Relay worries for 4x100m and 4x400m

EUGENE, Oregon:

Team Jamaica Technical Leader Maurice Wilson knows that the circumstances for both the men’s 4x100 metres and 4x400m regarding injuries are less than ideal.

However, he says that his staff is committed to putting the best team available, starting with the men’s 4x100m, with the first round beginning today at 7:40 p.m. Jamaica time

The concern comes as former world 100m champion Yohan Blake withdrew from his 200m semi-final with a swollen-foot injury. However, Blake was at Lane Community College yesterday for training, and Wilson said he was pleased with what he saw.

“I am not a doctor, but it seemed to me that the problem that he was having is just maybe something that made him uncomfortable,” Wilson told The Gleaner. “He seems OK to me.”

Blake will not be part of the heats. His training partner, Ackeem Blake, will join Kemar Bailey-Cole, Jelani Walker, and 100m finalist Oblique Seville.

Evaluation

The men’s 4x400m, which starts tomorrow, is a more complex situation as Nathon Allen suffered an Achilles tendon injury in his 400m semi-final heat on Wednesday, with an evaluation to be done today to determine the extent of the damage. Christopher Taylor’s participation in the men’s 400m final tonight rules him out of tomorrow’s heats, which gives Wilson concern. Wilson said that he has instructed the medical team to make the final call on Allen’s availability.

“It is a team event, and we want to make sure that there is no one that will compromise the team. Even though the youngster may want to run, it all depends on the evaluation,” Wilson said.

One of the options is Ackeem Bloomfield, who ran the 200m first round earlier in the week. National 400m coach Bert Cameron said that he feels that Bloomfield can give them a chance at a medal.

“We cannot have a 4x400m team without Ackeem Bloomfield because every time he runs on a 4x400m team, he does pretty well,” Cameron said.

Bloomfield was part of the Jamaica team that won silver at the World Championships in Doha.

While Wilson acknowledges the difficulties, he said that they are determined to give themselves the best chances at the podium.

“It makes the job somewhat difficult, but I am confident that we will be able to put a team out there that will represent well,” Wilson said. “I think at least three of the four relays we should make it through to the final. And we are making sure that the one that we have the issues with, we can put the best team out there.”

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com