JAMAICA’S 17-member team to the 2011 World Masters Championships in Sacramento, California has yet to make the medal grade after reaching two finals on Sunday.

Benson Ford placed fourth in the men’s 80-84 100m when he ran 17.66 seconds, as Japan’s Hiroo Tanaka won clocking 14.70 seconds, beating Brazilian Yoshiyuki Shimizu, 15.33 seconds and German Felix Hoppe, 16.20 seconds.

Meanwhile, Karl Smith pulled out of the men’s 50-54 100 metres final won by USA’s Olympian Willie Gault, who clocked 10.96 seconds, ahead of fellow American Kenneth Eaton, 11.60 seconds, and Great Britain’s Pat Logan, 11.62 seconds.

Smith said he felt a “twinge in his hamstring and preferred to be cautious”, according to team manager Leo McEwan. He will now focus on the 100m hurdles later this week.

Meanwhile, Winston Chambers and Chris Grant advanced to the final of the men’s 40-44 400m hurdles. Grant timed 1:00.06 for third in heat one, while Chambers won heat two clocking 57.82 seconds, the fastest time in the preliminaries.

On Wednesday and Thursday of last week, Doris Fraser finished 10th in the women’s 50-59 heptathlon after scoring 1,693 points. Australian Marie Kay won the seven-event race amassing 6,202 points, ahead of Denmark’s Susanne Headeager, 4,778 points, and Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s Gaye Clarke, 4,601 points.

Team manager McEwan has noted that as Jamaicans, home of current world champions Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, Melaine Walker, and Brigitte Foster-Hylton, members of the masters team have been pinned down by locals and competitors for photo ops.

“It has become quite customary for persons to take photographs with all of the team. This, of course, is due in no small part to the exploits of great Jamaican athletes such as Usain Bolt, Merlene Ottey … etc all of whom people keep enquiring about,” he said.

Jamaica is being represented by five women and 12 men ranging from age 35 to 82. The World Masters Championships began on July 6 and will end on July 17.