2017 London World Para-Athletics Championships
Shane Hudson mines Silver for Jamaica
Shane Hudson gave Jamaica its first medal of the 2017 IPC World Para Athletics Championships when he won the Silver medal in the Men's 400m T47 in a Seasons Best (SB) time of 49.60s, narrowly losing the Gold to Austria's Gunther Matzinger, who won in a time of 49.35s, also his Seasons Best (SB). Third place went to Andonis Aresti of Cyprus who was timed at 50.31s (SB).
Hudson came off the bend with a narrow lead over the Austrian who held his form to catch and pass the Jamaican 5m before the finish line.
The Silver medal was the second for Shane at the World Para Athletics Championships, after winning silver in the 2015 edition of the championships in Doha, Qatar. He remains the most decorated Jamaican athlete in this event (Paralympics, Para Panam and World Para Athletics) as this medal represents his 4th Silver overall.
The medal was the impetus needed for the Jamaican team as seasoned campaigner and multiple gold medallist, Alphanso Cunningham, bows into action on Friday, July 21 in the Men's Shot Put F53.
The medal ceremony for the Men's 400m T47 will be held tomorrow afternoon in the Hero Village of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Area Record (AR) for Santana Campbell
Debutants Chadwick Campbell and Santana Campbell did reasonably well on Day 4 (July 17) of the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships currently being held at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium in London, England.
Santana threw an Area Record (AR) 18.15m to finish a creditable 6th in the Women's Javelin Throw F56 Final.
The event was won by Latvia's Diana Dadzite who threw a World Record (WR) 27.07m to take the Gold medal, the Silver medal went to Moavi Motaghian of Iran with a throw of 20.66m (AR) and the bronze medal was won by Germany's Martina Milling with a throw of 20.57m.
It was the second event for the Ms. Campbell and to achieve a lifetime best and Area Record was a monumental achievement for her.
Chadwick Campbell, competing in heat 2 of the Men's 200m T13, finished 5th in a Personal Best (PB) time of 23.68s. The event was won by Johannes Nambala of Namibia in a time of 21.97s, second went to Brazil's Gustavo Araujo in a time of 22.31s and Chad Perris of Australia finished third in a time of 22.43s.
On Day 5 (July 18) Men's 400m T47 favourite Shane Hudson won Heat 2 in a time of 50.77s to enter the finals with the fastest time. Second place went to Andonis Aristi of Cyprus in a time of 51.16s and Austria's Alexander Pototchnig finished third (51.88s).
The Men's T47 400m final is set to run off on July 19 at 9:02pm (3:02pm Ja.).
London Welcomes Jamaica's Para Athletes
Team Jamaica has settled in comfortably to a warm welcome at the Premier Inn, London, Stratford just a stone's throw from the historic Queen Elizabeth Park Stadium where Jamaica has made its mark and established world milestones in track and field both in the Paralympic and Olympic Games.
Newcomer, Chadwick Campbell, faced the starter this morning in the male T13 100m preliminaries and placed sixth in 11.49 and did not progress as the heat was won by the Irish athlete Jason Smyth in 10.73 who advanced to the finals with the fastest time. Campbell was disappointed as he was looking to better his personal record of 11.34 which would have given him a berth in the finals. "I am somewhat dejected although this is my first outing on the international stage as I was hoping to be in the final"
Campbell's teammate, and also a rookie, Santana Campbell, bettered her expectation in her weaker event, the female F55 shot putt, placing sixth (5.99m) in the world final which was won by Latvia's Diana Dadzite with a throw of 8.01m.
The campaign of para athlete, Dana Gaye-Weller, ended disappointingly in an eighth place finishing in the female F 51 club throw which again puts in the spotlight the issue of classification as weaker athletes are competing with obviously stronger athletes. The event was won by Zoia Ovsll in a championship record throw.
Jamaica's journey continues tomorrow with Chadwick Campbell in the male T13 200m and Santana Campbell in the female F 55 javelin. In these events, the country is expected to secure medals in the Championship now underway in the gateway metropolitan city of London
Chef de Mission, Jacqueline Cowan, is marshaling Jamaica's team: "The team is a mixture of committed experienced athletes and newcomers who are eager to affirm or make their mark on the global stage"
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