MONDAY’S third day of action at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, did not deliver any addition to Jamaica’s three medals (one gold, two silver) but the men’s high jump and men’s sprint hurdles will present opportunities today.

Danielle Williams failed to run her way back onto the podium after a seventh-place finish in the 100m hurdles final, which wasn’t helped by an uncertain start and a collision with the second hurdle.

Williams was the only Jamaican in the medal round after Ackera Nugent again suffered disappointment at a global senior championships, failing to make it out of the semi-final round, as did debutante Amoi Brown.

“Right now I am feeling very blessed and very grateful,” Williams told the Jamaica Observer. “I made another ‘Worlds’ final. That might be [my] age [causing me to feel this sense of gratitude], which I’m sure you know, when people were looking at the season they probably weren’t counting me in the final. I had an off chance but I am very blessed to make another final.

“I am obviously disappointed with the result and the execution; the cleanest hurdler is usually the most victorious. If you’re hitting hurdles your chances are very slim, but I am very proud of how I fought to get back into the race. I felt like I was dead last at hurdle two and I didn’t finish there.”

Williams clocked 12.53 seconds — way off her personal and season’s best of 12.31, with Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambunji running a national record 12.21 seconds to get the better of world record holder Tobi Amusan, 12.29 and American Grace Stark, 12.34.

“As much as I am a veteran in the sport there are always things to learn, things to get better at,” Williams said. “This definitely was not the execution that I would have liked tonight but that’s the nature of sport so we take it and we look forward to the next thing.”

Also looking forward to the next thing is high jumper Romaine Beckford who, despite facing some challenges in the round, is looking forward to the possibilities in the high jump final which will take place at 8:36 pm (6:36 am Jamaica time).

“I feel super grateful knowing that today was a very difficult day for me,” Beckford said. “Every height I cleared, I took three attempts. I think I took the most jumps out of everyone that qualified for the final, and it was rough for me mentally and physically knowing that the pressure was on for every last attempt. Yet, I cleared it each time and managed to qualify for the final.

“I feel there may have been areas that I might have been doing something a little off, but once that pressure hits I just got everything right. None of the bars that I cleared I brushed or touched — [for] all of them I was super high over the bar so I know that if I get everything correct on my first attempt, everything will be great. It shows me that I am [a] man [able] to fight through the pressure, so it’s a pretty good feeling.”

Sprint hurdlers Tyler Mason and Orlando Bennett have the first and second-fastest times heading into the 110m hurdles semi-finals and are both confidently looking forward to getting into the next round.

Mason topped all qualifiers with a season’s best 13.17 seconds while Bennett was next best with 13.20, after both men won their respective heats. Demario Prince is also through to the semis, clocking 13.31 to finish fourth in his heat.

“I have been competing [so] I just have to go out there and compete. Everyone has their own experience. People have less experience and still achieve more so I just use my experience to my advantage and just come out here and do my best,” Bennett said. “This will be my first world championships final so that’s the aim, and the podium is the aim, so I am going for that with all my might.”

The 110m hurdles semi-final will run off at 8:40 pm (6:40 am), with the final starting at 10:20 pm (8:20 am).

Also today, Tyrice Taylor and Navasky Anderson will line up in round one of the men’s 800m, starting at 7:35 pm (5:35 am), shortly before Shanieka Rickets and Ackelia Smith seek to advance from the women’s triple jump qualifying at 7:50 pm (5:50 am).

Quarter-milers Stacey-Ann Williams, who dipped below 50 seconds for the first time during the semis, posting a personal best 49.59; along with Nikisha Pryce and Dejanea Oakley, will contest the women’s 400m semi-finals which start at 9:07 pm (7:07 am).

In the men’s equivalent, Bovel McPherson, Rusheen McDonald and Delano Kennedy will carry Jamaica’s hopes in the semis which begin at 10:20 pm (8:20 pm).

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Romaine Beckford removes his spikes after competing in the preliminary round of the men’s high jump event on Monday. He advanced to the final. (Garfield Robinson)