Jamaicans rake in two silver, one bronze to kick-start medal push
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Despite earning three medals on the third day of the World Athletics Championships at National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, there was an air of disappointment around the Jamaican team on Monday.
Hansle Parchment won silver in the 110m hurdles and Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce — who was seeking a third-consecutive gold medal in the women’s 100m — had to settle for silver and bronze, respectively.
Coming into the championships there was optimism that Jamaica would have won at least two, and at best three gold medals on Monday. But with an injury to triple jump favourite Jaydon Hibbert on his first attempt and Rasheed Broadbell crashing out of the 110m hurdles in the first round on Sunday, the medal predictions took a beating.
To add insult to injury, American Sha’Carri Richardson’s shock win in the women’s 100m finals, in her first major championships, put a damper on the Jamaicans’ celebrations.
It was a sweep of the 100m gold medals by the Americans, the first time since 2017, after Noah Lyles had won the men’s final 24 hours earlier.
Richardson ran a personal best and championship record 10.65 seconds (-0.2m/s), from lane nine, breaking Fraser-Pryce’s mark of 10.67 seconds set last year when she won her fifth World Championships title in Eugene, Oregon.
The American, who did not make the final at her national championships last year, had to wait to see if she would qualify after placing third in her semi-final heat on Monday. But in the final she stormed past the Jamaicans late in the race, celebrating as she crossed the finish line.
Jackson came into the championships with impeccable credentials and was tipped to win the sprint double. She got her second-consecutive World Championships 100m silver in 10.72, while Fraser-Pryce was third in a season-best 10.77.
At a post-race press conference Jackson, who had run 10.65 to win the Jamaican championships, said she could not compare Monday’s race with the one in Kingston in July.
“I can’t tell you what I did differently from what I did in Jamaica but, as I said, the race is over and I will have to watch the race with my coach to see where I went wrong,” she said.
“I know that I got a little faster and I just wanted to put together a good 100m, and tonight I think that I did pretty good. It was not what I wanted but I am still walking away with a medal.”
Fraser-Pryce, who was winning her 15th World Championships medal, congratulated Richardson, pointing out that it again took a championships record to win the gold medal.
The 36-year-old said she was motivated to keep going.
“Knowing that I can do more is really what keeps me grounded and continuing to work, and to chase after medals and gold medals and running fast” she said.
“For me, it wasn’t the year that I wanted in terms of the start and injuries but I think champions show up no matter what and get to the line and just prove to yourself that sometimes it is not how it seems. You don’t always have to have the answers, you just have to come and fight — and tonight I am really proud that I am walking away with a bronze medal.”
Parchment made a big step towards making up for last year when he got injured just before the start of the final in Eugene. On Monday he registered a season’s best 13.07 (0.0m/s) after a slow start, adding to the silver he got in Beijing in 2015.
“It feels good to come away with another medal. I have been doing this for a few years and I hope to be able to continue for a few more and go after some more wins,” he said.
He conceded that his start let him down.
“I still have to work on the start because these guys are fire coming out of the blocks, but it was a good run.”
American Grant Holloway won his third-straight World Championship title, running his season’s best 12.96, while his teammate Daniel Roberts was third in 13.09.