Gaye, McDonald stake claim for C’wealth spots
QUARTER-MILERS Demish Gaye and Rusheen McDonald continued their build-up to next month’s Commonwealth Games with decent per formances at the G.C. Foster Classics/Digicel Grand Prix Finale on Saturday at the National Stadium.
Gaye, who stamped his authority on the event last year when he reeled out a series of 44 seconds clocking before the IAAF World Athletic Championships in London, cruised to a season best of 45.76 seconds.
McDonald, the national outdoor record holder in the event at 43.93, finished second in 46.19.
Both athletes have been provisionally selected to be a part of Jamaica’s team to the Commonwealth Games, but they are still vying for the three spots to run the flat 400m race.
Gaye, who has a personal best of 44.55 seconds, said that he was pleased with the performance. “I feel it was a great race. It is my first flat 400m for the season and I am glad I finished injury free,” he said.
FIRST TIME
Gaye, who will be competing at the Commonwealth Games for the first time, said that Jamaica can expect “a good performance” from him. “I would like to perform well and make it straight to the finals and take it from there,” he said.
McDonald, who is trying to forge his way back after being hampered by a back injury he suffered in a car crash at the beginning of the 2016 season, was pleased with his execution of the race.
“I did what my coach told me to do. He (Gaye) ran past me in the first 100m, but my coach told me not to react to what he is doing, so I am good with that,” McDonald said after the race.
Steven Gayle, Peter Matthews, and Javon Francis are the other quarter-milers selected provisionally for the team.