Gayle lands gold at major meet again Long jumper leads Jamaica’s medal haul on day 3 at Commonwealth Games

RAYMOND GRAHAM
STAR Writer
JAMAICA increased their medal tally by two on yesterday’s third day of track and field competition at the XXIII Commonwealth Games inside the Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow.
Tajay Gayle won gold in the men’s long jump for the country’s third gold medal, while Lloydricia Cameron won bronze in the women’s shot put.
Jamaica now lie third on the track and field medal table with four medals — three gold and one bronze. Australia lead with 10 medals, including three gold, three silver and four bronze, while Canada are second with seven medals — three gold, two silver and two bronze.
The top qualifier coming into the men’s long jump following preliminary-round action two days earlier, Gayle did not disappoint.
After being in third position following his first three attempts, Gayle took the lead on his fourth attempt, producing 8.15 metres to hold on for the win and the gold medal.
Gayle recorded victory at a major meet before, becoming the first Jamaican to win the long jump gold medal at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, when soaring to a national record 8.69 metres.
Murali Sreeshankar of India took silver with 8.09m, while Scotland’s Stephen McKenzie took bronze with 8.08m.
Jamaica’s other competitor in the event, Jordan Turner, ended ninth with a distance of 7.65m.
SECOND MEDAL
Cameron picked up the country’s second medal on the day, copping bronze with a throw of 17.87m. She produced the same distance as silver medallist Jessica Oji of Nigeria, while Sarah Mitton of Canada, the World Championships silver medallist, won gold with a distance of 19.88m.
In the semi-finals of the women’s 400m hurdles, Sanique Walker (54.83) and Shian Salmon (55.30) won their respective heats in yesterday’s first session to advance to Friday’s final as the two fastest qualifiers.
The first session also saw first-round action in the women’s and men’s 200m. Lavanya Williams, 22.91, and Alana Reid, 22.95, won their heats to move on to today’s semi-finals at 2:05 p.m. Jamaica time, where they will be joined by Ashanti Moore.
In the men’s 200m, JeVaughn Powell, 20.28, and Roshawn Clarke, 20.56, won their heats, while Chris Taylor was second in his heat in 20.36 to advance to today’s semi-finals, to be run at 1:07 p.m.
Assinie Wilson advanced to the men’s 400m hurdles final after finishing second in his heat in 49.19 seconds to be the sixth fastest qualifier.
Kelly Ann Beckford was Jamaica’s only qualifier to the women’s 800m final. Beckford finished third in her semi-final heat in 1:59.96 to be the fourth-fastest overall, while Adelle Tracey failed to advance after finishing fourth in her heat in 2:02.54 and 10th overall.
HURDLES FIRST ROUND
Sprint hurdlers Kerrica Hill and Megan Simmonds will be the first Jamaicans in action in today’s first session, when they contest the women’s first round of the 100m hurdles, with the final slated for later in the day.
Hill will run from lane six in heat one, while Simmonds will run in lane eight in heat two.
At 6:25 a.m., Jordan Scott compete in the qualification round of the men’s triple jump.
The outstanding Dejanae Oakley will lead three Jamaicans in the semi-finals of the women’s 400m, beginning at 6:45 a.m. She will run from lane six in semi-final two, while Leah Anderson will start in lane three in semi-final three, and Shauna Kay Anderson will run from lane eight in semi-final one.
The semi-finals of the men’s 400m will close out the first session, with Zandrion Barnes, Delano Kennedy and Antonio Watson in action. Barnes will run from lane eight in heat one, Kennedy from lane eight in heat two, and Watson from lane six in heat three.
National record holder Navasky Anderson will run in heat one, from lane six, in the semi-finals of the men’s 800m, at 2:40 p.m.
Three Jamaican females will also contest field-event finals in the second session.
Samantha Hall will be in action in the women’s discus at 2:40 p.m., while triple jumpers Ackelia Smith and Shantae Foreman will compete in the women’s triple jump at 1:25 p.m.
WHEELCHAIR 3x3 BASKETBALL
After surprising England 21-20 in the quarter-finals of the women’s wheelchair 3x3 basketball, Jamaica lost to Australia in yesterday’s semi-final, going down 21-8.