Close Trials for struggling quarter-milers

IT WILL be interesting to see which eight athletes line up for the men’s 400m final at next week’s National Senior Championships, as it has been a struggle this season for the country’s male quarter-milers.

After a surprise win at the Budapest World Athletics Championships two years ago, Antonio Watson – who is guaranteed a lane in Tokyo as the defending champion – has not built on that success due to injury, having hardly competed since. Watson is down to compete next week and it will be interesting to see what he does at Trials.

Only three Jamaicans have gone sub-45 seconds so far this season.

Leading the way is Bovel McPherson with a season’s best 44.78 seconds, which ranks him 23rd in the world, followed by Zandrion Barnes (44.97) and 400-metre hurdles specialist Roshawn Clarke (44.98).

Defending champion Deandre Watkin of Elite Performance, who pulled off a surprise win last year after failing to finish in the final the previous year, will be hoping to retain his title. Last Saturday, he clocked a modest 45.34 to win at the third JAAA All Comers Meet inside the National Stadium and will be hoping to improve significantly.

Barnes of SprinTec has not looked the same since his sub-45 clocking in February and will need to improve on his third-place time of 46.09 from Saturday’s All Comers meet.

JeVaughn Powell of Racers Track Club, who finished second on Saturday in 45.88, has been very consistent at Trials – winning in 2022 and placing third in both 2023 and 2024. He will be eyeing another national title and could be waiting for the right moment to strike again.

HOPING FOR A WIN

Another former champion, Sean Bailey, with only a season-best 45.57, will be hoping to call on the experience of winning two years ago.

Young Delano Kennedy of Uptimum Performance Track Club showed good form at the recent Racers Grand Prix, finishing second to the outstanding Christopher Bailey of the United States in 45.24. In that race, he got the better of the likes of Barnes, Rusheen McDonald, and Demish Gaye, and could go much faster next week.

With Watson getting a bye to Tokyo, Jamaica is guaranteed four spots in the event, and this will serve as added motivation for the top three finishers – once they achieve the qualifying standard of 44.85 seconds. Mcpherson is the only one to attain that mark so far.

The winner and top three here will be difficult to predict, but McPherson looks like the best of the lot and should capture his first senior title in what is a modest line-up.

Young Kennedy could follow McPherson home, while Dfeandre Watkin might take the final spot.