Jamaicans star on Day Two of NACAC Champs
Quarter-Milers Stephenie ANN McPherson and Demish Gaye, along with sprinter Tyquendo Tracey, have booked their tickets to next year’s IAAF World Championships in Qatar after they won their respective finals on the second day of the 2018 NACAC Senior Championships in Toronto, Canada, yesterday.
The athletes will be given wild cards to participate in athletics’ flagship event by the IAAF for becoming champions in their events at their regional championships.
McPherson sped to 51.15 seconds to claim victory over the host country’s Aiyanna Stiverne, who stopped the clock at 52:00. American Brionna Thomas won the bronze medal with 52.19, while Christine Day, the other Jamaican in the race, finished fifth in 53.04.
Gaye, who impressed last year with a series of sub-45 seconds performances, won his race in a modest 45.47. Former World Indoor champion from Costa Rica Nery Brenes claimed the silver medal in 45.67, while Fitzroy Dunkley, the other Jamaican in the race, won the bronze medal with 45.76.
Tracey, who announced that he is ready to stake his claim as a legitimate contender in the 100m when he registered two sub10 seconds earlier this summer, won the men’s 100m in 10.03 seconds. Kendal Williams and Cameron Burrell of the USA finished second and third, respectively. They registered times of times 10.11 and 10.12. Kenroy Anderson failed to finish the race.
In the women’s equivalent, Jenna Prandini denied Jamaica another automatic spot as she outsprinted rising star Jonielle Smith to claim the gold medal. Prandini won the race in 10.96 as Smith equalled her personal best of 11.07 seconds. Two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce finished fifth in 11.18.
Hansle Parchment, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist, won the 110m hurdles in 13.28 seconds. The former Kingston College athlete might not be awarded a wild card to the World Championships as another Jamaican, Omar McLeod, is already entitled to one. He is the defending champion in the event.
WILLIAMS BEATEN
Danielle Williams, the 2015 world champion, was beaten into second in the women’s 100m hurdles by world record holder, Kendra Harrison. The American won the race in 12.55 seconds while Williams registered 12.67. Central American and Caribbean Games gold medallist Andrea Vargas of Costa Rica finished third in 12.91. Jamaica’s Yanique Thompson was sixth with 13.02.
National record holder Natoya Goule also had to settle for a silver medal in the women’s 800m behind American Ajee Wilson. Wilson stopped the clock at 1:57.52 while Goule registered 1:57.95. Simoya Campbell’s 2:00.98 was only good enough for sixth.
On Friday Night, O’Dayne Richards won a bronze medal in the men’s shot put final with a best throw of 20.89m. His teammate, Ashinia Miller, finished just behind him with 20.84. American Darrell Hill won the event with 21.68m.
The Championships continues today.