Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor Sport
Kemel Thompson (left) getting home ahead of Dinsdale Morgan (centre) and Ian Weakly in the men's 400 metres hurdles final at the National Stadium yesterday. The winning time was 49.33 seconds.
Dowdie...retained 100 metres title
PETA-GAYE Dowdie retained her women's 100 metres title while Lindel Frater was crowned new men's sprint king at the National Stadium last night.
In the men's race, Frater used his bullet start to take an early lead but in a blanket finish he just held on in 10.10 seconds from a fast-finishing Christopher Williams 10.11, with last year's champion Patrick Jarrett third in 10.14.
The women's 100m was equally exciting. Tayna Lawrence, a 24-year-old who attended Spanish Town Primary before migrating to the United States in 1989, led the field for a long way from lane one and was only caught close home by the pair of Dowdie and Beverly McDonald.
Dowdie won in 11.19 seconds one-hundredth of a second ahead of McDonald with Lawrence just behind in 11.21.
Sprint queen Merlene Ottey was fourth in 11.27. Ottey's placing appears to have left the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) in a dilemma. The top three in the short sprint are usually selected to run the event at major meets but there have already been strong hints the 40-year-old Ottey could be named to run the 100m despite her fourth-place finish.
In fact, in an interview after the 100m, Ottey appeared in no doubt she would be selected to run the individual race in Sydney.
"I feel very good that I have qualified for my sixth Olympics and now I just need the rest of the time to prepare. I believe if everything goes well and I stay healthy I should run in the 10.70s, that is my goal actually," Ottey said. The sprint queen is expected to fly back to Europe early this morning.
Lawrence was overjoyed with her run.
"I stumbled out of the blocks but placing in the top three, that's good, I'll take that," she said while being congratulated by some Jamaican relatives.
Deon Hemmings, the 1996 Olympic 400m hurdles champion, also retained her national title winning in 54.40 from Catherine Scott who was second in 54.93. Scott looked surprisingly strong coming off the final hurdle and seemed ready to challenge Hemmings before the Olympic champion dug deep and pulled away.
"I knew Catherine (Scott) was going to do well because she has been running some good 400m," Hemmings said.
Kemel Thompson took the men's 400m hurdles in a thrilling three-way battle to the line. Thompson, who led into the straight, had to really call on his reserves to get to the line in 49.33 ahead of former champion Dinsdale Morgan (49.35) and Ian Weakley (49.43).
At press time last night, the women's and men's 400m semi-finals had just been completed. World championship silver medallist Lorraine Graham won semi-final one in 51.52 from Scott who again ran well with a 52.15 clocking for second. Holmwood Technical schoolgirl Sheryl Morgan was third in 53.46 and Cecile Cargill fourth in 53.58.
Veterans occupied the top two spots in semi-final two. Sandie Richards, 31, won in 51.95 from 32-year-old Andrea Thomas who clocked 52.27.
Men's 400m favourite Michael Blackwood captured semi-final one in 45.47 while the second semi went easily to Davian Clarke in 46.09. Both looked to have a lot in reserve and today's final should be close.
TODAY'S EVENTS
| 3:45 p.m. | Javelin throw | men | final |
| 3:45 p.m. | High jump | men | final |
| 3:45 p.m. | Hept. long jump | women | final |
| 3:45 p.m. | 200m | women | heats |
| 4:00 p.m. | 200m | men | heats |
| 4:35 p.m. | 100m hurdles | women | heats |
| 4:50 p.m. | Long jump | men | final |
| 4:50 p.m. | 110m hurdles | men | heats |
| 5:15 p.m. | 800m | women | final |
| 5:25 p.m. | 800m | men | final |
| 5:25 p.m. | High jump | women | final |
| 5:50 p.m. | 200m | women | final |
| 6:00 p.m. | Shot put | men | final |
| 6:00 p.m. | 200m | men | final |
| 6:00 p.m. | Hept. Javelin | women | final |
| 6:20 p.m. | 100m hurdles | women | final |
| 6:30 p.m. | 110m hurdles | men | final |
| 6:40 p.m. | 5000m | men | final |
| 7:00 p.m. | 400m | women | final |
| 7:05 p.m. | Hept. 800m | women | final |
| 7:15 p.m. | 400m | men | final |
