- Reuters
The Jamaican men's 4x400m relay team after winning gold at the XIV Pan American Games in Santo Domingo. Jamaica won in 3:01.81.
JAMAICA ENJOYED a gold feast on yesterday's final day of athletics at the XIV Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, securing three gold, one silver and two bronze to add to the two silver and two bronze garnered earlier at the meet.
Ace sprint hurdler Brigitte Foster, national high jump record holder Germaine Mason and the men's mile relay team all bagged gold medals whilst Lacena Golding-Clarke and the women's 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams were the day's other medal winners.
Mason, for the second time in four days broke the national record of 2.32m that he set in DN Gala/Super Grand Prix in Stockholm, Sweden when he leapt to 2.34 metres in the men's high jump.
In so doing he reinforced his position as the leading jumper in the world this year and also sent a clear message that he will be a force to be reckoned with at the World Championships in Paris later this month.
The classy sprint hurdler Foster, who is the second-ranked female in the 100m hurdles in the world this year, clocked a dazzling 12.67 seconds beating Perdita Felicien of Canada (12.69) and teammate and Commonwealth Games champion Golding-Clarke (12.79) into second and third respectively.
Foster did not get the best of starts and had to fight Felicien down to the tape in order to take gold. Foster's time was one-hundreth of a second slower than the Games record 12.66 set on Friday.
The men's mile relay saw 400m finalist Davian Clarke run a stupendous anchor leg to relegate the United States and the Dominican Republic - with world leading quarter miler Felix Sanchez on anchor - into second and third place respectively. The Jamaica win in the event spoilt the US's bid to take all four relays after they had won the men's 4x100, women's 4x100 and 4x400m.
Meanwhile, the quartet of Golding-Clarke, Judyth Kitson, Shellene Williams and Danielle Browning landed bronze in the women's sprint relay in 43.71 seconds. The United States took gold in a blistering 43.06 seconds while Cuba (43.40) ran on for the silver medal.
In the women's 4x400m relay, Naleya Downer, Michelle Burger, Novlene Williams and Allison Beckford combined for the silver medal behind the US. Brazil were third in the event while Mexico with world and Games champion on anchor Ana Guevera was left to take fourth spot.
The country's bid to take at least a medal in all four relays was dented when faulty baton changing cost Jamaica a medal in the men's 4x100m relay. The team made up of 100m silver medallist Michael Frater, 200m final fourth place finisher Clement Campbell, 200m silver medallist Christopher Williams and 100m finalist Sheldon Morant, in that running order, was fourth in 39.08 seconds behind the US (38.27), Brazil (38.44) and Trinidad and Tobago (38.53).
In the men's triple jump, Benaud Shirley failed to move on to the final eight.
Other finals completed saw Jhabari Ennis (5.00 metres) placing eighth in the men's pole vault, Peaches Roach (1.80m) placing ninth in the high jump, Winnipeg bronze medallist Suzette Lee, who leapt 13.83 metres could only manage fourth n the triple jump while Colleen Scott (13.63) was seventh in the same event.
The country's medal tally now stands at ten; three gold, three silver and four bronze. In Winnipeg, 1999, Jamaica won 13 medals, three gold, four silver, six bronze to finish eight in the medal table.
JAMAICA'S MEDALLISTS
Brigitte Foster - 100m hurdles gold
Germaine Mason - high jump gold
Michael Frater - 100m silver
Christopher Williams - 200m silver
Lacena Golding-Clarke - 100m hurdles bronze
Madrea Hyman - 800m bronze
Dean Griffiths - 400m hurdles bronze
Men's 4x400m - gold
Women's 4x100m - bronze (Golding-Clarke, Judyth Kitson, Shellene Williams, Danielle Browning)
Women's 4x400m - silver (Naleya Downer, Michelle Burger, Novlene Williams and Allison Beckford)
