Jamaica’s Tiffany James, the highly fancied quarter miler formerly out of Papine High School, clocked a personal best, 51.77, to take semi-final 3 and advance to the last 8 at the IAAF World Under-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
James, a student at Mico University and conditioned by Bertland Cameron, the 1983 World 400m champion, led from the start to finish ahead of Natasha McDonald (CAN) 53.06 PB.
“I just told myself that I had to get out and I got out and carried it on the backstretch and finished fast,” James said of her semi-final race plan.
“I had two aims, a personal best and being on the podium, I achieved one, now looking onto the next one,” she added.
She could very well have black, gold and green company on the podium after the final on Thursday night, as teammate, Junelle Bromfield, the STETHS phenom, now under coach Stephen Francis influence, was second in heat 2 in 52.18 behind Aussie girl Jessica Thornton, 52.12PB.
“I am feeling pretty good” she said of her semi-final performance.
The 6 day event, now re-named the Under 20 Championships, is at its Day II stage of competition.
