Traves Smikle displays the flag after winning Jamaica's first-ever discus medal at a world-level championships yesterday. He captured bronze on the opening day of the 6th IAAF World Youth Championships in Bressanone, Italy, with a personal best of 61.22 metres. - Contributed

BRESSANONE, Italy:

Traves Smikle's history-making discus throw handed Jamaica a surprise bronze, the country's first medal, on yesterday's opening day of the 6th IAAF World Youth Championships.

The Calabar High student who won Jamaica's first medal in discus at any world level qualified for the final with a then personal best of 57.28 metres which bettered his entry standard of 55.86m. He recorded 60.22m on his first attempt in the final, but later bettered it to the bronze medal mark of 61.22m.

"Words cannot explain how I feel," he said. "I thank God for this victory. I trained very hard for it, in the gym and in the field, and now it finally paid off for me, so I cannot complain."

Semi-final qualifiers

Meanwhile, sprinters Deandre Whitehorne and Kemar Bailey-Cole qualified for the semi-finals of the women's and men's 100m during yesterday's afternoon session.

Whitehorne did 12.10 seconds and 11.92 in the first and second rounds, respectively, to secure her spot in today's semi-finals but it is uncertain whether she will face the starter. She twisted her left ankle and had to be taken away for treatment after she complained of extreme pain.

Sharica Moulton (12.43), Jamaica's other entrant in the women's 100m, did not get past the first first round.

In the men's event, Bailey-Cole recorded 10.74 to win his preliminary round heat and returned 10.77 for third in second round heat three.

Adams Cummings, on the other hand, after running 10.98 for a spot in the second round, failed with his 10.92 to advance in the event.

Earlier, Samantha Elliott and Keenan Davis, the first Jamaicans to grace the track, secured spots in the second round.

Elliott, the fastest of the two, secured her place with a second place in heat two, running 13.72 behind Norway's Isabella Pedersen (13.35, World Youth leading). Davis, in heat one, recorded 14.18, which was just enough to secure her place.

Sixth-fastest qualifier

In the men's 400m, Javere Bell, the sixth-fastest qualifier, is the only one through to the semi-finals as A-Shawni Mitchell (49.47) was third in heat six and failed to advance.

Sandrae Farquharson, who ran with a heavily bandaged left hamstring, finished third in heat one in 56.28 and secured her semi-final spot.

Farquharson said: "I am feeling okay. I just did enough to quality."

Chantal Duncan also made it through with 56.93. Waquar DaCosta's effort of 1:59.57 was not good enough to take him past the first round of the men's 800m.

Both Jamaican girls, Ristananna Tracey and Danielle Dowie, who lost her World Youth Leading mark to Russian Vera Rudakova (57.83), have qualified for the semi-finals.

Tracey, who won her heat in 61.21, later said: "I did not go out there to run fast, the aim was just to quality for the semi-finals."

Dowie, who took her heat (three) in 60.45, said she made some mistakes after hitting the second hurdle, but things should be okay for the semi-final. "I expect better hurdling next time," she promised.