By Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor
Jamaica's Germaine Mason clears the bar at 2.21m to take bronze in the men's High Jump final at the IAAF/Coca-Cola World Junior Championships at the National Stadium yesterday. The event was won by Andra Manson of the USA in a world leading 2.31. - Norman Grindley /Staff Photographer
JAMAICA'S MEDAL tally jumped to four on yesterday's third day of the ninth IAAF/Coca-Cola World Junior Championships at the National Stadium last night.
Cheered on by a vociferous crowd with deafening drum-beating coming from a section of the bleachers, Jamaica's athletes collected two bronze medals on the track and one in high jump to add to the silver earned by sprinter Simone Facey in the 100 metres final on Wednesday night.
High jumper Germaine Mason jumped flawlessly for four rounds after starting at 2.10m. He cleared 2.21m at his first attempt but failed three times at 2.23m.
He blamed his failure to get up to his national record 2.27 on fatigue from the rigours of the qualifying competition.
Gold went to Andra Manson who set an American Junior record of 2.31m. China's Zhu Wannan was the silver medallist.
Spectators had a lot to cheer about in the 400 metres as Jermaine Gonzales again ran a personal best time but the American duo of Darold Williamson, 45.37, and Jonathan Firtenberry, 45.73, proved too strong on the night to take gold and silver.
Gonzales, who was third in 45.84, said the Americans were too strong.
"I wanted to run a sub-45.5 but my legs were too tired nearing the end of the event," he said.
Sheryl Morgan also had to settle for bronze in the women's 400m behind two Americans. Monique Henderson, in a mild upset, prevailed over Sanya Richards to take gold in a season-best 51.10. Richards clocked 51.49 for silver while Morgan held off Russia's Tayana Popova to earn third in 52.61.
Jamaica's Sedain McDonald finished out of the medals in the long jump final. He was ninth after the first three rounds and did not advance to the the medal round where Ibrahim Abdulla of Qatar took gold with a best leap of 7.99m. Australia's Fabrice Lapierre got silver (7.74m) and Trevel Quinley of the United States went 7.71m for bronze.
Earlier in the men's 200m heats Usain Bolt, running like a man possessed, streaked to a personal record 20.58 in heat four to lead all qualifiers into this morning's semi-finals.
The 15-year-old who ran his previous best time, 20.61, just two weeks ago at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Championships in Barbados said after the race that he was going for gold.
"I am not worried about anyone else in the race, I am going for top spot," Bolt said.
He appeared to slow down 20 metres from the line and explained why.
"I could not believe my time."
Bolt pulled second-placed Seabastian Ernst of Germany and Paul Hession of Ireland to personal best times of 20.97 and 21.03 respectively. Another German, Till Helmke, also registered 20.97 in winning heat six.
The action was a bit more sedate in the women's 200 heats.
Jamaican duo Anneisha McLaughlin and Nickeisha Anderon are in the semi-finals.
McLaughlin, the darling of the Jamaica crowd, clocked 23.30 to win heat four in a very good display. Amy Spencer of Britain was second in 23.46 and Barbadian Lyn Marie Cox third in 23.86.
The Holmwood Techical High student said she was looking to get down to 22.8, a time which would break the National junior record.
"Wherever that puts me I will be proud of myself. My intention is to do well in today's semi-finals and to get a good lane for the final. I ran the corner fast today and I will be running it faster in the other round. I am looking for a record," she added.
Anderson was just edged out in heat one won by Vincenza Cali in an Italian junior record 23.27. Anderson's time was 23.34.
American Sanya Richards clocked the fastest time of the round winning heat two in 23.13. Britain's Vernicha James, whose mother and grandfather are from Trelawny in northern Jamaica, looked extremely easy in taking heat three in 23.14. She said her aim is to win gold.
"I am not scared of any of my competitiors. I think I have what it takes to beat them."
She has personal best time of 22.93.
Earlier, in yesterday's morning session, long jumper Peta-Gaye Beckford and discus thrower Natalee Pessoa failed to advance past the qualifying round of their respective events.
Beckford, competing in Group B had three legal attempts in the pit improving with each round but her best, 5.93m, was way below the 6.30m automatic qualification standard. In fact, the only automatic qualifier was Nigeria's Esther Aghatise who got up to 6.38m with her first jump ion Group B. The next best qualifier was Australia's Shermin Okmuz with 6.29m.
Pessoa's best, 39.68m, was also well below the automatic qualifying mark of 48.00m.
