Leaving it all on the track
Massive PB from lane eight keeps Clayton alive Christopher Taylor makes second global final in a row
Published:Thursday | July 21, 2022 | 12:10 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
EUGENE, Oregon:
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS bronze medallist Rushell Clayton said she wanted to make the most of her second World Championships team, taking nothing for granted after an injury-plagued 2021.
She has taken full advantage of that and is now back in the women’s 400-metre hurdles final.
Clayton ran a personal best (PB)53.63 seconds on Wednesday in her semi-final to secure one of two non-automatic qualifying spots to the final.
After missing the Olympics because of her injury, Clayton said:
“It has been a long journey. I was not in this mood (on Tuesday) because I did so many things wrong and overnight I managed to fix some but not everyone (of my mistakes). But to come out and run a PB, I’m just grateful.”
Unfortunately, Clayton was the only Jamaican to make it to the final as national champion Janieve Russell and Shiann Salmon missed out. Russell finished third in her semi-final in 54.66 while Salmon also finished third in 54.16.
Russell said a mistake at the last hurdle was her undoing but is appreciative about being back on the World Championship stage after seven years.
“I wish I was in the final. This is the first time that I have missed out on a final at a major championship. But I am grateful that I made a World Championship team,” Russell said.
National record holder Navasky Anderson made his senior debut in the men’s 800m and finished seventh in his heat in 1:48.37 minutes.
Anderson was involved in a jostle for places during the first lap. While his campaign did not go for as long as he intended, Anderson is already looking to the future.
SOURCE OF MOTIVATION
“It’s just a part of the race. Sometimes you feel the kick, sometimes you don’t. It’s about all the events that led up to it before. The disappointment that I am feeling now, I am going to use it as motivation for better success,” Anderson said.
National champion Candice McLeod and World Championship bronze medallist Stephenie-Ann Mcpherson will have a chance at medals after securing places in the women’s 400m final. McCleod was second in her semi-final in a season’s best 50.05, while McPherson’s third-place finish in 50.56 was good enough to advance as a non-automatic qualifier. World championship debutant Charokee Young’s campaign ended after finishing fifth in 51.41.
For the men, Christopher Taylor will be in his first World Championship final and his second consecutive major global final after he finished third in his semi-final heat in 44.97, advancing as a non-automatic qualifier.
Nathon Allen answered the gun but did not finish his semi-final.
Tonight’s evening session will be highlighted by the women’s 200m final scheduled for 9:35 p.m. World Championships 100m bronze medallist Shericka Jackson, who has the fastest time in the world this year, will line up in lane four while five-time world 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce will line up in lane six. Double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson Herah will line up in lane two, setting up another potential Jamaican sweep.
Jackson and Thompson Herah are seeking their first world titles while Fraser-Pryce is looking to complete the world championship sprint double for the first time since 2013.
Natoya Goule, Adelle Tracey, and national champion, Chrisann Gordon-Powell, will start their campaign in the women’s 800m at 7:10 p.m.
Jordan Scott will get his triple jump campaign started at 8:20 p.m.