Tokyo Olympics 400m finalists Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Marileidy Paulino, Candice McLeod and Stephenie-Ann McPherson all advanced to Friday’s 400m finals at the conclusion of the semi-final round of competition at the 2022 World Championships of Athletics at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on Wednesday night.
Caribbean athletes also featured strongly in the men’s event as Kirani James, Johnathan Jones and Christopher Taylor are all in the final eight.
Meanwhile, Rushell Clayton was the lone survivor of the semi-final round of the 400m hurdles. She ran a lifetime best to advance to the finals.
Bahamas’ sprint queen Miller-Uibo, the Tokyo Olympic champion, was the fastest heading into the final after she cruised to a comfortable victory in her heat in a season-best 49.55.
The Dominican Republic champion Paulino was also easily through as the Olympic silver medallist, the second fastest woman in the world this year, clocked 49.98 to win her heat.
McLeod, the Jamaican champion who was fifth in Tokyo, ran a season’s best 50.05 to qualify for the finals that is shaping up to be quite similar to the one that lined up in Tokyo last year with the notable exception being the American Allyson Felix.
McPherson, fourth in Tokyo advanced as one of the fastest losers courtesy of her 50.56 that saw her finish third in her heat behind winner Fiordaliza Cofil of the Dominican Republic, who ran a personal best 50.14 and Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands who uncorked a new national record of 50.18.
The ever-improving Sada Williams of Barbados ran a season’s best 50.12 to also advance to the final.
The line-up is completed by Poland’s Anna Kiebasinska who advanced as one of the fastest losers with a time of 50.65.
Among the men, James was in impressive form winning his semi-final heat in 44.74 but was the fourth-fastest heading into the finals. Americans Michael Norman (44.30) and Champion Allison (44.71) and Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith (44.38) all had faster times.
Jones, who ran 44.78 and Taylor, a season-best 44.97, both also advanced as fastest losers.
Also through to the final, his first in five years, was 400m world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk. The South African clocked 44.75.
The final eight is completed by Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori who advanced with his time of 44.74.
Clayton, who was third at the Jamaican championships at the end of June ran a lifetime best 53.63 to advance to the finals of the 400m hurdles that will feature world record holder Sydney McLaughlin (52.17) and defending champion Dahlillah Mohammad (53.28 SB). Also through is The Netherlands’ star Femke Bol (52.84).
Puerto Rico’s Gianna Woodruff ran an area record of 53.69 to advance along with another US athlete Shamier Little who clocked a season-best 53.61.
The USA’s Britton Wilson also sneaked in with a time of 53.74.
Jamaican champion Janieve Russell (54.66) and runner-up Shian Salmon (54.16), each finished third in their respective heats but were not fast enough to advance to Friday night’s final.
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Carifta Under-20 discus champion Abigail Martin to attend Texas A&M University
Jamaican discus thrower Abigail Martin will get to display her skills on the NCAA circuit next season after committing to Texas A&M University, the school announced on Thursday.
“A good one for the throws squad,” the school posted on Instagram.
Martin, currently at St. Jago, has a personal best in the event of 55.87m done at the JAAA Budapest Quest meet at the National Stadium in Kingston on May 27.
The 19-year-old took discuss silver in the Class 1 Girls event at the ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships in March before, a week later, winning Under-20 gold at the Carifta Games in the Bahamas.
Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake withdraw but still plenty to look forward to at Racers Grand Prix
Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake have been withdrawn from this weekend’s Racers Grand Prix at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Fresh off his lifetime best 9.89 while defeating Coleman at last weekend’s LA Grand Prix there was much anticipation for the rematch between Blake and the American this coming Saturday.
Blake ran a personal best of 9.89 to defeat Coleman (9.91) but according to his coaches, the 22-year-old sprinter was a bit sore after that run and only managed to resume training on Wednesday. As a result, they have taken a decision to withdraw him from the meet as a precaution.
Seville, reliable sources have said, suffered a hamstring injury in training and won’t run on Saturday. Calls to his coach Glen Mills went unanswered but Seville’s name was not among the remaining names on the men’s 100m start list for Saturday’s meet.
Notwithstanding their absence, there is still plenty to look forward to at the meet that will feature World 200m champions Noah Lyles and Shericka Jackson, Zharnel Hughes and Wayde van Niekerk.
There is also a potential mouth-watering clash between the 2022 100m hurdles world champion and world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria and teenage sensation, World U20 Champion and U20 world record holder Kerrica Hill.
Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Broadbell and Olympic Champion will go head-to-head in the men’s sprint hurdles.
Carifta Under-17 double silver medallist, Naomi London, wants to help put St. Lucian sprinting on the map- “St. Lucia has a lot of talent!"
Carifta Under-17 Girls 100m and 200m silver medallist, Naomi London, wants to help put her country on the track & field map.
The 16-year-old St. Lucian sprinter has enjoyed an excellent season, so far, with her best results coming at the 50th Carifta Games held from April 7-9 at the Thomas Robinson Stadium in Nassau, The Bahamas.
The Vieux-Fort native first ran 11.72 to claim silver in the 100m, her country’s first ever sprint medal at the Caribbean junior showcase.
The Vieux-Fort Comprehensive Secondary School attendee then produced 23.72 for silver in the 200.
“I went out there to get the gold but God gave me the silver so my Carifta season went pretty well. I executed my race as planned and I got on the podium,” London said on the latest edition of In Case You Missed It hosted by Mariah Ramharack on SportsMax.TV
“It felt great that I had some competition in the race. I was competing with some of the best and I pulled through to get on that podium so, right now, I feel great about myself,” she added.
After her Carifta exploits, London said she returned home to a celebration.
“Oh my gosh! A lot of celebration happened. When I got home, everybody was around and just cheering ‘Naomi London! Naomi London!’ It was so much support. I love the fact that my community supports me no matter what I do,” she said.
Although happy with her silver medals, London expressed her desire to one day upgrade to gold.
“It would be a life-changer for me and for my country,” she said. “Gold is many, many more than silver.”
London also does well in the classroom and credits good time-management skills and sacrifice for that.
“I prioritize my work and I do have good time-management skills. After I come home from training, I will sacrifice the time to go study or do an assignment,” she said.
Her next quest on the track will be at the Commonwealth Youth Games set for August 4-11 in Trinidad & Tobago.
“One of my goals is to medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games and my second goal is to run a personal best at any meet that I attend,” London said.
To date, St. Lucia’s greatest export on the track is current University of Texas star and Commonwealth Games 100m silver medallist Julien Alfred, someone London says she looks up to.
“Julien Alfred is one of my inspirations from young. Me and her grew up in the same field in track and field. She used to run in the higher division and I used to always look out for her and we used to talk about all the races. I’m very proud of her achievements,” she said.
“I would say the success of the St Lucian athletes is making the young athletes want to do more and want to go out there to represent their country. I think track is a great sport and St Lucia has a lot of talent. We can go out there, do our best and put our country on the map,” London added.
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