Clarke to coach J’ca to World Indoor Champs
HIGHLY placed Observer sources have revealed that Davian Clarke, a two-time Olympic 400-metre finalist, will serve as head coach of Jamaica’s team to next month’s 13th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Clarke, who retired from competitive track and field in 2007 after more than a decade of representing Jamaica, had won the 400m silver medal in 45.92 seconds at the 2004 edition of the World Indoor Championship in Budapest, Hungary.
Clarke, who won the 400m silver medal at the 1999 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Barbados, also helped Jamaica to win nine medals in the 4x400m relay at the Olympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Pan American Games.
Meanwhile, the Observer understands that Dr Warren Blake — the second vice-president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) — will serve as both manager and doctor for the team which is not expected to exceed 12 athletes.
The team is expected to arrive in Qatar on March 11, a day before the start of the three-day Championships.
Two-time Olympic 200m gold medallist, Veronica Campbell-Brown, who has clocked 7.15 seconds — the third fastest time in the 60 metres this season — is expected to lead Jamaica’s team.
Other prospective members of the team based on performances on the Indoor circuit this season are: hurdlers Dwight Thomas, Maurice Wignall, Vonette Dixon and Lacena Golding-Clarke; quarter-milers Novlene Williams-Mills, Bobby-Gaye Wilkins, Shereefa Lloyd, Allodin Fothergill and Edino Steele as well as sprinter Lerone Clarke for the 60m. All of the above have attained the automatic qualifying standard for their respective events.
More Jamaicans could put themselves in the running for a spot on the team to Qatar with creditable performances at the Aviva Indoor Grand Prix meeting in Birmingham, England. Olympic relay gold medallist Nestar Carter, Jamaica’s third fastest man of all time with 9.91 seconds over the 100m, will contest the 60m. The deadline for final team entries to the IAAF is March 1.
Jamaica won one medal — silver in the men’s 4×400 — at the 12th World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain in 2008.
