Jamaica look to reignite Hampden Park with more medals
GLASGOW, Scotland — Following the fireworks of Tuesday night, Hampden Park was in a state of relative lull last night. If only from a Jamaican perspective.
Missing during celebrations and medal ceremony were the cheerful pounding of the reggae beat and the haunting strains of the Jamaican National Anthem — both a source of pride for Jamaican athletes, officials and a pocket of fans on the previous two days.
Although the Scottish people swelled Hampden Park, as they have done since the start of the XX Commonwealth Games, that electrifying atmosphere they have come to acquire the taste of was missing last evening.
It would not have been easy to replicate the glorious medal haul of Monday and Tuesday night, inspired by a Jamaican flurry.
The three gold, one silver and a bronze hauled away by Jamaicans on Tuesday brought their total load to 12 so far.
On Monday they won six medals — two gold, one silver and three bronze. Swimmer Alia Atkinson, who claimed one of those bronze medals, had started Jamaica’s medal run with silver last Friday in the 50m breaststroke.
But rest assured, another serving should be in store for these wonderful people of Scotland today when the Jamaicans go for more booty in the women’s 400m hurdles final.
Kaliese Spencer, the World Championships 4×400 silver medallist, is a favourite going into the event with a season-best time of 53.41 seconds, a mark better than those of all the other finalists.
She will be boosted by the fact that she enters today’s final with the fastest time of 55.45 done in the semi-final heats.
Spencer, 27, will also be motivated to replicate, or even better, her personal best of 52.79 done in Crystal Palace, London, in 2011.
She is also three-time Diamond race champion and has the Diamond League record, and second best Jamaican ever and ninth best of all time.
She has silver in the World Indoor Championships in 400m and 4x400m in Sopot, Poland, earlier this year.
She will be joined in the gold medal obstacle challenge by compatriot Janieve Russell, whose best so far this season stands at 54.75, the same as her personal best.
Other runners in the field are Nigeria’s Amaka Ogoegbunam, the Canadian pair of Noelle Montcalm and Chanice Chase, Australia’s Lauren Wells, hometown pin-up girl Eilidh Child and South Africa’s Wenda Theron.
Jamaica will also be on the hunt for medals in the men’s version of the one-lap hurdles when national champion Roxroy Cato, winner of his semi-final heat in 49.51, leads teammate Annsert Whyte into the final.
Whyte was second in his heat in 49.58. The other Jamaican in the heats, Leford Green, was disqualified.
Another mouth-watering event down to be contested, though medals are not yet at stake, is the men’s 200m semi-final, where Jamaica got their three athletes into the round impressively after each won his heat.
Warren Weir, the World Championships silver medallist in Moscow behind countryman Usain Bolt, shared the same time of 20.71 with teammate Jason Livermore in their respective heats. But it was Rasheed Dwyer, who was the fastest of the Jamaican trio, clocking 20.59.
It’s left to be seen, but perhaps the Jamaicans could be eyeing another sweep here.
Jamaicans swept the women’s 400m on Tuesday night when Stephenie McPherson galloped to gold, followed by Novlene Williams-Mills (silver) and Christine Day (bronze).
Completing the Jamaican gold medal flourish on Tuesday night was Andrew Riley in the men’s 110m hurdles, and Kimberly Williams in the women’s triple jump.
In today’s evening session only, Jason Morgan will pursue gold in the men’s discus final, while Kellion Knibb and Danniel Thomas will enter the qualifying round of the female equivalent.
Also on are the women’s 100m semi-final heats. Jamaica will be represented by Indira Spence, Danielle Williams and Monique Morgan.
Jamaicans will also be in action in other disciplines. In table tennis, the Jamaican pair of Shenique Clare and Yvonne Foster will take on Ghana’s Cynthia Kwabi and Celia Bahh-Danso in the women’s doubles first round at Scotstoun.
Gareth Henry will tackle Singapore’s Derek Wong in the men’s singles round 16 at a venue to be announced.