Hudson’s eyes ‘getting better’
Published:Saturday | August 26, 2023 | 12:10 AM
BUDAPEST, Hungary:
NATIONAL 200m champion Andrew Hudson is happy and looking on the brighter side after being involved in a freak accident that could have ruined his eyesight and chances of competing in the World Championship final.
Yesterday, the Jamaican finished eighth in the men’s 200m final in 20.40 seconds in his first World Championship final, after getting a medical exemption.
He had been rewarded a spot in the final on appeal by the Jamaican management team, following a collision with the athlete’s shuttle car and another in a bizarre incident on the way to the stadium, which caused glass to get into his eyes.
The shuttle cars are used to transport athletes to the competition area.
Medical staff worked overtime to get much of the splinter from Hudson’s eyes, but he had to undergo an uncomfortable period, especially while running in the semifinal round.
After competing in the final, Hudson, commenting on his eyes, shared that he did not initially know he had been handed a lane in the final.
“It’s getting better,” he said of his eyesight.
“I got back to the hotel yesterday (Friday) at 1 a.m. and that was when I found out I was in the final. I was thankful, nonetheless,” Hudson said.
Continuing, he said: “I’m happy my eyesight is fine, and two, that I am a World Championship finalist.”
Meanwhile, American Noah Lyles completed the sprint double by winning the final to add to his 100m victory.
He made it a hat trick of titles, clocking 19.52 seconds to win ahead of his countryman Erriyon Knighton, who clocked 19.75 seconds.
Botswana’s teen sensation Letsile Tebogo mined his second medal of the championships, winning bronze in 19.82 seconds. Tebogo had won a silver medal in the men’s 100 metres, where he was also beaten by Lyles.
In a high-quality women’s triple jump final, Jamaica’s two-time World Championship medallist Shanieka Ricketts finished fourth despite a season’s best of 14.93m.
After struggling for the majority of the competition, Venezuelan athlete Yulimar Rojas retained her title as she delivered on her final attempt, with 15.08 metres.
Jamaica’s other finalist in the hop, skip and jump event, Kimberly Williams, finished seventh in a season’s best 14.38m.
Amid the controversy regarding the selection for the 4x100m men’s relay pool, the top four from the national championships Ackeem Blake, Oblique Seville, Ryeim Forde and Rohan Watson progressed to today’s final, finishing second in their heat in 37.68 seconds.
The women’s sprint relay team, which comprised Briana Williams, double sprint Olympic champion Elaine Thompson Herah, Sashalee Forbes and five-time World 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, had a comfortable performance, scorching 41.70 seconds to win their heat and book a spot in the final.
Meanwhile, Adelle Tracey ran a lifetime best of 1:58.99 minutes in her semifinal to secure her place in the final of the women’s 800m. National champion Natoya Goule-Toppin missed out on the final as her 2:00.78 time in the second semifinal was not fast enough to go through.
In the morning session, Commonwealth Games championship Lamara Distin made it to back-to-back World Championship finals, qualifying with a height of 1.92m. Kimberly Williamson’s season best of 1.85m was not enough to progress.