Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
McLaughin ... closes junior career with 23.00 200m gold medal run. - FILE
DOUBLE WORLD Junior silver medallist Anneisha McLaughlin and Nickeisha Wilson struck gold as Jamaica finished fourth in the standings at the XIII Pan American Junior Athletics Championships in Windsor, Canada.
Also adding to Jamaica's 11-medal haul were the mile relay and boys' 4x100m teams, rounding off a good championships.
The young Jamaicans ended the 2005 championships with two gold, five silver and three bronze medals behind leaders the United States' 57 medals. Hosts Canada ended with 18 medals and Cuba 13.
At the 2003 championships in Barbados, Jamaica, led by Usain Bolt's record breaking 20.13 run, pocketed one gold, nine silver, and five bronze for 15 medals.
McLaughlin's 23.00 seconds gold medal run, her first in two attempts at this Championships, was her second best clocking ever, falling six hundredths of a second short of her personal best (22.94), when she won silver
at the 2002 World Junior Championships in Kingston.
Running in her final junior meet, McLaughlin defeated the American star pair of Alexandra Anderson (23.06) and Brittany Jones (23.23). Latoya King was sixth in 24.11.
HOT FAVOURITE
Anderson entered the championships as the hot favourite with a time of 22.96 while Jones went in with a season best of 23.13.
McLaughlin's coach at Holmwood Technical, Maurice Wilson, yesterday said he was not surprised.
"It just convinced me that this girl is a superb athlete," Wilson said. "She is the type of athlete that can get herself ready for any big meet, once she is not occupied with extra school work and and gets enough rest.
"I knew she was in the shape to run sub 23 seconds," which she just missed. "I believe if there were three rounds she would have done it."
Coach Wilson, a member of Jamaica's coaching staff, is set to leave tomorrow for the Helsinki World Championships,believes his sprinter was short of races.
In the girls' 400m hurdles, Nickeisha Wilson capitalised on the mishaps of the top athletes and raced to her first major title. The Alpha student posted a impressive 57.40 seconds, less than half a second short of the meet record.
"I felt good but was a bit disappointed that my teammate fell," Wilson stated after her victory. "Overall, Pan Am Juniors was a good experience. This is my first time in the Pan Ams."
Race favourites Krystal Caney of United States (59.26) and Jamaica's Sherene Pinnock (1:00.82), fell and had to settle for second and fourth respectively.
The boys' sprint relay quartet of Cawayne Jervis, Dwight Mullings, Rascive Grant and Omar Brown, was timed in 40.27, behind US (39.36) and Canada (40.25).
In the girls' 4x100m, the quartet Shelly-Ann Fraser, Rose-Marie White, Anneisha McLaughlin, and Schillonie Calvert, finished fourth in 46.26, behind US (43.97), Trinidad & Tobago (45.45) and Brazil (45.47).
In the mile relay, Anastasia Le-Roy, Sonita Sutherland, Bobby-Gaye Wilkins and Sherene Pinnock, clocked 3:36.99 for silver behind United States (3:32.82).
On the boys' side, the quartet of Michael Gardener, Leford Green, Kerone Robinson, and Jason Edwards, crossed the line in 3:08.64, behind US (3:05.34).
Mickel Downer's 21.41 seconds effort was only good enough for seventh in the boys' 200m final won by American Otis McDaniel (20.82). Venice Clarke (1.70m) was eighth in the girls' high jump, won by Trinidadian Rhonda Watkins (1.79m).
Latoya Heath (12.69m) and Kimberly Williams (12.64) finished fourth and sixth in the girls' triple jump respectively.
Natoya Goule (4:48.89) lost her first race in a year, beaten into seventh place in the girls' 1500m. United States' pair of Sarah Bowman (4:17.61) and Erin Bedell (4:22.87) finished one-two.
Andre Drummond (4:04.77) was 10th in the boys' event. Canadian Mike Woods won in a championship record 3:45.72 ahead of his teammate Braden Novakowski (3:48.92).
In late Saturday night action, Heath (5.78m) and Williams (5.60m) finished eighth and 11th respectively in the long jump. Bermuda's Arantxa King (6.21m) won the event ahead of the United States' Gayle Hunter (6.15m).
Tarik Edwards (2.10m) and David Edwards (1.90m) finished fourth and 13th respectively. Dustin Jonas of United States (2.21m), defeated Darvin Edward of St. Lucia (2.15m) and Guilherme Henriqu Gobbo of Brazil (2.15m).
Shannika Johnson (11.43m) and Phelelcia Reynolds (11.18m) 10th and 11th respectively. United States' pair of Sarah Stevens (16.10m) and Melissa Faubus (15.35m).
Jodian Richards (2:08.52) and Arusha McKenzie (2:11.05) finished fourth and eighth in the 800m event, dominated by the United States' Rebekah Noble (2:04.07) and Heidi Magill (2:04.12).
Taken from The Daily Gleaner, Monday August 1, 2005
