By Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor
James Beckford failed in two attempts to qualify yesterday at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. - AP Photo
MANCHESTER, England:
THE CURTAIN comes down on the track and field competition at the XVII Commonwealth Games this evening and Jamaica's athletes are poised for another rich haul of medals.
Yesterday hurdler Maurice Wignall achieved his best result at the international level placing third in the men's 110m hurdles. Jamaica's tally for the Games now stands at nine medals - three gold, three silver and three bronze.
South African Shaun Bownes surprised Wales' former World Champion Colin Jackson to take gold in 13.35 seconds. Jackson clocked 13.39 and Wignall, 13.62. Ricardo Melbourne was sixth in 13.94.
Wignall said he saw Jackson after the fifth hurdle and he pushed harder.
"My instinct was to chase him and that's what pushed me to third. I was expecting a medal here, however, because coming into these Games I had set a season best," Wignall said.
Jamaica are the hot favourites for gold in both the men's and women's 4x400m.
They are also expected to feature in the sprint relays where Britain's men and the Bahamian women will be hard to beat.
The Jamaican men (Davian Clarke, Danny McFarlane, Pete Coley, Brandon Simpson) clocked the fifth fastest time, 3:04.56, in winning the first semi-final of the 4x400m but were always in cruise mode and easily held the Bahamas, 3:04.73.
With 400m champion Michael Blackwood expected to replace Coley today Jamaica should be able to hold off the Bahamas who have vowed to upstage the defending champions.
National champion Lorraine Fenton ran a smooth second leg as Jamaica's 4x400m women (Ronetta Smith, Fenton, Charmaine Howell, Debbie-Ann Parris) clocked 3:31.99 without 400m finalists Sandie Richards and Allison Beckford.
They will be seeking to get down to 3:27.0 today as the Australians who had Olympic champion Cathy Freeman, also on the second leg, took things easy in clocking 3:33.25. England won semi-final two in 3:30.63.
Earlier yesterday the men's sprint team breezed to 39.05 seconds and victory in semi-final two. Nigeria won semi-final one in 38.95.
There is also a strong feeling here that Jamaica can get two of three medals in the women's 100m hurdles. National champion Brigitte Foster did not look her best in the semi-finals but is number two in the world just now and should win the final even if only 90 per cent fit.
In other finals yesterday long jumper James Beckford and high jumper Karen Beautle failed to get among the medals. Beckford who went into the final as one of the favourites took two illegal attempts then in quite bizarre fashion gave up his third.
Beautle was fifth in the high jump with a best leap of 1.84m. South Africa's World Champion Hestrie Cloete won with a Games record 1.96m, England's Susan Jones cleared 1.90m for silver and Nicole Forrester of Canada got bronze at 1.87m.
Mardrea Hyman advanced to today's women's 1500m final after placing fourth in the semi-final two in 4:12.75. Britain's Kelly Holmes won the heat in 4:11.27.
Michael Tomlin was eighth of nine in the first men's semi-final in 3:54.50 and was eliminated. The winner was Kenya's William Chirchir in 3:46.75.
