for the country, could only manage fifth with 48.12 metres, while Sashagaye Marston was seventh with a throw of 45.92 metres. In the shot-put final, which was delayed the previous evening due to lightning, both Jamaicans, Kellion Knibb and Daina Levy, did not compete.

On the track, Everton Clarke and Chaderick Hinds failed to make progress in the preliminary round of the boys' 200 metres. Clarke, 21.56 seconds, was fifth in his heat while Hinds (21.90) was seventh. The gold went to Grenada's Kirani James in a wind-aided 20.53 seconds.

Yannick Hart came close to winning a medal in the boys' 110m hurdles. He placed a close fourth in 14 seconds, edged out by Brazil's Joao Oliveira who was third in 13.97. Americans took gold and silver, with Lovette Edie winning in 13.14 from Roy Smith, 13.24.

Also failing to medal in finals yesterday were Rojeek Rochester, who was ninth in the boys' 1500m final in 4:04.48 and Desreen Montigue who was fifth in the girls' s 800m final in 2:13.08.

Janieve Russell was on target for a medal in the heptathlon after four events. She is in second spot on 3319 points, 172 behind leader Tamara Souza of Brazil on 3491.

Yesterday, she won the 100m hurdles in a personal-best 14.12 seconds and the 200 metres in 24.25 seconds and also had a personal-best of 10.87 metres for fourth in the shot put, while she was second in the high jump with 1.70 metres.

In the triple-jump final, Jamaica's Jonathan Reid finished fourth with 15.71m. Trinidad and Tobago's Elton Walcott won with 16.51m.