Silver and bronze for the Caribbean in women's sprint hurdles

Jamaicans Delloreen Ennis-London and compatriot
Brigitte Foster-Hylton with their medals in Helsinki,
Finland. (Photo by Mark Love/Youngs Photoreflex
Images)

by Gary Smith
Caribbean Net News Correspondent

Friday, August 12, 2005

HELSINKI, Finland:  Jamaica's Delloreen Ennis-London and compatriot Brigitte Foster-Hylton posted identical times to claim the silver and bronze medals in the women's 100m hurdles finals at the 10th IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland on Thursday. 

American Michelle Perry, a former multi-event athlete, won the race in a time of 12.66 seconds. Ennis-London and Foster-Hylton, the silver medallist from the 2003 championships in Paris both clocked 12.76 in a -2.0 m/s head wind. 

Ennis-London and Foster-Hylton performances now boost Jamaica to the number 5-ranked team with 5 medals, which includes 1 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze.

Silver medallist Ennis-London was happy with her performance especially after her early season struggles.

This medal means a lot to me," Ennis-London said. "First of all I went through two knee surgeries, and then I had a lower back problem right after the trials this year. But thank God I had that fixed and I came out here and did my best."

Despite dropping one place down to the bronze medal, Foster-Hylton said she was happy with her medal.

"I am happy with this bronze," Foster-Hylton said. "Jamaica won two medals which shows the depth we have in this event, and I am very much looking forward to the future." 

Olympic champion Joanna Hayes, who trains with Perry in Los Angeles, was in contention for a medal but saw that moment crash when she hit the ninth hurdle and fell.

Wignall finds form in the wind

In the men's 110m hurdles semi-finals Jamaica's Maurice Wignall recovered from a horrible start to finish a step behind defending champion Allen Johnson of USA in the third heat. Even with a stronger headwind than the previous heats, the pair were able to produce the top two times heading into Friday's decider.

Johnson crossed the line at 13.23 and Wignall, who stopped the clock in a year-best time of 13.24, closely followed him.

Other notable medal contenders for Friday's finals are Terrence Trammell (USA) - 13.31; Olympic champion Liu Xiang - 13.42; Ladji Doucouré (FRA) - 13.35 and Dominique Arnold (USA) - 13.39.

Another blow for Jamaica's relay chances

Teenage sensation Usain Bolt, who was expected to run a leg on the men's sprint relay team, pulled up injured and finished last in the men's 200m finals. 

The 19-year-old was doing extremely well, setting up himself to claim a medal when he pulled up 60 metres from home. He managed to jog across the line in 26.27, which could mean that he only suffered a small cramp. 

USA sprinters finished 1-2-3-4 in the event, which saw Justin Gatlin copping the sprint double with a time of 20.04. 

No survivors in the men's 800m

All the Caribbean entries failed to go beyond the first round of the men's 800m. Haiti's Moise Joseph (1:48.26) was the fastest of the group, but his time was only enough for seventh place in heat two. Trinidad and Tobago's Sherridan Kirk clocked 1:48.77 for seventh place in the fifth heat. 

Both runners had faster times than the entire third heat, but with the top three in each race going through it was difficult for them to move on to the next round.

In the men's Triple Jump finals, Bahamian Leevan Sands missed the bronze medal by a single centimetre after leaping 17.39m for fourth place in the wind. Cuba's Yoandri Betanzos repeated his silver medal performance from Paris when he leaped a season's best 17.42m to finish behind American Walter Davis (17.57m)

"After the 4th round I knew I would end up on the podium," Betanzos said. 

"I am very much satisfied with the medal, and I am proud to keep up the Cuban traditions of having good results in the triple jump. I prepared well for the wet weather as I brought three pairs of spikes," the Cuban added.

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