Paris or Lima, the wait is over

A RECORD 680 athletes will converge on the National Stadium today, in a bid to either make Jamaica’s track and field team to the Olympics in Paris, France or to the World Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru.

The World Under-20 Championships are to be held from August 27 to 30, while the Olympics run from July 27 to August 11.

Fireworks start as early as 9 a.m., with the qualification round of the men’s 100 metres where 68 athletes will face the start. The seven fastest on time will advance to join 25 seeded sprints in the preliminary round at 8:45 p.m.

Preceding the men’s preliminaries, the first round of action in the women’s 100 metres will get underway at 8:20 p.m.

At 8:20 p.m., some of the answers around the form of two of the most successful sprinters in Jamaica’s history – Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson – may be answered.

The two have had lukewarm performances in what could be considered belated starts to their competitive seasons.

At almost press time, it had been three. However, last night, Elaine Thompson Herah, the double Olympic champion, announced she was withdrawing from competition.

“ I am hurt and devastated to be missing the Olympics this year but at the end of the day it’s sports and my health comes first,” said Thompson Herah of a reported Achilles tendon tear.

The men’s 400 metres will also be interesting today after the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association moved preliminary-round action to the first day, to give what would be a 4x400-metre line-up an opportunity for a last-ditch attempt at qualifying for the Olympics.

The 400s begin at 10 a.m., with 24 athletes down to face the starter. The semi-final rounds begin at 6:50 p.m., where the preliminary-round qualifiers will join 16 seeded athletes.

The final will be run at 8:50 p.m. tomorrow, with a 4x400-metre relay set for Sunday’s final day at 8:15 p.m.

The 4x400-metre men will be hoping to go faster than 2:59.12, in a bid to overtake Zambia, the 16th fastest qualifying team.

Today’s opening day will also see preliminary action in the women’s 400-metre hurdles at 5:50 p.m., to be followed by the men’s equivalent at 6:10 p.m.

Six finals will be contested today.

The under-20 girls will contest finals in the javelin throw, long and triple jumps, while the seniors will report for high (7:10 p.m.) and long jump (5:02 p.m.) finals. The lone track final will be the men’s 5000 metres at 5 p.m.

Tissanna Hickling, with a season’s best 6.67 metres, will go up against last year’s second-place finisher, Chanice Porter, and favourite Ackelia Smith, who was third a year ago. Smith is the leader with a season’s best 6.85.

Defending champion Lamara Distin looks set to retain her high jump title with a season’s best of 2.00 metres. She looks set to continue her dominance over Kimberly Williamson in the senior final.