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Gold medallist Ana Claudia Lemos (centre) of Brazil, silver medallist Simone Facey (left) of Jamaica and bronze medal winner Mariely Sanchez of the Dominican Republic pose the podium of the women's 200m of the athletics competition at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, October 27.
Gold medallist Omar Cisneros of Cuba (centre), silver medallist Isa Phillips of Jamaica (left) and bronze medal winner Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic pose on the podium of the men's 400m hurdles of the athletics competition at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, yesterday. - AP photos
Guadalajara, Mexico:
Three athletes who were poised for glory overnight delivered a trio of silver medals for Jamaica at the XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico yesterday.
The three medals brought the country's tally at the Games to seven. A gold, five silvers and one bronze medal. Lansford Spence and Simone Facey were second in the men's and women's 200 metres finals while Isa Phillips was runner-up in the men's 400m hurdles final yesterday.
Spence, silver medallist in the event at last year's Comonwealth Games in Delhi went closest to gold. He was just edged out at the line by Cuba's Roberto Skyers who won in 20.37 seconds, Spence clocked 20.38 and third place, Brazil's Bruno Debarros, 20.45.
According to Spence, who led into the straight, Cuba came up on his shoulders five metres out and he failed to dip at the line. He was, however, satisfied with his silver.
"I ran my personal best yesterday and did 20.3 again so I am happy," Spence said.
Facey, sixth in the event at the World Championships in Berlin two years ago, is competing in her first Pan American Games and was also happy with her silver. She said the conditions really affected her five metres out.
"I thought I had it (gold) with five metres to go but then my chest started burning," she said.
Brazil's Ana DaCilva clocked 22.76 for gold, Facey was second in 22.86 and the Dominican Republic's Mariely Sanchez pocketed bronze in 23.02.
Phillips hailed 400m hurdles gold medal winner Omar Cisneros of Cuba who won in a personal best 47.99 seconds. He said he was not in condition to run as fast as that after winning his first senior medal at a Pan American Games.
"This medal feels good. I have not been at my best for the past two years because of injuries. I am therefore grateful for winning a medal although I am not at my best. I could not beat that (winner's time) at all. I did not come here to run 47 seconds and that is the only way I could have beaten him," Phillips who is coached by former St Jago High distance runner Mark Elliott said. He clocked 48.82 for his silver medal while bronze medal went to Dominican Republic's Feliz Sanchez, 48.85.
Meanwhile, there was bad luck for Jamaica in the men's 4x100 metres. The quartet of Jermaine Hamilton, Jason Livermore, Hannukkah Wallace and Oshane Bailey crossed the line first in their heat in 39.61 seconds but were disqualified for exchanging the baton outside the box, on the second exchange. The Jamaican track and field management made an appeal but it was dismissed by the officials.
It was the second disqualification for Bailey at the Games. Earlier he had been thrown out of the 100 metre semi-finals after being called for a false-start.
Jamaica were expected to challenge strongly for the gold medal in the relay as 100-metre winner Lerone Clarke and Spence were expected to replace two from Hamilton, Livermore and Wallace.
Head coach Raymond Graham said he looked at the replay along with the jury of appeal and there was no doubt Jamaica had infringed the rule relating to passing the baton.
"It is very unfortunate as we were hoping to bring in Clarke and Spence for the final and we had an outstanding chance of winning gold," Graham said.
"When I saw the infringement at first it was not clear but when I went and looked at it (a replay) I saw that when Livermore passed the baton he was on the edge of the line so he clearly gave it to Wallace outside the zone. The three silver medals have, however, made it a great day for us," Graham added.
In the women's shot put final, Zara Northover was sixth with a best of 16.64 metres. Gold went to Cuba's Misleydes Gonzalez, 18.57m. Trinidad and Tobago's Cleopatra Borel bagged silver with 18.46m while bronze went to American Michell Carter, 18.09m.
Veteran womens' javelin throwers, Olivia McKoy (51.40m) and Kateema Riettie (50.97m) were seventh and eighth respectively in the final. American Alisia Dechasier won gold with a throw of 58.01m.
