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Jamaica ended the six-day IAAF World Junior Track and Field
Championships at the Chaoyang Sport Centre in the Chinese capital of
Beijing in sixth position. The 28-member team secured two gold, one silver and six bronze medals, to finish behind Kenya (6G, 6S, 3B), China (5G, 5S, 7B), United States (4G, 5S, 2B), Russia (4G, 3S, 3B), and Estonia (4G).
World Junior 400m hurdles champion Kaliese Spencer (centre), Sherene Pinnock (right) and American Nicole Leach pose on the medal podium after receiving their medals.
Top 400m hurdler Kaliese Spencer and the men's 4x100m team accounted for the gold medals while Sonita Sutherland won the team's only silver. Sherene Pinnock, Yohan Blake, Carrie Russell, the women's 4x400m and sprint relay teams pocketed bronze.
Spencer's gold came on the third when she clocked a world leading and national junior record, 55.11 seconds, to beat American Nicole Leach (55.55) and temmate Pinnock, who repeated her Grosseto performance in a personal best 56.67.
Spencer had mixed feelings after the event. "I am really happy, but I really wanted the World junior record. I am very, very grateful though," said the 19-year-old student at The University of Technology (UTech) who erased her own mark of 55.61, which was achieved on June 11 in Gateshead, England.
Pinnock was more pleased with her performance. "I am very grateful," she said. "I must say thanks to my coach who has been there for me throughout the entire year. Thanks to Ms. Clarke and Mr. Douglas for their motivation, to everybody who has been there for me, and most of all, thanks to Almighty God who has given me the strength to be at a next World Junior Championships and to win a medal again.
On the same day, Sutherland, favourite for the 400m gold, was beaten into second place by Danijela Grgic of Croatia ( 50.78, WJL). "I am not disappointed, but I know I could have gone faster". "I don't know what happened," said Sutherland after the final.
In the men's sprint relay, the quartet of Winston Barnes, Remaldo Rose, Cawayne Jervis and 100m bronze medallist, Yohan Blake, set a new national junior record of 39.05 seconds.
The 2006 world leading time erased the previous national record of 39.15 set by the quartet of Winston Hutton, Orion Nicely, Yhann Plummer, and Usain Bolt at the World Junior Championships in Kingston, four years ago.
It was the second Jamaica sprint relay gold medal in the 22-year history of the World Junior Championships, this as Dwight Thomas, Steve Slowly, Paul Thompson and Roy Bailey won at the 1998 edition in Annecy ( 39.70).
The guys were elated with their performances, especially after beating the United States who finished second in a season best 39.21 and Great Britain third, also in a season-best 39.24. Speaking on behalf of the team, Blake said they combined very well. "Winston Barnes is a power starter, Rose ran the backstretch superbly, Jervis the corner, I could not ask for more, and getting the baton in first place, I just demolished the field. He, however, added that the coaches must also be commended, especially after coming up with a superb race plan. "We have to give credit to all the coaches, they are good coaches, from we got here until now, we have to give them extra credit.
Meanwhile, the women's 4x100m team of Naffene Briscoe, Anastasia Le-Roy, Carrie Russell and Schillonie Calvert, stopped the clock in a season best 44.22 seconds. Briscoe, who came in for the injured Kettiany Clarke, said they are satisfied with the bronze. "We couldn't ask for anything more," she said.
"This is the World Junior Championships, it's where every junior will want to be and to come here and get a bronze, we could never ask for more," she said.
The 4x400m relay quartet of Latoya McDermott, who has not fully recovered from injury, Sherene Pinnock, Sonita Sutherland and 400m hurdles champion Kaliese Spencer, secured bronze in a season best 3: 31.62. USA won in a world leading 3:21.01 ahead of Nigeria (3:30.84). Sutherland said they are happy with the outcome. "It's good that we won a medal," said Sutherland.
"McDermott came in with an injury, so we were just praying that she get around the baton, so we could get to finish the race. We are happy for this bronze," she added.
Earlier, on the second day, Blake and Russell opened the country's medal account with bronze medal performances.
Blake secured his bronze in 10.42 while Russell ran 11.42 seconds for her bronze. |
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