TOKYO, Japan – There were no medals won by Caribbean athletes at the Summer Olympic Games here Sunday, but the region moved forward in numbers in the men’s 400 meters, the women’s 100 meter hurdles and long jump, with reigning World champion Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas leading the way.
Jamaican Britany Anderson ran a personal best to reach the sprint hurdles final.The 25-year-old Gardiner comfortably won heat five of the 400 metres in 45.05 seconds with Trinidad and Tobago’s Deon Lendore close behind in 45.14 seconds, while Barbadian Jonathan Jones was the fastest Caribbean qualifier, circling the track in 45.04 seconds as he finished second in heat three.
There was massive disappointment for the region, however, as there were no Caribbean sprinters in the 100 meters final for the first time since the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, with Jamaica’s Yohan Blake, hampered by a leg injury, and fellow countryman Oblique Seville and Jason Rogers of St Kitts and Nevis falling short in the semi-finals.
The final was won by Lamont Jacobs of Italy in 9.80 seconds, ahead of American Fred Kerley in 9.84 and Andre De Grasse of Canada in 9.89.
Blake was a disappointing sixth in semi-final one in 10.14 as Kerley (9.96) led home De Grasse (9.98), while Seville clocked 10.09 to be fourth in semi-final two, won by former Anguilla sprinter, Zharnel Hughes, who now represents Great Britain.
The 26-year-old Hughes was timed at 9.98 in the semis to be one of the medal favorites, but suffered heartbreak in the final hours later when he false-started.
Rogers, meanwhile, finished sixth in semi-final three in 10.12, as China’s Bingtian Su took victory in 9.83.
Joining Gardiner, Lendore and Jones in the advanced stages of the 400m was 2012 Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada, who was second in the opening heat in 45.09.
Jamaican Britany Anderson ran a personal best to reach the sprint hurdles final.
Alonzo Russell of the Bahamas, along with Christopher Taylor and Demish Gaye of Jamaica, and Dwight St Hillaire and 2016 fourth place finisher Machel Cedenio of Trinidad and Tobago, all booked their places in the next round.
The story was the same in the 100 meters hurdles, with Jasmin Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico speeding to a semi-final victory in 12.26 seconds, making her the joint fourth fastest woman of all time.
Jamaica’s 2017 World Under-18 champion Britany Anderson stormed to a massive personal best 12.40 seconds to advance, while another pair of Caribbean hurdlers, Megan Tapper of Jamaica (12.62) and Bahamian Devynne Charlton (12.66) placed second in their respective semi-final races to earn spots in the final, scheduled for 11:50 am on Monday (Sunday, 10:50 pm Eastern Caribbean time).
But there was heartbreak for Jamaican Yanique Thompson who fell in semi-final one and for Bahamian Pedrya Seymour, who finished last in semi-final two in 13.09.
Porteous Warren of Trinidad and Tobago finished 11th in the women’s shot-put final with a throw of 18.32 meters, her achievement mirroring that of countrywoman Cleoparta Borel who was seventh at the 2016 Games.
Pan-Am Games long jump champion Chantal Malone of the British Virgin Islands measured 6.82 meters and Tyra Gittens of Trinidad and Tobago, 6.72 meters, to reserve places in the final which will be contested on August 3.
In the triple jump, Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts finished three centimeters short of a medal, the tall 2019 World Championships runner-up finding herself third when the last round of jumps began but watching as her best jump of 14.84 meters was overtaken by Spain’s Ana Peleteiro.
The gold medal went, as expected, to Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas who smashed a 26 year-old world record with a new mark of 15.67 meters.
Ricketts’ teammate Kimberly Williams placed eighth.
On day four, Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle faces a tough decision. The reigning long jump World champion banged his knee during the qualifying round and must decide whether he will contest the final.
His compatriot Shadae Lawrence will take her place in the women’s discus final.
Meanwhile, the first round of the star-studded women’s 200 meters will hold center stage, with 100m champion Jamaican Elaine Thompson beginning her quest for a second straight Olympic double.
She will be joined by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, second in Saturday’s 100m final, and Shericka Jackson, who copped bronze, while 2018 Commonwealth 200m winner, Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas and the fastest woman of the season, US champion Gabrielle Thomas, also line up.
The American ran 21.61 seconds to win the US Trials in late June.
