Girls Grab 4x4 Silver - Relay Quartet Hands Jamaica Fifth Medal At WJC

Jamaica's silver medal-winning girls' 4x400m relay team members (from left) Sandrae Farquharson, Shericka Jackson, Janieve Russell and Olivia James pose with the flag after their 3:32.97 run. The United States won the gold medal in 3:30.01 with Russia placing third in 3:36.42. - Contributed
Ryon Jones, Staff Reporter

As the curtains came down on yesterday's final day of the 14th World Junior Championships - which was staged over six days at Spain's Montjuic Olympic Stadium - so too did the rains.

This, however, did not dampen the spirits of the Jamaican team which had made hay while the sun lasted in capturing its fifth medal, which came in the women's 4x400m final.

The quartet of Sandrae Farquharson, Olivia James, Shericka Jackson and Janieve Russell won silver in the event in a season best clocking of three minutes, 32.97 seconds.

The United States women ran a world junior leading time of three minutes, 30.01 seconds for gold, while Russia copped the bronze in three minutes, 36.42 seconds.

The United States men also won the 4x400 metres relay with a world junior leading time after stopping the clock at three minutes, 03.99 seconds. Poland claimed the silver in a new national junior record time of three minutes, 05.05 seconds, with Trinidad and Tobago (three minutes, 06.32 seconds) taking bronze.

Good performance

This represents the country's eighth best-ever showing at the championships, as they finished seventh in the medal standings and ninth overall on the points table with 59 points.

"I think overall the team did very well ... . We ended up getting two gold, two silver and a bronze and that's a creditable performance and I have to commend the team," head coach Michael Dyke said.

Team leader, Julette Parkes, branded the championships the most difficult she has ever been to, but was thankful for the medals won.

"It was the most difficult from the beginning in obtaining our visas, but we are happy we came and we did very well," Parkes shared.

"I am disappointed in some of the events, in terms of our medals. We had predicted more gold medals, but we thank God for what we have received," she added, while thanking the Spanish Embassy for its tremendous help.

Russell ended the championships with two medals, as along with her 4x400m silver, she ran a world leading and season best 56.62 seconds for gold in the women's 400m hurdles on day five.

Odean Skeen also emerged with two medals after his personal best clocking of 10.28 seconds landing him bronze in the 100m on the second day. He then teamed up with Tyquendo Tracey, Jevaughn Minzie and Jazeel Murphy on the fifth day of competition to establish a new national junior record of 38.97 seconds for silver in the 4x100m final.

Jamaica's other medal was won by Fedrick Dacres on the third day, as he threw a personal best 62.80 metres for gold in the discus.

The nation was represented in three other finals on the closing day, with the men's 4x400m team comprising Shavon Barnes, Javon Francis, Lennox Williams and Jermaine Fyffe finishing fifth, despite running a season best three minutes 07.31 seconds.

Manchester High's Chanice Porter finished 13th in the women's high jump, as she failed to clear 1.78m, having cleared 1.73m on her previous attempt.

Porter had on the fourth day broken Nolle Graham's 12-year-old national junior record of 6.53 metres in the final of the long jump, with a leap of 6.58 metres (0.7m/s), but had to settle for fourth.

Clive Pullen placed ninth in the men's triple jump final with his mark of 15.79 metres.

The contingent is scheduled to return to Jamaica today at 3:30 p.m.

ryon.jones@gleanerjm.com