Jamaica to increase medal tally

Jamaica, who lead the medal table at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany, are strongly poised to increase their tally on today’s seventh day of action.



Three Jamaicans will line up in the women’s 200 metres at 2 p.m. this afternoon. They are Beijing Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, Anneisha McLaughlin and Simone Facey.



Campbell-Brown booked her place after a second place finish to Bahamian Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie in the first semi-final yesterday.



McLaughlin and Facey also finished second in their semi-final heats.



Jamaica surged top of the gold medal table yesterday following Usain Bolt’s record run in the 200 metre and Melaine Walker’s victory in the 400 metre hurdles final.



Bolt’s time of 19.19 slashed .11 seconds off the mark he set last year at the Beijing Olympics and came four days after breaking his 100 record by the same margin.



Alonso Edward of Panama was second, a massive .62 seconds behind Bolt. Wallace Spearmon of the United States took bronze.



Steve Mullings of Jamaican was fifth in a personal-best 19.98.



Bolt\'s spirits got a boost before the start when Walker added the world championship title to her Olympic gold in the women\'s 400 hurdles.



Walker won the gold in 52.42 seconds, the second fastest time in history. It was a championship record.



Kaliese Spencer of Jamaican was fifth in a personal-best 53.56.



Jamaica are now at the top of the gold medal standings with five compared to four for the United States.



Jamaica also secured two silver and two bronze, while the United States have four silver and five bronze.



Overall, the Americans lead with a medal haul of 13 medals compared with Jamaica’s haul of nine.