BEIJING, China – Jamaica’s discus throw big day performer, Federic Dacres, inspired by the presence of his personal coach, Julian Robinson, happily here in Beijing, as a part of his country’s technical staff, did what he is known to do on the big day. It was his first excursion to a global level of competition, and the former World Youth and World Junior champion, did not fail his ever-deepening pool of fans. With his first and only effort from the ring, Dacres sent the spinning implement out to the automatic qualifying mark of 65.77m to place him in the final. Among the 30 throwers who had their marks recorded, neither of his countrymen, Chad Wright nor Jason Morgan, made the cut as the former on the second of three attempts, threw 61.53m for the 17th spot on his second time up and veteran Morgan, managed 60.85m on his first attempt, giving him the 22nd spot, not to be increased in the remaining two tries.
The opening round of the women’s 100mh, was a mixed bag for the Caribbean girls. With the format to advance being, first four in each heat plus the four fastest losers, all three Jamaicans, the Williams sisters, Danielle and Shermaine along with Kimberly Laing, as well as the Barbadian, Kierre Beckles were through to the next round. Danielle took the win in heat 1, 12.77, Shermaine ran a personal best of 12.78 for 2nd in heat 4 and Kimberly’s 13.10 afforded her provisional qualification with her 6th place in heat 3. Beckles sparkled with a national record of 12.88 which assured her the 2nd place in the same heat. Not so lucky, were the Bahamians, Devynne Charlton, 7th in heat 3, 13.16 and Adanca Brown, a similar place in heat 2, 13.74.
In the women’s High Jump, needing 1.94m or top 12 to advance, St, Lucia’s Leverne Spencer and Jeanelle Scheper got over 1.92m to qualify for the final while Antiguan, Priscilla Frederick’s 1.85m clearance, once not enough to emulate her Caribbean neighbours.
There was a sole competitor from the region, in the women’s Long Jump, where Bahamas’ Bianca Stuart’s leap of 6.34m from the Group B cohort, put her in 25th spot from the 31 who recorded, and absent from the medal round.
The highly anticipated afternoon session will see semifinals in the 110mh for men and the 200m, women and showdowns in both finals of the women’s 400m and the follow up clash with 100m untouched Usain Bolt and the man struggling to keep in his wake, Justin Gatlin.
