Rusheen McDonald Among 400m Entries, Ashanti Moore to Run 200m at Budapest 23

Anthony Foster
By Anthony Foster 3 Min Read
Rusheen McDonald runs fastest time in six years

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Rusheen McDonald has been named among the men’s 400m entries, and Ashanti Moore is slated to run the women’s 200m at the Budapest 23 World Athletics Championships, taking place later this month.

National record holder Rusheen McDonald, who is the fastest Jamaican quarter-miler this season with a time of 44.03, chose not to compete in the semi-final round of the men’s 400m at the Jamaican Trials. His sole inclusion as a part of the mixed 4x400m relay team ignited substantial debate among track and field aficionados.

Will Rusheen McDonald run the men’s 400m at the Budapest 23 World Athletics Championships?

The final entry list for the Budapest 23 World Athletics Championships, taking place from August 19-27 and released by World Athletics on Thursday, 10 August, includes McDonald as one of four 400m runners representing Jamaica. Alongside him are National champion Sean Bailey, Antonio Watson, who took second place at the Jamaican Trials, and Zandrian Barnes, who finished sixth but was the only other athlete outside the top two to achieve the automatic qualifying time. Barnes’ qualfying mark came at the Racers Grand Prix in June.

Only three of these four will be chosen to run the one-lap event in Budapest.

Moore’s inclusion in the women’s 200m comes as a surprise. The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) announced that she was added to the team to replace Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who decided not to compete in the event in Budapest. ALSO READ: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce: No Intentions for Budapest’s 200m Sprint

Moore, with a personal and season best of 22.49, failed to reach the women’s 200m final at the Jamaican Trials. However, she is the next best candidate available with the qualifying mark.

She is among four athletes anticipated to compete in the event, as Jamaica has an extra entry courtesy of the bye of defending world champion Shericka Jackson. Kevona Davis and Natalliah Whyte will join Jackson and Moore in the competition.

What event will Elaine Thompson-Herah run in Budapest 23?

Olympic Games double-double champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who finished sixth at the Jamaica Trials in July, will be part of the women’s 4x100m team. Shashalee Forbes, who was second in the women’s 100m, third place Natasha Morrison, Briana Williams, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is the defending world 100m champion, will make up the relay team.

Jamaica won silver behind the USA at the Eugene 22 World Athletics Championships.

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