ATHLETICS: Spencer, Hall in semis at World Indoor Championships, Poland

Andre Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter



Jamaica enjoyed a positive morning session on the opening day of the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland inside the Ergo Arena.



Patricia Hall and Kaliese Spencer are the fourth and fifth fastest athletes going into this afternoon's women's 400m semi-finals, after making progress through different circumstances from this morning's heats.



Spencer won her heat in 52.26 for automatic passage, while Hall had to wait to confirm her qualification, after finishing third in her heat in a time of 52.19.



Both women will look to book their places in the final when the semi-finals are scheduled to get started at 2:55 p.m. (Jamaica time).



The island will also have two representatives in the men's 400m semi-finals (3:15 p.m.) after Edino Steele and Ahkeem Gauntlett both advanced from their heats.



Steele was second in 46.38, while Gauntlett crossed the line in 46.85; also good enough for second place in his heat.



Kimberly Williams made light work of qualifying to the final of the women's triple jump, satisfying the 14.30m automatic qualification mark with a 14.35m jump on her first attempt, as she looks to better her fifth place finish in Istanbul two years ago at the last World Indoors Championships.



She will line up in the final tomorrow at 12:05 p.m.



O'Dayne Richards produced his best effort, 19.77m on his final attempt but it was not enough to see him advance to the men's shot put final, as he finished 14th in qualifying, while there was also disappointment for 800m athlete Natoya Goule, who just missed out on a spot in the final, finishing third in her heat with a personal best 2:01.89.



The evening session will see 2012 silver medal winner Nesta Carter and Kimmari Roach lining up in the men's 60m heats (12:40 p.m.), with Indira Spence and Monique Morgan leading the Jamaicans on the track at 12:05 p.m. in the women's 60m hurdles heats.



Damar Forbes competes in men's long jump qualifying at 1:20 p.m.



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