Deadline looms for World Indoors

BY PAUL A REID Observer Writer

Thursday, February 23, 2012

ATHLETES hoping to be considered for Jamaica's team to next month's IAAF World Indoor Championships to be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from March 9-11 will have one last chance this week to impress the selection committee.

With the deadline for entries being next Monday afternoon about 5:00 pm local time (12 midnight Monaco time), time is running out for those just outside the qualifying marks.

The Jamaican delegation is expected to comprise about 15 athletes at the maximum, as they seek to better the one medal — a gold won by Veronica Campbell Brown in the women's 60m — two years ago in Doha, Qatar.

Jamaica won a second medal, a bronze in the women's 4x400m, but were later stripped after lead-off runner Bobby-Gaye Wilkins was later found to have used a banned substance and the team disqualified.

Campbell Brown, who is the world leader in the 50m but fourth in the 60m, had not declared up to yesterday whether she would be taking part in the three-day meet.

Aleen Bailey, who has run 7.18 seconds, and Trisha-Ann Hawthorne, who has clocked 7.27 this season, are the next best Jamaicans on the IAAF list.

The IAAF, however, accepts both times run indoors and outdoors as qualification for the championships, which gives the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) flexibility in selecting the team.

Lerone Clarke, who was eliminated after the first round of the men's 60m two years ago, is the red-hot favorite entering the meet with four of the eight fastest times this year, including a new national record 6.47 seconds last weekend in Birmingham, England while beating compatriots Nesta Carter (6.49) and Asafa Powell (6.50), both personal best times.

Patricia Hall, a medallist in the 4x400m relay at last year's IAAF World Championships, is the fastest Jamaican over the 400m and is ranked seventh in the world so far with a season's best 51.92 seconds.