Parchment heads strong Ja contingent at Xiamen Diamond League

Eleven Jamaican athletes, headed by World Championships 110-metre hurdles silver medallist Hansle Parchment, will compete at today’s Xiamen Diamond League in China.

Parchment will once again be in a battle with World champion Grant Halloway of the United States as he looks to improve on his season’s best 13.07 seconds.

There will be a crack lineup in the men’s 100m where four Jamaicans led by World Championships semifinalist, Rohan Watson, will take on Americans Fred Kerley and Christian Coleman, a finalist in the event in Budapest. The other Jamaicans in the field are Yohan and Ackeem Blake and Kishane Thompson.

Jamaica’s top-ranked 400m runner Rusheen McDonald, with a season’s best of 44.03 seconds, will contest the one-lap event. He will be joined here by World Championships semifinalist Zandrian Barnes who has a season and personal best 44.90. They will go up against Americans Vernon Norwood and Quincy Hall and Kirani James of Grenada.

Fresh off her bronze medal run in a personal best 52.81 seconds at the recent World Championships, Rushell Clayton will head three Jamaicans who will contest the women’s 400m hurdles. She will be joined by Andrenette Knight and Janieve Russell who were both finalists in the event in Budapest.

Candice McLeod who ran the lead-off leg on Jamaica’s silver medal winning women’s 4x400m team in Budapest will contest the 400m. She will be up against World Championships gold medallist Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic and bronze medallist Sade Williams of Barbados.

Today’s events

5:09 a.m: Women’s long jump

5:20 a.m: Women’s high jump

6:04 a.m: Men’s 400m

6:16 a.m: Women’s 3000m

6:26 a.m: Women’s discus

6:35 a.m: Men’s 100m

6:44 a.m: Men’s triple jump

6:44 a.m: Men’s 800m

6:57 am: Women’s 400m

7:07 a.m: Men’s 3000m steeplechase

7:27 a.m: Women’s 400m hurdles

7:37 a.m: Women’s 1500m

7:53 a.m: Men’s 110m hurdles