The second day of the World Athletics Championships began with a bang as Jamaica created history by seeing all three of our women qualifying for the Triple Jump Final. Shanieka Ricketts qualified in fifth with a leap of 14.45m, Ackelia Smith with a Personal Best of 14.36m in eighth and the experienced Kimberly Williams in twelfth with 14.24m. Both Jamaicans Kimberly Williamson and Lamara Distin qualified for the Women’s High Jump Final by both clearing 1.90m.
The Men’s 110mh saw all three Jamaican athletes qualifying for the semifinals as Rasheed Broadbell ran 13.36s to place second in his heat, while Orlando Bennett finished fifth in his heat to qualify based on time. Reigning Olympic Champion Hansle Parchment won his heat clocking a 13.17s.
In the Men’s 400mh all three Jamaicans qualified for the semifinals as Kemar Mowatt ran 49.44s for second, Jaheel Hyde 50.03s for third and Shawn Rowe for sixth in 49.83s to qualify on time. The event also saw the three fastest men of all time in the event in Karsten Warholm, Rai Benjamin, Allison dos Santos all winning their heats comfortably.
The Women’s 100m heats were off to a fiery start as Shericka Jackson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah all won their heat, advancing to the semifinals with times of 11.02s 10.87s and 11.15s, respectively. Kemba Nelson also qualified for the semifinals by placing third in her heat in a time of 11.10s.
Wayne Pinnock could only manage ninth in the men’s Long Jump with a leap of 7.88m.
2019 World Championship Silver Medalist Danniel Thomas-Dodd had to settle for tenth with a throw of 18.29m in the Women’s Shot Put.
The campaign for Adelle Tracey ended in the women’s 1500m as she placed eight in her Semifinal with a time of 4:06.96s thus failing to advance to the Final.
The Men’s semifinals saw Oblique Seville being the lone Jamaican to qualify for the final with a time of 9.90s. Yohan Blake and Ackeem Blake ran 10.12s and 10.19s respectively, but did not advance to the Final.
As the youngest in the field, Seville placed fourth in the men’s 100m final in a time of 9.97s. As a result, he became the first Jamaican man to run consistent sub10s in the rounds of a 100m at a World Championship since Usain Bolt in 2015. Seville’s performances hinted that he will be one for the future. He was powerless however to prevent an American clean sweep of the medals as the trio of Fred Kerley, Marvin Bracy and Trayvon Bromell made it the first American sweep since 1991.
Day three promises to be extremely exciting as Jamaica continues its Gold Rush. As the Heats of the men’s and women’s 400m, men’s 110mh Semi-Final and Final, men’s 400mh Semi-finals. As well as the Semifinals and Finals is set to close out day three of the 18th World Athletics Championships.
-Kemal Forde