Jamaica to bank on sprints, relays at CAC Games

In less than 10 days, Jamaica’s young athletes will be chasing glory at the World Under-20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, with the five-day competition getting under way on August 5.

Two years ago in Lima, Peru, Jamaica won five medals – four gold and one silver – to finish fourth on the medal table, and there are hopes the team can better that performance. The last time the championships were held in Eugene, in 2014, Jamaica collected six medals, including Jaheel Hyde’s gold in the men’s 400m hurdles, and finished 11th overall.

It is unlikely the team will match its historic performance in Cali, Colombia, four years ago, when Jamaica finished second overall with a record 16 medals – six gold, seven silver and three bronze.

On paper, Jamaica may find it difficult to win several individual medals, with only three athletes currently ranked in the top two of their respective events. Shanoya Douglas leads the way, ranked number one in both the women’s 100m (10.98) and 200m (22.14), while Gary Card tops the men’s 100m rankings with 9.93. Discus thrower Joseph Salmon is ranked second with 58.33m.

Douglas enters the championships in excellent form and will be aiming to join Veronica Campbell Brown and Briana Williams as Jamaican double sprint champions. Promoted to the 200m silver medal in Lima following the disqualification of British Virgin Islands’ Adaejah Hodge for a doping violation, Douglas will start among the favourites. However, she is expected to face strong opposition in the 100m from American twins Mia Maxwell (11.08) and Marion Maxwell (11.11), along with Guyana’s Athaleyha Hinckson (11.10).

Ranked fourth in the women’s 100m hurdles with 12.97, Tiana Marshall, who has been unbeaten over the past two seasons, also has a strong chance of reaching the podium and continuing Jamaica’s success in the event after Kerrica Hill’s back-to-back titles in Cali and Lima.

Jamaica will miss the services of Hydel High’s Sashana Fletcher, who excelled in both the 400m and 400m hurdles over the past two seasons. Fletcher starred at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships and Penn Relays, but failed to fire at the national championships in the 400m hurdles with a disappointing third-place finish of 1:00.55, despite being the top Jamaican in the event with a best of 56.70s, and her absence will be felt, especially in the 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay where she was outstanding at Champs and the Penn Relays running amazing splits.

Card has been in outstanding form since winning the collegiate 100m title at the Penn Relays before lowering the national junior record to 9.93 seconds at the national championships. Although he will contest both sprints, the 100m offers his best medal opportunity.

Salmon also looks capable of extending Jamaica’s proud tradition in the throwing events with a strong challenge in the discus.

With limited medal prospects in some individual events, Jamaica is expected to rely heavily on the relays, particularly the men’s and women’s 4x100m, the mixed 4x100m, mixed 4x400m and 4x400m.

If all goes according to plan, Jamaica could leave Eugene with at least eight medals – four in individual events and four in the relays – surpassing the five-medal haul achieved in Lima two years ago.