Top male 400m runners in good form ahead of National Champs

JAMAICA’S top men in the 400 metres are running into good form ahead of the JAAA National Senior Championships, which will be held July 6-9 inside the National Stadium.

Three Jamaican athletes have gone under 45 seconds this season with the fastest being Sean Bailey with a 44.43 seconds clocking.

Bailey who raced to his personal best at the Los Angeles Grand Prix is joined by Antonio Watson 44.75 and Zadrion Barnes 44.90. Both Watson and Barnes clocked their sub-45 seconds times at the Racers Grand Prix. With the likes of Jevaughn Powell 45.02, Javon Francis 45.10 along with national record holder Rusheen McDonald and Roshawn Clarke with a best of 45.24, this event is expected to be a cracker at the National Championships.

It is likely that all eight athletes in the final will have personal best times below 45 seconds as Demish Gaye, Nathon Allen and Akeem Bloomfield who have all gone sub-45 seconds in the event in the past should be among the contenders. Eugene World Championships finalist Christopher Taylor will be missing as he has been suspended.

Experienced cast

Bailey is the most improved athlete in the event after his first sub-45 seconds this season. He has done so on three occasions in the past after surpassing his previous best of 45.04 in 2021, where he was the second-fastest Jamaican in the event behind Taylor’s 44.79. At the championships any number can play with a very experienced cast of quarter milers down to contest the event.

The 400m runners are bringing back memories of 2015 when McDonald posted a national record of 43.93 and four other athletes went under the 45 seconds barrier, including Francis and Bloomfield. Three years later Bloomfield became the second Jamaican to go under 44 seconds with his best of 43.94.

Some fast times are expected in the event at the Trials and Jamaica could challenge the powerful United States for the gold medal in the men’s 4x400 metres at the World Championships in Budapest.