Ja athletes toil – Williamson wins only medal on 2nd day
MIRAMAR, Florida — A bronze in the women’s high jump from Kimberley Williamson was Jamaica’s lone success on yesterday’s second day of the Pan-American Junior Track and Field Championships at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida.
Despite vastly improved weather conditions that saw brilliant sun and windy conditions all day, Williamson’s third place finish and the presentation of gold medals won by discus thrower Traves Smikle and 400m runner Chris-Ann Gordon on Friday was the only thing for the many Jamaicans in the stands to cheer for.
Williamson, the national junior record holder at 1.88m, cleared 1.80m for third place after team mate Peta-Gay Reid, the CARIFTA Games Under-20 champion, dropped out at 1.70m.
The medal took Jamaica’s tally to six so far with today’s final day to come with two gold, two silver and two bronze.
The Edwin Allen High student was happy for the bronze, but said she was disappointed with just clearing 1.80m, a height she regularly cleared this past season.
Jamaica looked well set to win another medal in the men’s 400m hurdles before Javarn Gallimore fell before the ninth hurdle clutching the back of his legs.
Gallimore, who had the fastest time of 52.17 seconds in the morning’s preliminaries, looked well set to get a medal and was in second place at the time he fell after making up the stagger on several runners on the back stretch.
Yannick Hart was fourth in the 110m hurdles in 14.00 seconds, while US-based Jonathon Reid was also just out of the medals in the triple jump after a best jump of 15.71m.
Rochelle Farquharson was fifth in the long jump final with a best jump of 5.80m after a series of foul jumps, including her first two attempts, as she finished 0.12m out of the medals.
Daniel Thomas and CARIFTA Games Under-20 champion Sashagay Marston were sixth and seventh, respectively, in the women’s discus throw.
Thomas had a best throw of 48.12m, while Marston could only manage 45.92m
Kellion Knibb, who was entered in the shot put, withdrew due to tendonitis in her elbow. The event was scheduled to be held on Friday evening but bad weather forced it to yesterday.
Rogeek Rochester finished ninth in the 1,500m in 4 minutes 04.48 seconds, while Desreen Montaque was fifth in the women’s 800m in 2 minutes 13.08 seconds.
Celia Walters was last in the women’s 200m final in 24.24 seconds, her second final of the meet after placing seventh in the 100m on Friday’s first day.
On today’s final day, there will be the prelims and finals of the girls 400m hurdles, men’s shot put, men’s high jump, women’s 1,500m, women’s triple jump and both relays the 4x100m and 4x400m for males and females.