RAINY DAY BLUES
Tough going as Jamaica misses podium on Commonwealth day five
Jamaica failed to add to its medal tally on the second day of track and field at the Commonwealth Games at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday as, for the second straight staging, no Jamaican man contested the blue-ribbon 100m final.
There were hopes of adding to the two gold medals won on Monday by high jumper Romaine Beckford and sprint hurdler Demario Prince, but the Jamaicans must wait at least until today if they are to win more medals.
Lamara Distin failed to repeat her success in the women’s high jump, placing fourth, while Jodean Williams was fifth in the women’s 100m final.
Jamaicans are down to contest two finals today — the men’s long jump and women’s shot put — while the 200m events for both men and women will also start.
The afternoon session was held in heavy rain, forcing officials to take the high jumpers off the field. When the competition resumed, Distin, who led in the first half of the event, could only manage 1.87m and missed out on a medal.
Australia’s Eleanor Patterson, the silver medallist in 2022, won the gold with a games record-equalling 1.96m, beating teammate Nicola Olyslagers, who cleared 1.93m, while Nigeria’s Temitope Simbiat Adeshina took the bronze.
Jodean Williams was the only Jamaican who reported for the women’s 100m final, with Jonielle Williams, who had also qualified, withdrawing. Both had qualified on time after placing third in their respective semi-finals.
From left: Silver medallist India’s Sarvesh Anil Kushare, gold medallist Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford, and bronze medallist England’s Kimani Jack celebrate on the podium after receiving their medals for the men’s high jump final at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow, on day five of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday. (Photo: AFP)
Jodean ran 11.09 seconds (1.0m/s) as New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs won with an Oceania Area record 10.93 seconds, beating England’s Amy Hunt, who ran 10.98 seconds. Australia’s Torrie Lewis lowered her national record to 10.99 seconds after running 11.00 seconds in the semi-finals.
Both Ackeem Blake and Rohan Watson failed to get past the men’s semi-finals. Blake was third in the third semi-final in 10.06 seconds (1.1m/s), behind South Africa’s Gift Leotlela, who ran 10.02 seconds, and Australia’s Edward Nketia, who clocked a personal-best 10.03 seconds.
In the first semi-final, Watson was sixth in 10.12 seconds (0.0m/s) as Emmanuel Eseme of Cameroon won in a national-record 9.89 seconds, ahead of Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy, who ran a personal-best 9.94 seconds.
Eseme returned with another national record and a Commonwealth Games record 9.83 seconds (1.3m/s) to win the gold. Kennedy was second with an Area Record 9.85 seconds, while Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi was third in 9.90 seconds.
The last Jamaican to win the men’s 100m was Kemar Bailey-Cole in 2014, while Nigel Ellis was a finalist in 2018.
Nayoka Clunis came up short in the women’s hammer throw final with three fouls after throwing 64.83m in the qualifying round a day earlier.
The NACAC Senior Championships silver medallist has a personal best and national record of 72.03m, set earlier this year, which is the fifth-best mark in the Commonwealth this year.
Zandrion Barnes ran a season’s best 45.13 seconds to lead the semi-final qualifiers in the men’s 400m at the Commonwealth Games at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday.
From left: Silver medallist England’s Samuel Bennett, gold medallist Jamaica’s Demario Prince, and bronze medallist Cyprus’s Milan Trajkovic celebrate on the podium after receiving their medals for the men’s 110m hurdles at the Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow, on day five of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday. (Photo: AFP)
Barnes is one of two Jamaican men who won their first-round heats, including Antonio Watson, as all the Jamaicans in action booked semi-final spots for Thursday.
Former world champion Watson was in total control in his first-round race, running 46.36 seconds, with Delano Kennedy also advancing after placing second in his heat in 45.82 seconds.
Both Jamaicans in the women’s 400m also advanced, with Shana Kaye Anderson placing second in her race in 52.71 seconds and Leah Anderson third in 52.74 seconds.
National men’s 800m record holder Navasky Anderson also made progress after placing third in his first-round heat in 1:48.12.
Today, Tajay Gayle and Jordan Turner are down to contest the men’s long jump, while Lloydricia Cameron will carry the Jamaican flag in the women’s shot put.
Christopher Taylor, Roshawn Clarke and Jevaughn Powell will start their quest for medals in the men’s 200m, with Alana Reid and Lavanya Williams lining up in the women’s heats.
Assinie Wilson will contest the men’s 400m hurdles, while Sanique Walker and Shiann Salmon are in the women’s event. Kelly Ann Beckford and Adelle Tracey will compete in the women’s 800m semi-finals.
From left: Nigeria’s Oluebube Ezechukwu, New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs, England’s Amy Hunt, Jamaica’s Jonielle Smith, Singapore’s Veronica Shanti Pereira, and Australia’s Georgia Harris compete in the women’s 100m semi-finals during the athletics event at the Scotstoun Stadium, on day five of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday. (Photo: AFP)