Three Jamaicans made progress to the next round of competition during the first session on the opening day of the 19th World Athletics Championships inside the National Athletics Centre in Budapest on Saturday morning.
Shot putter Rajindra Campbell, long jumper Ackelia Smith and 1500m runner Adelle Tracey were the Jamaicans progressing, while there were disappointments for the 4x400m missed relay team and Tissanna Hickling in the women’s long jump.
Men’s | Shot Put — Rajindra Campbell (Jamaica 🇯🇲)
Campbell was sixth in his Group A qualification round with a throw of 20.83m to qualify for the final. The 27-year-old opened with 19.83m, before fouling on his second attempt. He posted the 20.83m on his third attempt to book his passage to the medal round.
Photo By CNW
Women’s | Long Jump — Ackelia Smith (Jamaica 🇯🇲)
Smith opened with two foul jumps in her Group B contest before cutting the sand at 6.78m on her third attempt to advance to the final.
Her compatriot Tissanna Hickling did not fare as well in her Group A competition as he could muster no farther than 6.29m on her second attempt, which was not good enough for her to progress.
She had opened with a foul jump and closed out her third try with 6.17m.
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Women’s | 1500m — Adelle Tracey (Jamaica 🇯🇲)
Tracey ran 4:03.67 minutes to finish fifth in Heat Four of the women’s 1500m qualification round. It was good enough for the 30-year-old who entered the competition with a personal best of 4:02.36 minutes and a seasonal best of 4:02.61 minutes.
Mixed | 4×400 Mixed Relay — Jamaica 🇯🇲
Meanwhile, the 4x400m mixed relay team of Demish Gaye, Natoya Goule-Toppin, Malik James-King and Stacy Ann Williams ran a season’s best 3:14.05 minutes for fifth place in Heat Two of qualifying.
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It was not good enough as they finished ninth overall and missed a place in the final slated for later Saturday. The Jamaicans had protested the result, claiming second leg runner Goule-Topping was impeded at the cut-over by a rival who ran directly across her, forcing her to slow down.
The appeal was dismissed by the authorities who believed it was not significant enough.
Photo By CNW
