Jamaica trio eye medals in 100m hurdles
Published:Saturday | July 23, 2022 | 12:08 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
EUGENE, Oregon:
A Jamaican sweep in the women’s 100m hurdles is a tall order with Tokyo Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho Quinn yet to lose a race this season.
But knowing that anything can happen when hurdles are involved, the trio of Britany Anderson, Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper and former World champion Danielle Williams are confident Jamaica can have a say when the medals are being decided in the event.
After a long wait, they will finally get their World Championship campaign started today at 1:20 p.m Jamaica time, with the hope that all three can make it to tomorrow’s final, the last day of the championships.
Williams says that while the standards have not dropped over the years, she feels that with the belief and execution from herself as well as her teammates, they have a chance to get a medal, or two or hopefully all.
“It is no different than previous years but all of the ladies are running super fast times and we are running close to the same times,” Williams told The Gleaner.
“I am confident in myself and my training. I am sure that all the girls can say the same about themselves. Once we take care of all the necessary things and perform to the best of our abilities, I don’t see why any one of us, or maybe all three of us can’t medal.”
Williams has the 14th best time in the world this year clocking 12.59 seconds, while Tapper has a season’s best of 12.60 tied for 15th. The fastest Jamaican among the trio is Anderson who won the national title in June in 12.45 seconds. In her first World Championships, Anderson says that she is learning to be patient in her technique and hailed the ‘amazing’ Jamaican team.
“The Jamaican team is amazing. Hopefully, we can get the sweep,” Anderson said.
Tapper has been hoping that perfecting her start will give her a chance to bring the same fortune that got Jamaica’s first Olympic medal in the event.
“I know that people think that I have to get significantly faster to medal, I also believe that. But anything is possible with God in the mix and He is in the mix,” Tapper said. Tapper is also confident that the strength of the women’s hurdles will continue. “Jamaica has had and continues to have strong hurdling at every international championship. It will continue with the younger ones coming forward,” Tapper said.