Medals galore for Jamaica at Birmingham Commonwealth Games

Five-time Olympic champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah, led the way for the Jamaican medalists on day 5 of athletics competition as she added Commonwealth Games double sprint champion to her already legendary resume at the 2022 Birmingham Games.

Thompson-Herah, who is no stranger to claiming the sprint double crown, having already done so at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the Tokyo Summer Games last year, stormed to a Games record of 22.05 to win the event.

Christine Mboma wins Commonwealth Games bronze medal

She crossed the line  ahead of the African pair of Favour Ofili of Nigeria – who finished second in 22.51 – while Tokyo Olympics silver medal winner Christine Mboma of Namibia won bronze in 22.80. Meanwhile, the other Jamaican in the event, Natalliah Whyte, had to settle for a fourth-place finish in 23.06 seconds.

The previous games record in the women’s 200 meters was set at the 2018 Gold Coast Games by Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas, who clocked 22.09 seconds.

In the women’s 400 meters hurdles, Jamaica’s Janieve Russell successfully defended her title in a time of 54.14. She also won the event at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Russell was followed by her compatriot Shiann Salmon, who claimed the silver medal in 54.47, while South Africa’s Zeney van der Walt recorded a personal best time of 54.47 for the bronze medal. The 2019 Doha World Championships bronze medallist, Rushell Clayton, however, narrowly missed out on a Jamaican 1-2-3 finish after the South African sneaked past her to snatch third place. Clayton was timed in 54.67 seconds.

In the men’s equivalent of the event, Jaheel Hyde won the silver medal in a time of 49.78. His race was won by Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands (48.93), while Alastair Chalmers of Guernsey rounded out the top three in 49.97 seconds.

Jamaica currently sits third in the overall medal standings with 11 medals – 6 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze.

Other events contested at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games:

Women’s High Jump: National record holder Lamara Distin stunned current world champion, Eleanor Patterson of Australia, to take victory in the final of the women’s high jump. Distin cleared a height of 1.95 meters to become the first Jamaican woman to be crowned champion in the event at the Commonwealth Games. Meanwhile, Patterson recorded a best jump of 1.92. Jamaica’s national champion, Kimberly Williamson, claimed the bronze medal by also clearing 1.92 meters.

Women’s 800 meters: Natoya Goule-Toppin, who has been Jamaica’s hope for a global medal in the women’s 800 meters, missed out on a podium finish after placing fourth in the final of the event. She crossed the line in a season’s best time of 1:57.88. The final was won by Mary Moraa of Kenya (1:57.07), while England’s Keely Hodgkinson took home the silver medal in 1:57.40. Scotland’s Laura Muir produced a season’s best time of 1:57.87 for the bronze.

Women’s 4×100 meters: The Jamaican quartet of Kemba Nelson, Natalliah Whyte, Remona Burchell and Roneisha McGregor punched their tickets to the final of the event after winning heat one in 43.66. The Jamaicans will face the starter tomorrow, August 7 at 6:54am Jamaica time. They will line up against Nigeria (42.57), England (42.72), Australia (43.47), Trinidad and Tobago (43.48), Ghana (44.32), India (44.45) and Scotland (45.39).

Men’s 4×100 meters: No Jamaican team competed in the heats of the men’s 4×100 meters relay. Nonetheless, the final of the event will be contested tomorrow, August 7 at 6:40am Jamaica time. The finalists are Nigeria (38.35), England (38.48), Trinidad and Tobago (38.84), Kenya (38.92), Singapore (39.44), The Gambia (39.77), Guyana (39.82) and Saint Lucia (39.96).