Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Jamaica's Natasha Ruddock (left) and Latoya King. - FILE
SPRINT HURDLER Natasha Ruddock and Latoya King yesterday won silver and bronze medals respectively as Jamaica ended the fourth IAAF World Youth Championships in Marrakesh, Morocco with three medals.
Ruddock's 100m hurdles silver was the country's best individual medal and King joined Schillonie Calvert, who on Thursday, secured Jamaica's first medal (bronze), as third place finishers.
Jamaica ended 19th in the medal standings, with one silver and two bronze medals, behind the United States (6G, 3S, 4B); Republic of China (5G, 1S, 2B); Kenya (4G, 5S, 1B); Russia (3G, 5S) and Cuba (2G, 2S, 2B).
Although frielding their biggest ever contingent, it was the first time Jamaica were ending the championships without a gold medal.
On yesterday's final day, Ruddock, after impressive preliminary and semi-final runs, started favourite to win the final but had to settle for second.
The St. Jago schoolgirl was timed in 13.38 seconds, 14 hundredths of a second slower than her semi-final run (13.24), which placed her behind American April Williams, who benefited from a very good start to win in a World Youth leading 13.23 seconds.
Ruddock, however, was happy with her silver medal.
"I did pretty well, I did all I could," she said. "I just went out there and did my best".
There was a false start and Ruddock admitted it affected her badly.
FOCUSED
"It really affected me because the first time I was so focused and ready to go...the second time, I knew I had to sit in the blocks and just wait.
"I was just being very careful," said Ruddock, who also hit the first hurdles.
King, the Carifta Games champion, made use of a good start to record a life time best, 23.57, for the bronze medal behind Aymee Martinez of Cuba who won in a championship record 22.99. Bianca Knight of the United States was third in 23.33.
King said she was proud of her bronze medal effort.
"I am very proud of myself to be the second one to get a medal and it feels all right," she said.
Meanwhile, Cawayne Jervis' personal best of 21.21 seconds was not enough for a medal in the boys' 200m.
The first six athletes all posted personal bests. Great Britain's Harry Aikines-Aryeerey ran a World Youth leading time of 20.91 from for the gold medal.
Jorge Valcarel of Cuba finished second in 21.08 and Matteo Galvan of Italy third in 21.14.
Romel Lewis, Jamaica's other finalist, failed to finish in the boys' 400m hurdles.
Sudan's Abdulagadir Idriss won in a World Youth leading 50.78 ahead of Mohammed Daak of Saudi Arabia (50.90) and David Klech of the United States (50.90).
Head coach Raymond 'KC' Graham was a happy man after the five-day Championships.
"Overall, considering the team we brought, I believe the athletes did extremely well," he said.
"We are down in the medal count this time around but when you look at the individual performances, most of these athletes had personal best times and I think it's a great improvement."
