Campbell storms to record-breaking gold as Jamaica’s medal tally reaches five

Jaeden Campbell delivered a championship-record performance to claim Jamaica’s second gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games on Tuesday, while Malia Housen added bronze in the girls’ high jump to push the country’s overall medal tally to five.

The Excelsior High School standout produced a personal-best 50.60 seconds to win the boys’ 400-meter hurdles at Stade Iba Mar Diop, edging Japan’s Noriyuki Takano, who clocked 50.88 seconds, and Austria’s Zsombor Klucsik, who took bronze in 51.59 seconds.

Campbell’s victory came on the final day of the athletics competition and capped an outstanding performance that also established a new championship record. His time erased the previous mark of 50.61 seconds, jointly held by China’s Xu Zhihang and Tunisia’s Mohamed Fares Jlassi since 2014.

The Jamaican also lowered the national Under-18 record of 51.73 seconds that he had set while winning his semifinal on Monday.

His 50.60-second effort ranks as the third-fastest ever recorded in the Under-18 age group, behind Japan’s Taiju Goto, who ran 47.93 seconds, and American Miller Warme, whose best is 49.28 seconds.

Campbell keeps his focus to deliver

The young hurdler credited his concentration and determination for carrying him through a demanding final against a strong international field.

“Just for me to come out here, get my race right, keep my focus and give it my all, that’s what I did,” Campbell said. “It was very important to keep my focus on my lane, seeing as there were a lot of top competitors with me. For me to just do my best and focus on myself.

“Everything went right for me. I gave it a fight, the determination needed, and I came out with a victory.”

Campbell was particularly pleased to have executed his race plan in an event that places considerable demands on both speed and endurance, while requiring precision over the barriers.

“This event is difficult because it’s 400 metres plus barriers. You have to give it your full effort, focus on how you run your race. I like the drive and what it takes to win in this event,” he said.

The achievement also carried special significance for the teenager, who relished the opportunity to represent Jamaica on an international stage.

“I’m always 1,000 per cent proud. I’m grateful. This means a lot to me personally. I can join the pack now. That’s a great feeling,” Campbell said.

Housen adds another medal

Jamaica’s celebrations continued in the girls’ high jump, where Malia Housen cleared 1.71 meters to secure bronze and increase the country’s medal count to five.

Kuwait’s Yasmeen Roy claimed gold with a personal-best clearance of 1.78m, while South Africa’s Milan Blignaut took silver after clearing 1.74m.

Housen’s podium finish gave Jamaica its fifth medal of the Games, following Campbell’s gold, Marquies Page’s victory in the boys’ 110m hurdles, and the silver-medal performances of Kamari Kennedy in the discus and Xhaevion Kelly in the shot put.

Page opened Jamaica’s gold-medal account on Monday, winning the 110m hurdles in 12.95 seconds and also setting a championship record.

Kennedy secured silver in the boys’ discus with a personal-best 66.31m, while Kelly earned silver in the shot put with a personal-best 19.34m.

Harris finishes seventh

It was a less rewarding conclusion for Jamaica’s Sheneca Harris, who finished seventh in the girls’ 400m hurdles final in 1:00.97 minutes.

Harris had clocked 1:00.78 minutes in Monday’s semifinal but was unable to reproduce that performance in the medal race.

Campbell’s record-breaking triumph, however, ensured that Jamaica ended its athletics campaign with another gold-medal performance, while Housen’s bronze provided an additional podium finish for the island’s rising generation of athletes.