Well done, son!
EUGENE, Oregon — Oblique Seville just failed to win his first senior medal after he was fourth in the men’s 100m on Saturday, the second day of the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, running 9.98 seconds (-0.1m/s).
In his first championships, the 21-year-old Seville had to come from well behind after he was left in the blocks as the USA swept the medals — Fred Kerley winning with 9.86 seconds, Marvin Bracy took the silver medal with 9.88 seconds and Trayvon Bromell took the bronze also with 9.88 seconds.
The final was set up by a fly -over by two US fighter jets on a cool afternoon as just one of the three Jamaicans made it to the medal round as the veteran Yohan Blake and newcomer Ackeem Blake both failed to get past the semi-finals, running 10.12 seconds and 10.19, respectively.
Seville, who led the semi-finals with 9.90 seconds, said he had achieved his goal of making the final but admitted his execution was “poor”.
“I never had any medals in my mind, it was just about execution, which was a bit poor. I am glad that I finished the race,” he said, adding that he was not disappointed but “I know what to do next time.”
Former silver medallists Danniel Thomas-Dodd in the women’s shot put and first-timer Wayne Pinnock in the men’s long jump just missed advancing in their respective events, finishing 10th and ninth, respectively.
Thomas-Dodd, who qualified for the final with 19.12m on her first throw on Friday, could only manage 18.29m on Saturday and had two fouls.
Pinnock, in his first senior championships, finished ninth with a best of 7.88m missing out by five centimetres as Spain’s Eusebio Caceres took the last spot in the final with 7.93m.
Adelle Tracey failed to advance in the women’s 1,500m, running 4:06.96 seconds, ninth in her semi-final heat and was 19th overall, but had etched her name in the annals of Jamaica’s track and field history as the first woman to advance to the final at a global championships.
Earlier in the day, all three men in the 110m hurdles — Olympic champion Hansle Parchment (13.17 seconds-0.2m/s) and Rasheed Broadbell (13.36 seconds (-0.5m/s) were automatic qualifiers, while Orlando Bennett was fifth in his heat with 13.55 seconds (-0.3m/s).
Parchment, who looked easy in his race, breezed through the mixed zone only stopping long enough to say the race was not as easy as it looked.
Broadbell, who hit two of the barriers on his way to second place behind American champion Trey Cunningham, said come the next round, “It’s go time,” adding that the first round run “got rid of the nerves and cobwebs”.
The former St Jago runner said he had to stay focused but added, “It’s going to be real crazy. I am feeling good but only hope that it gets a bit warmer.”
Bennett was not happy with his time, saying he was distracted by American Daniel Roberts, who was in the lane next to him and who was eventually disqualified.
In the 400m hurdles Kemar Mowatt (49.44 seconds) and Jaheel Hyde (50.03 seconds) were automatic qualifiers, while Shawn Rowe, who was sixth in his heat in 49.51 seconds, advanced on time.
Mowatt, who was fourth in the 2017 World Championships in London, was pleased with his run.
“I am happy. The first 300m was smooth and I can go much faster,” he said. “I have been to the final and I know what it takes to get back there.”
Hyde said he was thrown off in the first part of his race and had to treat the semi-finals “as a final”.
Rowe admitted he missed his steps, saying: “I lead with my left leg but I started shuffling, so I just got to go back to the drawing board. I still get nervous; there was some nerves at the start.”