TOKYO, Japan, CMC – Day four of Olympic track and field competition brought five medal winning performances for Caribbean athletes, and the promise of more to come, as Jasmin Camacho-Quinn added gold to her growing portfolio of fast times in the 100 metres hurdles, with Megan Tapper getting a historic bronze for Jamaica and Cuba’s Yaime Perez claiming bronze in the women’s discus.
In addition, seven Caribbean athletes earned places in the finals of the men’s 400 metres, the women’s 200 metres and the women’s 400 metre hurdles.
Camacho-Quinn put her fall in the 2016 100 metres hurdles semi-final behind her with a polished win in 12.36 seconds.
The 24 year-old was well ahead of her American training partner Kendra Harrison who managed to edge Tapper, 12.52 to 12.53 seconds.
Bahamian Devynne Charlton and Jamaica’s Britany Anderson – the latter of whom was unable to repeat her sparkling semi-final time of 12.40 seconds – were sixth and eighth respectively.
Perez threw 65.72 metres to reach the podium and her teammates Juan Miguel Echevarria and Mykel Masso took silver and bronze in the men’s long jump.
World long jump champion Tajay Gayle of Jamaican, meanwhile, struggled with a knee injury incurred on day three and finished in 11th place.
Grenadian Kirani James, the 2012 Olympic 400 metres champion, hit top form in his semi-final with a season’s best time of 43.83 seconds, ahead of Anthony Zambrano of Columbia who set a personal best 43.93 seconds.
Moments later, 2015 World Under-18 champion Chris Taylor of Jamaican followed American number two Michael Cherry into the final with his own 2021 best of 44.92 seconds.
In the third semi-final, World champion Steven Gardiner of The Bahamas cruised home in 44.14 seconds with US Trials winner Michael Norman trailing at 44.52 seconds.
South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk, who set a world record of 43.03 seconds to win the Olympic gold in 2016, was eliminated.
A steady semi-final run by Janieve Russell, Jamaica’s 2018 Commonwealth 400 metre hurdles champion took her into her second successive final in a time of 54.10.
Russell followed defending champion Dalilah Muhammad of the United States who won the contest in 53.30 seconds. World record holder Sydney McLaughlin won her semi in 53.03 seconds.
Today’s day five will provide more medal possibilities with Natoya Goule of Jamaica going in the women’s 800 final at 9:25 pm (8.25 am, Eastern Caribbean time) and the women’s 200 final at 9:50 pm (8.50 am, Eastern Caribbean time).
Goule won both her heats and semi final impressively.
The women’s 400m hurdles final is set for 10.30 pm Eastern Caribbean time.
(Caption) Jamaican Megan Tapper celebrates her bronze medal yesterday at the Summer Olympics.
