Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor - Sport
Sheena Johnson of the United States (right) jumps over her last hurdle in the women's 400 metres hurdles followed by Nickiesha Wilson of Jamaica during the Pan American Games track and field competition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
National 100 metres hurdles champion Delloreen Ennis-London has described her victory at the Pan American Games as a good tune-up for next month's IAAF World Champion-ships in Japan.
"I chose to come to the Pan Am Games as part of my preparation going into Osaka. To get the win and the record makes me very happy. I think this will also help to motivate the other athletes in the Village as they get ready for upcoming events," she said shortly before collecting her gold medal.
Ennis-London said it got close at the end because she missed her step going over the last hurdle.
"I was really going well but then I became off balanced a bit and the field closed in, but I managed to hold on."
Both the Jamaican gold medallist and Canada's silver medallist Perdita Felicien were awarded the same time - a Games record 12.65 seconds.
TALLY
Jamaica's Delloreen Ennis-London celebrates after winning thegold medal of the women's 100-metre hurdles in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil, yesterday. - AP Photos
Ennis-London's gold and a silver won in the women's 400m hurdles final by Nickiesha Wilson, brought Jamaica's tally at the Games to five - two gold, two silver and a bronze.
Sheerefa Lloyd, 51.09, and Davita Prendergast, 51.19, were fourth and fifth respectively in the women's 400m final won in a season-best 50.34 by Mexico's Ana Guevara.
Lloyd was in fact just edged out on the line by Cuba's Indira Terrero, 51.09, in the battle for the bronze medal. Silver went to Christine Amertil of The Bahamas in a season-best 50.99.
The men's 400m final gave The Bahamas their first gold of the Games. Chris Brown won in a season-best 44.85 ahead of Canada's Chris Tyler, 45.05, and Chris Lloyd of Dominica, 45.40.
In the women's long jump Elva Goulbourne was fourth with a best of 6.48m. Brazil's Maurren Maggi captured gold with a leap of 6.84m.
Jamaica's Peaches Roach and Michelle Williamson were also out of the medals in the women's high jump. Mexico's Maria Rifka was the gold medal winner and Canada's Nicole Forrester took silver. Both cleared 1.95m.
Levern Spencer gave St. Lucia their first medal of the Games, taking bronze with 1.87m.
FINALISTS
Jamaica has several finallists lined up for tomorrow's events.
Dean Griffiths, the island's lone competitor in the men's 400m hurdles and the bronze medallist at the 2003 Games in Santo Domingo, clocked a season-best 49.37 to reach the final. He came off the last hurdle strongly but could not peg back Canada's Adam Kunkel in the third of three semi-final heats. Kunkel's winning time was 49.27.
Griffiths' time was third fastest of the round and he should challenge for one of the three medals.
The fastest qualifier was American Larn Bennett with 49.09 to win semi-final heat one.
Aleen Bailey and Commonwealth Games 100m champion Sheri-Ann Brooks advanced to the women's 200m final and Marvin Anderson is in the men's.
Bailey was fourth in semi-final one in 23.13 behind Grenada's Sherry Fletcher who won in the fastest time of the round, 22.86, while Brooks went out fast from lane three and covered the field before easing close to the line. She was passed by both Cuba's Roxana Diaz who won in 22.90 and Virgil Hodge of St. Kitts and Nevis, 22.93. Brooks was third in 22.94.
Anderson won the second men's semi-final in a near personal best 20.35, blowing away American Reuben Williams who was runner-up in 20.66.
The fastest time was returned by Antigua's 100m bronze medallist Brendan Christian who took the first semi-final in 20.33. American Jordon Vaden was second in 20.54.
Earlier Xavier Brown, a semi-finallist in the 100m, failed to get past the heats of the 200m. Brown placed sixth in the second of four heats in a pedestrian 21.38.
The heat was won in 20.75 by Canada's Brian Barnett.
