World championships bronze medallist Rushell Clayton and 2018 Commonwealth Games Champion Janieve Russell advanced to the finals of the 400m hurdles on Thursday’s opening day of the Jamaica National Senior Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston.

However, the fastest woman heading into the final on Friday was the 2018 World U20 silver medallist Shian Salmon, who won the opening heat in a season’s best 54.10. Clayton, who missed the last year of competition because of injury, clocked an encouraging 54.67 to also advance while Russell eased into the final clocking 55.04 that was good enough to win the second of the two heats.

Also through to the final is Andrenette Knight, the fastest Jamaican woman in the world this year. Knight, whose 53.39 makes her the third fastest in the world this year, was third in the first heat in 54.55.

Also through to the finals are Kimesha Chambers (56.03), former national champion Ronda Whyte (56.50), Garriel White (58.16) and Abigail Schaaffe (59.03).

Women’s 4x400 Metres Relay

 Jamaica secured a bronze medal in the women’s 4x400 metres relay as the track and field portion of the Tokyo Olympics ended today.

The team of Roniesha McGregor, Janieve Russell, Shericka Jackson and Candice McLeod combined to run 3:21.24 to finish 3^rd behind the USA and Poland.

Sydney McLaughlin, Allyson Felix, Dalilah Muhammad and Athing Mu came together to win gold for the US in 3:16.85 and Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek, Iga Baumgart-Wittan, Malgorzata Holub-Kowalik and Justyna Swiety-Ersetic won silver in a national record 3:20.53.

Men’s 4x400 Metres Relay

 Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago both failed to secure medals in the men’s 4x400 metres relay.

The Jamaican team of Demish Gaye, Christopher Taylor, Jaheel Hyde and Nathon Allen ran 2:58.76 to finish 6^th while the Trinidadian team of Deon Lendore, Jereem Richards, Dwight St. Hillaire and Machel Cedenio finished 8^th in 3:00.85.

 Michael Cherry, Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon and Rai Benjamin combined to win gold for the USA in 2:55.70.

The silver medal went to the Dutch quartet of Liemarvin Bonevacia, Terrence Agard, Tony van Diepen and Ramsey Angela who ran 2:57.18, a national record.

The Botswana team of Isaac Makwala, Baboloki Thebe, Zibane Ngozi and Bayapo Ndori combined to run 2:57.27 for bronze, breaking their own African record in the process.