BERLIN, Germany:
JAMAICA ENDED a glorious 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics with a silver medal in the women's 4x400 metres at the Berlin Olympic Stadium yesterday.
The island's overall performance here was the best by any Jamaican team at a global championships. This year's display surpassed the 10 medals won at the 2007 championships in Osaka, Japan.
Yesterday's silver pushed Jamaica's medal tally at the meet to 13 - seven gold, four silver and two bronze. The seven gold equalled Jamaica's overall total won since the championships was first held in Helsinki, Finland in 1983.
Usain Bolt, the undoubted star of the meet with his two world records in the 100 metres and 200 metres, became only the second Jamaican man to win an individual gold at the World Championships after Bertland Cameron's 400m gold in 1983. Bolt later ran the third leg on the men's 4x100m to repeat the triple-gold performance he had in Beijing last year. Cameron is a member of the coaching staff at this year's meet.
Gallant race
Jamaica finished second overall, by far the country's best placing in the 12 stagings of the championships. The United States topped the medal table with 10 gold, six silver and six bronze. Kenya were third on four gold, five silver and two bronze.
The women ran a gallant second in the 4x400m behind an American team which, once they got the baton around, was a cinch for the gold. Jamaica, with Rosemarie Whyte starting and Novlene Williams-Mills, Shereefa Lloyd and Shericka Williams running the other legs, kept third spot for much of the race. At the final changeover, Williams got the baton in third and rushed past Russia's Antonina Krivoshapka and held her form as Jamaica clocked a season-best 3:21.15. The Americans, with former Jamaican competitor, Debbie Dunn, on the first leg to 200m gold medallist Allyson Felix, 400m hurdles silver medallist LaShinda Demus and 400m gold medallist Sanya Richards clocked a world-leading 3:17.83. Russia were third in 3:21.64.
Full of praise
Williams-Mills was full of praise for the other women and was happy to have brought home the last medal for Jamaica.
"I think the team performed really well. We (the Jamaica contingent) have been doing so great over the past few days," Williams-Mills said.
Williams, who ran the final leg, was always confident she would have beaten Russia's Krivoshapka in the battle for second.
"I knew I got the baton close enough to her to get past her and she did not go out as fast as she normally does, so I just went out there and executed my race properly and did not allow her to get back," Williams said.
The Americans completed the 4x400m double when the men won in a world-leading 2:57.86. Great Britain were second in a season-best 3:00.53 and Australia, third, also in a season-best 3:00.90.
The local-based Jamaican officials and athletes are expected to start leaving Berlin today while the top athletes will remain in Europe for the remaining Grand Prix meets. Bolt will be the main attraction at the Weltklasse Golden League meet in Zurich on Friday, where he is expected to clash with Asafa Powell over 100m. Kerron Stewart, the 100m silver medallist here, will also continue her hunt for a share of the US$1-million jackpot in the women's 100m.
elton.tucker@gleanerjm.com