It was Gayle’s day

DOHA, Qatar:

Tajay Gayle became the first Jamaican man to win the men’s long jump at a global athletics championships when he leaped to a national record of 8.69 metres under the glittering lights of the Khalifa International Stadium here yesterday.

Gayle put the competition on notice with his first attempt when he jumped to 8.46m, and then finished the job by breaking James Beckford’s 22-year-old mark of 8.62m.

Beckford is the only other Jamaican man to have won a medal in the event at a global athletics championship, with his last being the silver he won at the World Championships in Paris in 2003.

The 22-year-old August Town-native struggled on Friday, as according to him, a new technique his coach Stephen Francis introduced three weeks ago was on his mind.

“Today, I just focused on the run- up and didn’t think about any old or new technique. I just jumped,” he said.

American Jeff Henderson took silver with 8.39m, while pre-meet favourite Juan Miguel Echevarria of Cuba captured the bronze with 8.34m.

Jamaica failed to win a medal in the men’s 100m at a global championships for the first time since 2005, as Yohan Blake, the lone finalist for the event, finished fifth in 9.97 seconds.

The race was won by American Christian Coleman in a world leading time of 9.76, while his compatriot, Justin Gatlin, finished second in 9.89 seconds. Canadian Andre de Grasse grabbed the bronze medal with 9.90.

In the women’s 100m, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce registered the fastest time ever in the first round of the event at a global athletics championship, when she comfortably sped to 10.80 seconds to win heat one. With her signature pocket-rocket start, Fraser-Pryce separated easily from a field which included Cote d’Ivoire’s Murielle Ahoure.

Elaine Thompson also qualified comfortably for today’s semi-finals, scheduled for 1:20 p.m., with 11.14 seconds, while Jonielle Smith was made to work in heat four as she finished third behind Dina Asher- Smith, 10.96, and English Gardner, 11.20. Smith posted the same time as Gardner.

In the men’s discus, Fedrick Dacres, Traves Smikle, and Chad Wright came into the championships with the aim of creating history by all three advancing to the final.

DACRES THROUGH

But that dream was deferred as only the national recorder holder, Dacres, will compete in the medal round tomorrow.

Dacres, who has the second best throw coming into the meet with his 70.78m effort, only produced 65.44m in Group A yesterday.

“It (first round) was more of a test than anything else. The first throw, I was really relaxed. I wanted to see how my power felt and I got a good throw, but the second one, I was relaxed too much, so the consistency is not there as yet. I feel good going into the final,” Dacres said.

Smikle, who threw over the automatic qualifying mark (65.50) four times this season, could only manage 62.93m while Wright struggled throughout the competition with a right hamstring injury he picked on Thursday. Wright’s best throw was 60.60m.

“My technique broke down completely, but it happens and we just have to move forward,” Smikle said. “Out of the all the places to come and throw horribly, is the World Champs, and I feel very sad about that because I have performed better than this throughout the season.”

GOULE ROUGHED UP

Natoya Goule was roughed up by Halimah Nakaayi from Uganda in the semi-finals of the 800m yesterday but eventually secured her place in the final. Positioned in second coming into the home straight, Goule was pushed by Nakaayi who eventually won the race in 1:59.35.

“She was pushing me through the entire race,” Goule said. “In the final, I just have to make sure I position myself better.”

The former Manchester High athlete finished fourth with 2:00.33.

Goule will try to become the first Jamaican woman to medal in the 800m at a global outdoor championships when she contests the final tomorrow .

“I want to make Jamaica very proud and I want make sure that I am the first to win a medal here in this event,” she said.

Kemar Mowatt failed to advance to the final of the men’s 400m hurdles after finishing seventh in heat one of the semi-finals. The former Munro College student ran the first half fast but faded late as he registered 49.32.

Brazilian Alison Dos Santos won the race in 48.35. Mowatt’s training partner, Kyron McMaster, from the British Virgin Islands, was reinstated in tomorrow’s final after he was originally disqualified for not clearing one of the hurdles properly.

Defending champion Karsten Warholm and American Rai Benjamin are the favourites for gold medal in the event.

Jamaica’s 4x400m mixed relay team has the second fastest time going into the final of the event today after registering a national record 3:12.73 for second in their heat.

The team of Nathon Allen, Janieve Russell, Roniesha McGregor, and Javon Francis were beaten by the American team which clocked a world record 3:12.42.

The final of the event will be contested at 2:35 p.m. (Ja time).