Dacres’ silver lining - Discus thrower claims first senior global medal in spite of ‘displeasing technique’

DOHA, Qatar:

Jamaican discus flagbearer Fedrick Dacres was not entirely satisfied with his execution in the final at the World Championships in Doha, but he was nonetheless thankful after becoming the first Jamaican to medal in the event at the senior global level.

Dacres, 66.94m, produced his best effort on his second attempt, to finish behind Sweden’s Daniel Stahl, who upgraded his silver medal from the 2017 World Championships, to claim the gold with 67.59m with Austria’s Lukas Weisshaidinger, 66.82m, winning the bronze.

“I am truly happy. I think I could have got the win today but my technique wasn’t consistent,” said Dacres, who won the World Youth title in 2011 and the World Junior title a year later.

“To be honest, I didn’t execute properly but I am thankful that in terms of class, I was above the field to actually get a medal. It’s a stepping stone. Last year, I wasn’t (on the medal podium), now I am here,” Dacres added.

Dacres missed the podium at the last World Championships, finishing in fourth place, but said he was extremely comfortable and confident throughout yesterday’s final, buoyed by a season that saw him move the national record to 70.78m, making him the second- best thrower on the planet and an overwhelming favourite for a medal.

There was disappointment for Natoya Goule in a testy women’s 800m final, which saw Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi, 1:58.04 minutes (NR) upset the field to take the gold medal. American Raevyn Rogers, 1:58.18, was second, with pre-championships favourite Ajee Wilson, 1:58.84, taking the bronze.

Goule, who went into the championships with the second fastest time and ranked behind Wilson as the second-best in the event, settled into second position for the first 550m of the contest but could not find the speed and endurance to figure in the mad rush for medals and eventually ended up in sixth place with a time of 2:00.11 minutes.

Elaine Thompson, who left the stadium at 3:30 a.m. because of doping control obligations, did enough to advance to the next round of the women’s 200m event, clocking 22.61 seconds for a comfortable second-place finish in her heat, which was won by the USA’s Brittany Brown in 22.33.

“I’m pleased, even though I don’t think I got enough sleep last night. I left doping control at about 3:30 a.m. and so my eyes are still tired, so to go out there and safely advance to the semis, I am pretty pleased,” said Thompson. “I’m fit, I just need some more rest.”

Also through to today’s semi-finals, which get under way at 1:35 p.m. Jamaica time, is Shashalee Forbes, who crossed the line in 23.15 seconds for third place.

However, it was an evening to forget for Schillonie Calvert-Powell, who could only manage a seventh- place finish (23.52) in her heat.

“I can’t really say what happened. I felt good during the warm-up and everything. I came out here to execute, but when I came off the bend, my legs just felt dead, like I’m flat. I guess it’s because I lack races, but I am super disappointed,” said Calvert-Powell, who ran her seventh 200m race of the season yesterday.

With 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and bronze medal winner Marie-Josee Ta Lou pulling out of the 200m, it seems like the top medal positions will be determined between Thompson and 100m silver medallist Dina Asher-Smith, who led all qualifiers into the semis, with her 22.32 seconds win in her heat yesterday.

No Men’s 200m Contenders

Jamaica will not have a competitor in the men’s 200m final for the second straight World Championships after Yohan Blake, Rasheed Dwyer and Andre Ewers all failed to advance from the semi-finals.

Blake got a strong start, but could not keep pace in the last 100m, fading to sixth in his semi-final in a time of 20.37 seconds, with Ewers, 20.61, matching his position. Dwyer ran fifth in his semi-final with a time of 20.54.

In the women’s 400m heats, there was safe passage for Shericka Jackson, 51.13 seconds, and Stephenie-Ann McPherson, 51.21, who both finished second in their respective heats. Anastasia Le-Roy was sixth in her heat in a time of 52.26 seconds, with that event going to Bahamas’ gold medal favourite Shaunae Miller-Uibo, whose 51.30 seconds was only bettered by another medal favourite, Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain), who won her heat in 50.74, a day after helping her country to the bronze medal in the mixed 4x400m relay.

All four male sprint hurdlers are through to tomorrow’s semi-final round which start at 12:05 p.m. after contrasting results.

Defending World champion Omar McLeod, 13.17 seconds, registered the second-fastest time in the heats after taking first place in his heat, with Spanish rival Orlando Ortega (13.15), entering the next run as the fastest qualifier.

Ronald Levy, 13.48, finished second in his heat, while Andrew Riley, 13.67, who finished third in his heat, and Orlando Bennett (13.50), who finished as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers after a fifth-place run, are also on to the next round of the event.

Also competing today are Akeem Bloomfield, Demish Gaye and Rusheen McDonald in the men’s 400m heats starting at 8:35 p.m., and Shiann Salmon, Rhonda Whyte, and Rushell Clayton in the heats of the women’s 400m hurdles at 9:30 a.m.

Today’s full schedule:

8:30 a.m. Men’s Hammer Throw Qual A

8:35 a.m. Men’s 400m Heats

8:50 a.m. Men’s High Jump Qual

9:30 a.m. Women’s 400m Hurdles Heats

10:00 a.m. Men’s Hammer Throw Qual B

10:15 a.m. Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Heats

12:05 p.m. Men’s Pole Vault Final

12:50 p.m. Women’s 400m Semi-Final

1:20 p.m. Women’s Javelin Throw Final

1:35 p.m. Women’s 200m Semi-Final

2:10 p.m. Men’s 800m Final

2:40 p.m. Men’s 200m Final