Terrific Tajay …Gayle produces amazing NR to win long jump gold at World Champs
Published:Sunday | September 29, 2019 | 12:00 AMAkino Ming/Staff Reporter
DOHA, Qatar:
Newly crowned world long jump champion Tajay Gayle expressed gratitude to veteran coach Stephen Francis for guiding him to his first global title. However, it was to his high school coach Shanikie Osbourne, the woman who introduced him to the sport, that he dedicated his historic victory in the men’s long jump at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, yesterday.
“Stephen Francis is a very motivational coach and I am grateful for all he has done for me, but to my coach from Papine High School, Shanikie Osbourne, I honour her with this victory,” Gayle shared with The Sunday Gleaner, after leaping to 8.69 metres to break his idol James Beckford’s 22-year-old national record of 8.62m, on his way to capturing the 2019 world long jump title.
Osbourne, who is a member of the coaching staff at Francis’ MVP Track Club, discovered Gayle’s exceptional ability to jump at a sports day at Papine High School. After working with him without much success, she handed him over to Francis, who knew that Gayle was a diamond waiting to be polished.
“I was at the event and I saw this person high in the air, and when I went over there it was Tajay,” Osbourne recounted. “Because Papine was not one of the top high schools, I believe that was one of the reasons he didn’t build on his talent. He didn’t believe he could do it but I always told him that he can be great.”
She continued: “He did the decathlon at Boys Champs and actually finished in the top eight, and then Stephen Francis came to me and said ‘Shanikie, I need Tajay. I believe he can be good at something’, and he worked with him and this is the result now.”
PUT COMPETITION ON NOTICE
After squeezing into the final with the 12th and last best jump in the preliminary round, Gayle put the competition on notice on his first attempt when he leaped to 8.46m.
The effort left pre-event favourite Juan Miguel Ecchevarria uncomfortable as he struggled with his run-up all night. But it was Gayle’s fourth jump that put the competition out of reach of the other contenders, as no one in the field had ventured beyond the 8.69 mark.
The 22-year-old, Jamaica’s first long jump gold medallist at a global track and field event, struggled on Friday as, according to him, he had his mind on a new technique Francis introduced three weeks ago.
“But, today, I just focused on the run-up and didn’t think about any old or new technique. I just jumped,” he said.
“This means everything to me. It’s not only the gold but the national record. Today is the best day of my life because I dreamed about this and it has come true.”
American Jeff Henderson placed second with 8.39m, while Ecchevarria pocketed bronze with a best of 8.34m.
It wasn’t my night, says Blake
For the first time since the Helsinki World Championships in 2005, Jamaica has failed to win a medal in the men’s 100 metres at a global championships, as Yohan Blake, the lone finalist for the black, green and gold, finished fifth in 9.97 seconds at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.
“I just have to put it behind me. I will cry tonight and focus on the 200m tomorrow. After the semi-finals, I thought I could to do it but it wasn’t my night,” Blake told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday.
The race was won by American Christian Coleman in a world-leading time of 9.76 seconds, while his compatriot Justin Gatlin finished second in 9.89. Canadian André de Grasse grabbed the bronze medal with 9.90.
Meanwhile, multiple world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce registered the fastest time ever in the preliminary round of the women’s 100m at a global championships when she sped to 10.80 seconds to qualify for today’s semi-final scheduled for 1:20 p.m. locally.
Elaine Thompson was also comfortable in her heat, as she cruised to victory in 11.14 seconds. But Jonielle Smith was made to work in heat four, as she finished third behind Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, 10.96, and American English Gardner, 11.20.
The final of the women’s 100m final will go off at 3:20 p.m. locally.