BUDAPEST, Hungary — On Sunday’s second day of the World Athletics Championships at National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke looked past less-than-ideal conditions to walk the talk after his first-round race in the men’s 400m hurdles.

On Monday he backed up his talk when he smashed the World Under-20 and Jamaica national records. He ran 47.34 seconds to qualify for the final of the men’s 400m hurdles.

Clarke, who had broken the Jamaican Under-20 record when he ran 47.85 at the national championships in July, is now the 16th best of all times. With Monday’s effort he broke the world Under-20 record (47.85) that he shared with American Sean Burrell, and lowered the Jamaican mark of 47.60 seconds that was set in 1993 by Winthrop Graham.

This was the second Jamaican record set at the championship after Adelle Tracey broke the women’s 1500m record on Sunday when she clocked 3:58.77 minutes.

Clarke will be the only Jamaican in the men’s 400m hurdles set for Wednesday’s final after Jaheel Hyde failed to get past the semi-finals stage, running 48.49 seconds for fourth place in his semi-final heat.

Meanwhile, all three Jamaicans in the women’s 400m hurdles booked their spots in their semis.

Rushell Clayton, a bronze medallist in 2019, won her heat in 53.97; Janieve Russell won her heat in 54.53; while Andrenette Knight was second in 54.21.

On Monday, Clarke was again assertive post-race.

“I told you that I would fix things and I came out and did that today,” he said.

“I set goals in my mind. I don’t like to put times on myself; I just know that I have speed and I have good hurdling technique so the time will come when I will execute and I got the national record, the World Under-20 record, and headed to the finals at the World Championships.”

The Jamaican was drawn in an outer lane in the same semi-finals as world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway.

“I was running for my life, knowing the world record holder was behind me, but after the first 200m I knew that I was in this race and I executed how I had planned,” Clarke said.

Hyde went out hard in his semi-finals and was well placed in second after the final hurdle, but was passed by two other athletes.

“I just have to fine-tune the last part [of my] race. [I was] second basically after the 10th hurdle so you know you still have 40 metres to go, so I just have to focus on that part for the future.”

In the women’s first round Clayton said she “felt pretty good” with her effort.

“It’s always the aim to get to the next round, and I did just that and just looking forward to the next race,” she said, adding she has been working on her technique.

“Every time I get into a championship — no matter the shape [I’m in] — the main aim is always to get a medal; and it’s an obstacle race so I never, ever count myself out or count anybody else out,” Clayton said.

Russell, the national champion, said there are still some things she needs to work on.

“I am feeling pretty pleased, maybe semi-pleased, as I think there are some parts in the race that need to be cleaned up; and I think the reason that happened, you know, there’s no pressure in the race and you are trying to qualify as comfortable as possible so the strides are going to be messed up. So, I’m just going back, recover refreshed for tomorrow night’s semi-finals, and I am expecting a clean, clean race,” Russell explained.

Knight also said she has things to work on.

“There’s always work to be done; my coach and I’ve been working on some stuff. I just came out here to make it through safely to the next round, and I did that comfortably so we’re happy.”

She said she has put last year’s disappointment of not making the team to the World Championships behind her.

“I’m here and I’m living in this moment. I know I’m in pretty good shape so I just want to do the best that I possibly can at these championships. I know with good execution I can be on the podium, so that is the goal. [I] just want to execute good races, make it through to the next round, be in the final, and do what I have to do,” Knight said.