Slow start for juniors in Nairobi
Published:Thursday | August 19, 2021 | 12:09 AMRaymond Graham/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica’s junior athletes found the going tough during Day One of the World Athletics U-20 Championships at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya, yesterday.
Many of them failed to advance to the next round of their events although Tina Clayton was one of the country’s bright sparks.
Clayton, who celebrated her 17th birthday on Tuesday, advanced to the Women’s 100m final, set for today, as the fastest qualifier after winning her semi-final in 11.34 seconds.
Clayton, who is the number-one ranked athlete at the Championships, was relaxed in her semi-final, easing up with less than 30m to go to advance. Ivana Ilić, of Serbia, was second in 11.50s.
Jamaica’s Kerrica Hill, the national under-20 100m hurdles champion, who was moved from that event and put into the 100m by management ahead of the higher-ranked Serena Cole, had to settle for fourth in her semi-final as she clocked 11.60s but advanced seventh overall.
The race was won by Namibia’s Beatrice Masilingi in 11.35s, ahead of Switzerland’s Melissa Gutschmidt (11.50), and Praise Ofoku of Nigeria won semi-final three in 11.57s.
Masilingi, who finished sixth in the Women’s 200m final at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this month, is a real threat to the Jamaicans as she clocked a national under-20 record of 11.20s in the preliminary round.
FOCUS ON KEEPING TITLE IN JAMAICA
The final is at 5:30 p.m. today (9:30 a.m. Jamaica time), and Clayton will be hoping to keep the title in Jamaica after Briana Williams’ success in Tampere, Finland, in 2018.
Both Jamaicans failed to advance to the final on the men’s side.
In the first semi-final, Alicke Cranston struggled after a quick first 30m. He finished eighth in 10.94s.
Bryan Levell, the fourth-ranked athlete in the event, was disqualified for false-starting in his semi-final heat after looking relaxed in the previous round.
In the first final on the track, the Mixed 4x400m Relay, which was being contested at the Championships for the first time, the quartet of Shaemar Uter, Alliah Baker, Aaliyah Francis, and Malachi Johnson had to settle for fourth in a season’s best (SB) 3:23.04 minutes. In a close finish, Nigeria captured the gold medal in a Championship record of 3:19.70 minutes. Poland (SB 3:19.80) and India (3:20.60) took the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Yesterday in the morning session, Jamaicans were involved on the track in the 400m, but only one of four advanced to the final on Saturday.
In the Women’s event, Oneika McAnnuff won her heat in 54.13s to qualify as the fifth fastest going into the final. Annalee Robinson ended fifth in her heat in 56.56s and did not advance.
Among the males, Jeremy Bembridge pulled up and fell to the track with 90m to go, and Tahj Hamm ended seventh in his heat in 47.73s.
Kobe Lawrence, who qualified with the sixth-best mark of 18.65 metres in the morning session of the Qualifying Round of the Men’s Shot Put, will be the first Jamaican in action in the final at 3:20 p.m. (7:20 a.m.).
Cedricka Williams, the fourth-ranked female discus thrower at the Championships, will take part in the Women’s Discus Final at 4:25 p.m. (8:25 a.m.).
Ackelia Smith will also be in action today in Group B of the Qualifying Round of the Women’s Triple Jump at 4 p.m. (8 a.m.).
In the first session of competition today, four Jamaicans will be in action in the 400m hurdles first-round heats.
Starting at 9 a.m. (1 a.m.), Garriel Whyte, the number-one-ranked female athlete in the event with a season and personal best 57.28s will run out of Lane Three in Heat Two. Moseiha Bridgen, with a best of 58.62s, will run out of Lane Six in Heat Three.
At 9:25 a.m. (1:25 a.m.), Roshawn Clarke will run out of Lane Three in Heat One of the Men’s 400m Hurdles. He has a season’s best of 50.93s. His teammate, Devontie Archer, who is the second seed at the Championships with 50.43s, will take the track at 9:46 a.m. (1:46 a.m.) in Heat Four and will run out of Lane Seven.