Douglas anchors Jamaica to fourth-straight World U20 4x100m relay crown
Key Points(5)
- Shanoya Douglas saved her best for last.
- After collecting silver medals in both the women’s 100 and 200 meters earlier in the World Athletics Under-20 Championships, Douglas produced a brilliant anchor leg Sunday to propel Jamaica to its fourth consecutive women’s 4x100m relay title at Hayward Field.
- Jamaica clocked a world-leading 42.89 seconds, the fourth-fastest time ever recorded by a women’s Under-20 relay team, to bring the championships to a triumphant close and give the island eight medals overall.
- Switzerland finished second in 43.36 seconds, while Belgium secured bronze in a national Under-20 record of 43.91 seconds.
- The victory carried added significance for Douglas, who had already twice come agonizingly close to individual gold.
Shanoya Douglas saved her best for last.
After collecting silver medals in both the women’s 100 and 200 meters earlier in the World Athletics Under-20 Championships, Douglas produced a brilliant anchor leg Sunday to propel Jamaica to its fourth consecutive women’s 4x100m relay title at Hayward Field.
Jamaica clocked a world-leading 42.89 seconds, the fourth-fastest time ever recorded by a women’s Under-20 relay team, to bring the championships to a triumphant close and give the island eight medals overall.
Switzerland finished second in 43.36 seconds, while Belgium secured bronze in a national Under-20 record of 43.91 seconds.
The victory carried added significance for Douglas, who had already twice come agonizingly close to individual gold. This time, with the championship title resting on her final leg, she delivered when it mattered most.
Douglas turns deficit into gold
Jamaica entered the final without the United States, the pre-championship favorite, after the Americans failed to qualify.
The Jamaicans took advantage immediately.
Sashana Johnson, a 200m finalist, launched the team with a strong opening leg before Theianna-Lee Terrelonge and Natrece East kept Jamaica firmly in contention.
But as the race approached its decisive moment, Switzerland had moved ahead.
That left Douglas with the responsibility of overturning the deficit.
The double individual silver medalist responded with perhaps her finest performance of the championships, closing the gap and powering Jamaica across the line first. Her decisive finish preserved a remarkable streak that has now seen Jamaica capture the women’s Under-20 4x100m crown at four straight championships.
The 42.89-second performance also strengthened Jamaica’s extraordinary presence on the all-time Under-20 list, with the country now responsible for three of the four fastest times ever recorded by a women’s junior relay squad.
Men’s team adds bronze in record-setting final
Jamaica’s men could not duplicate the women’s golden performance but still secured a podium finish.
Kyle Budden opened the race, followed by Gary Card, who produced an outstanding backstretch leg. Nyrone Wade handled the third leg before Sanjay Seymour brought the team home.
Their season-best 39.01 seconds earned bronze.
The United States dominated the final, storming to a World Under-20 record of 38.16 seconds, with Tate Taylor anchoring the American quartet. Great Britain took silver in an Area Under-20 record of 38.90 seconds.
For Jamaica, the bronze represented a change from two years ago, when the country captured the men's Under-20 4x100m title.
Salmon secures another medal in dramatic discus battle
Before the relays brought the championships to a close, Joseph Salmon gave Jamaica its first medal of the final day with bronze in the men’s discus.
Salmon, the world leader entering the competition, produced a best throw of 64.37m.
The discus competition was fiercely contested, with the lead changing hands six times during the final two rounds. At one stage, Jamaica appeared poised for an extraordinary one-two finish as Salmon and fellow Jamaican Kimari Kennedy moved into the top two positions.
They could not hold those places, however.
American Simon Rosselli ultimately secured gold with a national Under-20 record of 66.39m, while Estonia’s Sten-Erik Lor captured silver with a personal-best 65.42m.
Kennedy finished fourth with a huge personal best of 64.18m, a mark that elevated him to fourth on the world Under-20 list.
Relays complete a busy final day
Jamaica contested four other finals on Sunday but did not add to its medal haul.
Shevaughn Thomas was unable to finish the women’s 400m hurdles final, while Jahvanie Tyrell placed eighth in the men’s event in 53.23 seconds. Tyrell had entered the final after producing a lifetime-best 49.98 seconds in Saturday’s semifinal.
The women’s 4x400m quartet of Daniellia Dixon, Kristen Herbert, Davine Dickenson and Kevongaye Fowler finished sixth in 3:34.28 minutes.
The United States captured that title in a world-leading 3:29.15 minutes.
Jamaica’s men’s 4x400m team of Nishawn Walker, Jabari Matheson, Jason Pitter and Jabulani McLeod finished fifth in a season-best 3:05.71 minutes. The United States won in 3:03.90 minutes, South Africa took silver in 3:04.76 minutes, and France earned bronze in a national record of 3:04.80 minutes.
Eight medals and fourth overall
The three medals secured on the final day, Douglas’ relay gold and bronze medals from Salmon and the men’s 4x100m team, lifted Jamaica’s final championship total to eight.
The island finished fourth overall with two gold medals, three silver and three bronze.
The United States dominated the medal standings with 24 medals, including 12 gold, seven silver and five bronze. Kenya finished second with 11 medals, four gold, three silver and four bronze, while Italy was third with five, including three gold and two bronze.
For Jamaica, however, the lasting image from Eugene was Douglas racing down the Hayward Field straightaway, erasing Switzerland’s advantage and carrying the nation to another junior sprint relay crown.
After two individual silver medals, the gold finally belonged to Douglas, and Jamaica once again belonged at the top of the women’s Under-20 4x100m podium.
