Medals are continuing to elude Jamaica at the 16th IAAF World Championships in London with the nation’s athletes failed to produce a podium finish for the second consecutive day.
Jamaica with 5 athletes in 3 medal events on day 6 saw Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Kemar Mowatt coming closest to medalling, claiming 4th place in the women’s shot put and men’s 400m hurdles respectively.
Thomas-Dodd produced a big effort of 18.91m to move into the bronze medal position but was denied the medal when the Hungarian Anita Marton landed a massive effort of 19.49m on her final attempt to move into the silver medal spot.
Mowatt also had to settle for 4th in the men’s 400m hurdles where he was timed at 48.99s.
Karsten Warholm of Norway shocked the field to take the gold in 48.35 seconds.
Shericka Jackson, meanwhile, was the best placed Jamaican in the women’s 400m final after ending 5th (50.76s) with Stephanie-Ann McPherson 6th (50.86s) while Novelene Williams-Mills was at the back of the field in 51.48 seconds.
Phyllis Francis of the United States produced her best time ever to capture the gold medal in 49.92 seconds.
Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain broke her national record on her way to the silver medal clocking 50.06 seconds with the veteran Allyson Felix securing the bronze in 50.08 seconds. Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo ended out of the medals, placing 4th in 50.49 seconds after suffering what appears to be a cramp before fading down the back stretch.
Felix despite relinquishing her world 400m title still equals Merlene Ottey as the most bemedalled female athlete in World Championships history with 14 medals across seven editions. With the relays to come, she could hold that accolade outright before the close of the championships.
There will be no Jamaican representation in the men’s 200m final after both Yohan Blake and Rasheed Dwyer failed to make progress from their semi-finals.
Blake was 3rd in semi-final two in 20.52s while Dwyer was last in semi-final one in 20.69 seconds.
Aisha Praught is however through to the women’s 3000m steeplechase final. She advanced to the medal round of the event as one of the fastest losers after finishing 4th in heat 2 in a time of 9:26.37 seconds.