SYDNEY
THE failure of Jamaica's standard-bearer Michelle Freeman to qualify for the semi-final round of the women's 100 metres was another major blow for Jamaica at the 27th Olympics on a day when the country had much to celebrate.
The exit of Freeman followed that of James Beckford who failed to qualify for the final of the long jump yesterday. Freeman who was plagued by injuries last year made no excuses for her performance.
"At some points in the season you have good races and other times you have bad races, I am not going to kill myself about it. I have next year and the year after."
She said the weather was not a factor.
"I have run in bad weather and trained in bad weather. I was well prepared but it just did not come off," said Freeman who reached the finals in the event at the Altanta Olympics.
Freeman hit the sixth hurdle in her heat and from then on things went downhill as she struggled unsuccessfully to regain her composure. American Melissa Morrison won the heat in 12.76 while Freeman ended up seventh in 13.52.
While Freeman was fading on the Olympic stage the other two entrants progressed. Brigitte Foster shone while Delloreen Ennis-London battled on. Foster, looked better and better with each race, and Delloreen Ennis-London did enough to advance.
Foster ran 12.88 for third in heat 3 where she was pipped for second by Frenchwoman Linda Ferga with both being awarded the same time. Hot favourite Gail Devers of the United States won in 12.77. In heat 2 Ennis-London again looked below her best and had to fight to get fourth in 12.80. The winner Olga Shishigina got home in 12.66, the best time of the round.
Marvin Watts who was given a wild card into the men's 800 metres semi-finals ended up tied for eighth with Brazil's Osmar dos Santos in semi-final three. Watts who fell in the heats but was then given a second chance by track officials clocked a slow 1.47.68 in an event won in 1.44.22 by world record holder Wilson Kipketer of Denmark.
Another Jamaica, 400 metres hurdler Dinsdale Morgan failed to get beyond the semi-finals. Morgan ran a disappointing race in semi-final heat 3. He clocked 50.23 for seventh and blamed cramps, triggered by the 54 degrees temperature, for his below par performance. American James Carter won the heat in 48.48 . Llewelyn Herbert of South Africa won heat two in 48.38 and Saudi Arabia's Hadi Souan Somayli took heat one in the fastest time, 48.14.
Track and field takes a break today.
Action resumes tomorrow (Tuesday evening Ja time) when five more finals, including the women's 100m and 400m hurdles, will be run.
By Elton Tucker
Assistant Sport Editor