By Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor
Jamaica's James Beckford competes in the men's long jump final yesterday. Beckford finished fourth. - Reuters
ATHENS:
DANNY MCFARLANE was the toast of the island after his silver medal performance yesterday but Jamaica missed out on medals in two other finals.
James Beckford tied his season-best 8.31 metres but still had to settle for fourth in the long jump final. His best leap, on his fourth attempt, moved him into third place and a likely bronze medal.
American John Moffitt, however, rocketed from fourth to second with a personal best 8.47m effort.
Beckford fouled his fifth attempt and then could only get up to 8.12m on his sixth and final. Pre-Olympic favourite, American Dwight Phillips, sealed the gold with 8.59m on his first attempt.
Asafa Powell failed to face the starter for the men's 200 metres final. He was forced out by a right hamstring injury which also makes him a doubtful starter for the sprint relay heats today and the final tomorrow. In his absence Americans swept the medals. Shawn Crawford took gold in a personal best 19.79. Bernard Williams' personal best 20.01 was enough to just edge out 100m gold medallist Justin Gatlin (20.03) for second.
Maurice Wignall joined Keith Gardner as the only Jamaicans to reach the 110m hurdles final at the Olympics.
The Calabar High old boy hit top form to set a national record 13.17 in winning semi-final one beating crack Chinese hurdler Xiang Liu, 13.18. Latvia's Stanislavs Olijars was third in a season best 13.20 while Canada's Charles Allen grabbed fourth spot in a personal best 13.23. Even with his national mark Wignall remains cautious.
"It remains a wide open race. The thing to do is to remain focused. Any card can play so I just have to try and do my best," Wignall said.
He will be the only Jamaican in the final as Chris Pinnock and Richard Phillips were both eliminated. Pinnock clocked 13.47 for eighth in semi-final one while Phillips was sixth (13.47) in semi-final two. This latter semi-final went in a French national record 13.06 to Ladji Doucoure. American Terrence Trammell was second in 13.17, defending champion Anier Garcia of Cuba third in 13.30 with Brazil's Mateus Inocencio completing the finalists.
Jamaica's women's sprint relay team is safely through to today's final. It was beaten in the second of two semi-final heats by Russia who won in 42.12. Jamaica's Tayna Lawrence, Sherone Simpson, Beverly McDonald and Aleen Bailey clocked a season best 42.20.
For today's final 200m gold medallist Veronica Campbell is expected to replace McDonald. She could run either the second leg to counter the United States' Marion Jones or take over from Bailey on the final leg.
The Americans were in a no-nonsense mood in the first semi-final heat as they equalled the world leading 41.67 they set in Munich, Germany a week before the Games started. Angela Williams, Jones, 100m silver medallist Lauryn Williams and LaTasha Collander were the members of the US team. The Bahamas were a distant second in this heat in 43.02. Belgium were third in 43.03.
