Jamaicans begin medal hunt at World Athletics Under-20 Championships today
After a short but delightful opening ceremony last night the World Athletics Under-20 Championships will begin today in Nairobi, Kenya, with Jamaica’s athletes starting their quest for medals on day one.
Jamaica will be in heat one of the mixed 4x400m relay, the first track event of the championships, with the hopes of getting into the final which will be run later in the afternoon. However, to make it to the final Jamaica will have to overcome the challenges of Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Poland, India and the Czech Republic.
The mixed 4x400m is being introduced at the Under-20 Championships for the first time after it was first run at the World Relays, then the World Championships, followed by the Olympic Games, this year.
Also on the agenda for day one are the women’s and men’s 100m and the women’s and men’s 400m.
Kerrica Hill will run out of lane eight in heat two of five while her teammate Tina Clayton will run out of lane four in heat four of the women’s 100m.
In the men’s 100m, Alicke Cranston will run in lane two of heat four while Bryan Levell will run in lane four in the sixth and final heat.
The semi-finals for both the women’s and men’s 100m will be run in the afternoon session.
In the women’s 400m Annalee Robinson will run out of lane seven in heat one while Oneika McAnnuff will run in lane seven in heat two.
The men’s 400m, which closes session one on day one, will see Jeremy Bembridge run out of preferred lane four in heat one, while Tahj Hamm will also run out of lane four in the third and final heat.
