Bolt headlines Jamaica’s World Championship team
KINGSTON: Sprint superstar Usain Bolt is one of three Rio Olympic gold medalists leading a 59-strong Jamaican team named Monday for next month’s athletics World Championships in London. Bolt has said he intends to run the 100m and the 4x100m relay at the worlds, his final event before retiring.
He’s one of two reigning world champions, along with sprint hurdler Danielle Williams, who will be defending titles they won in China two years go. Elaine Thompson, who won the Olympic Sprint double last year in Rio, and Omar McLeodthe first man for the Caribbean island to win Olympic 110m hurdles gold-are also in the team published by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association.
The team also includes sprint hurdler Hansle Parchment, shot putter O’Dayne Richards and 400m runner Shericka Jackson-all individual medalists in Beijing two years ago. Fedrick Dacres, the second ranked male discus thrower in the world, will attend his second World Championships.
Meanwhile, champion hurdler Sally Pearson and walker Jared Tallent headlined a 48-strong Australian team announced yesterday for next month’s world athletics championships in London. The country’s largest world title squad since Seville in 1999 includes 20 debutants from the Olympic Games in Rio last year.
“It ensures that we are likely to see a competitive few months ahead as athletes seek nomination for selection to the Australia Commonwealth Games Team,” Athletics Australia said. The Commonwealth Games next year are on home soil at the Gold Coast. Australia won two silvers at the last world championships in Beijing two years ago-Tallent in the 50km walk and Fabrice Lapierre in the long jump.
Australia squad: Men
400m: Steven Solomon 800m: Peter Bol 1500m: Ryan Gregson, Luke Mathews 5000m: Morgan McDonald, Sam McEntee, Patrick Tiernan 10000m: Patrick Tiernan 110m hurdles: Nicholas Hough Long Jump: Henry Frayne, Fabrice Lapierre Pole Vault: Kurtis Marschall Shot Put: Damien Birkenhead Javelin: Hamish Peacock Decathlon: Cedric Dubler 20km walk: Dane Bird-Smith, Rhydian Cowley 50km walk: Jared Tallent Marathon: Jack Colreavy, Josh Harris, Brad Milosevic 4x100m Relay: Nick Andrews, Rohan Browning, Tom Gamble, Alex Hartmann, Trae
Williams Women
200m: Ella Nelson 400m: Morgan Mitchell 800m: Georgia Griffith 1500m: Zoe Buckman, Georgia Griffith, Linden Hall 5000m: Madeline Hills, Eloise Wellings 10000m: Madeline Hills, Eloise Wellings 100m hurdles: Sally Pearson 400m hurdles: Lauren Wells 3000m steeplechase: Genevieve La Caze Long Jump: Brooke Stratton Discus: Dani Stevens Javelin: Kathryn Mitchell, Kelsey-Lee Roberts 20km walk: Regan Lamble, Beki Smith, Claire Tallent Marathon: Milly Clark, Sinead Diver, Jess Trengove 4x400m relay: Ella Connolly, Morgan Mitchell, Ella Nelson, Anneliese Rubie, Jess Thornton, Lauren Wells.