Russell, Salmon, Clayton want historic hurdles sweep

CONFIDENCE IN a Jamaican 400m Hurdles medal rush remains high after all three of the nation’s representatives strolled through to tomorrow’s final.

Despite temperatures dipping dramatically to 15 degrees in Britain’s ‘second city’, Shiann Salmon and Janieve Russell turned up the heat to comfortably take the first two places in the opening semifinal, with compatriot Rushell Clayton following up by winning the next heat.

Defending Champion Russell ran a commanding opening 300m before easing up and letting her fast-finishing young teammate come by over the last two hurdles and clock a modest 55.79 seconds.

Clayton was in charge from the start of the second semifinal, quicker in 54.93, with runner-up Zeney van der Walt (55.10), from South Africa, looking the likeliest to upset a black, green and gold clean sweep.

Russell, who claimed bronze in Glasgow four years before her 2018 triumph in Gold Coast, expressed satisfaction with her trouble-free 55.79 and said: “I feel in really good shape, so I was very disappointed not to make the finals at the World Championships.

“So I’m very happy to qualify here and not get injured.

“I love the Commonwealth Games and came here to Birmingham knowing the crowd would be amazing, and they were.

“Although it’s chilly, the crowd gave heat to me as I went round.

“I don’t think Jamaica has ever had a (clean) sweep in the 400 hurdles, so that’s what I want – I want us to create history here.”

Still improving former World Under-20 silver medallist Salmon, now 23, commented: “I’m always confident whether I win my first round or not, and my only aim is to finish on the podium.”

Clayton, 29, who seems to improve with age and only set a new lifetime’s best in Oregon last month, added: “Wow! It’s cold tonight, and I just wanted to make it to the final, finish healthy.

“It’s always good racing with these ladies.

“As for a 1-2-3, we’ve been doing it all season, so we can do it again!”

– K.M.