Jamaica's Fedrick Dacres created history inside Spain's Montjuic Olympic Stadium yesterday when he won the country's first ever discus gold medal at an IAAF World Junior Championships. Dacres threw a personal best 62.80 metres for gold on his second attempt. Poland's Wojciech Praczyk, 62.75m, took silver and South Africa's Gerhard de Beer, 61.57m, won bronze. - Contributed

Barcelona, Spain:

Fedrick Dacres created history yet again by becoming the first Jamaican to take top honours in the discus at the junior level, as a personal best throw of 62.80 metres handed him the gold medal on yesterday's third day of the 14th IAAF World Junior Championships being held over six days at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium.

Just last year, Dacres claimed the World Youth title in the event becoming the first Jamaican thrower to win the event. He has endured a rough 2012 season, however, and entered the final with the sixth best throw. He was able to use his various challenges to his advantage and packed it all into his second attempt, which resulted in him topping the field.

"I just think about everything that I have been through to come here, and I just released that in that last throw," Dacres said. "I feel really great, because my coach and my mom and everyone who have been behind me told me that I could do it. I came here kind of off, but I pulled off a big PB and everything just worked out in my favour," he added.

Javon Francis, who was a surprise qualifier for the 400m finals, could not reproduce his semi-final heroics and finished ninth.

fastest qualifying

World number two ranked junior Julian Forte enters today's 200m final set for 2:30 p.m. with the fastest qualifying time of 20.83 seconds (-2.8 m/s) which he did to win the opening semi-final heat.

Jamaica's other representative in the event, Tyquendo Tracey, did not get past the heats, as his time of 21.47 seconds was only good enough for fifth in heat four.

The women's equivalent set for 1:15 p.m. will feature Shericka Jackson, who after running her season best in the heats of 23.35 seconds, had a poor start in the semi-finals that saw her playing catch-up. She ran on for second, stopping the clock at 23.58 seconds (-2.4m/s) to advance as the slowest qualifier.

Jodean Williams, who ran a personal best of 23.88 seconds in the morning's first round, failed to make the final after finishing fourth in her semi-final heat in a time of 23.94 seconds (-0.8 m/s).

Chrisann Gordon and Olivia James are the fifth and sixth fastest qualifiers, respectively, going into the women's 400m finals, which is set to run off at 1:30 p.m.

Gordon sat on the track after her semi-final in which she placed fourth in a time of 52.70 seconds. She was seen favouring her left leg and had to be stretchered off.

James ran a season best of 52.71 seconds to finish second in semi-final three and secure her spot.

Javarn Gallimore ran a new personal best (PB) and world junior leading time of 50.45 seconds in the semi-finals of the 400m hurdles to establish himself as the favourite going into today's 1 p.m. final. Gallimore's previous PB was 50.83 seconds.

Jamaica's other 400m hurdler, Shavon Barnes, failed in his bid to make the final after placing fifth in his semi-final in a time of 51.18 seconds.

Reigning World Youth long jump champion Chanice Porter made light work of yesterday's qualifying round, as she cleared the automatic qualifying mark of 6.30 metres on the very first attempt to progress to the 12:55 p.m. final.

Female team captain and the world leader in the 400m hurdles, Janieve Russell, comfortably won heat four in a time of 58.57 seconds to secure a place in today's semi-final at 12:35 p.m. She sported a gold coloured hair, which she disclosed was inspired by reigning 400m hurdles Olympic gold medallist Melaine Walker.

Fedrick Dacres poses with his gold medal after his personal best 62.80m throw gave him top spot at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain. - ap

Jamaican athletes' race times for today

2 a.m.: Women's discus qualification-Tara Sue Barnett

2:30 a.m.: Women's high jump qualification- Chanice Porter and Kimberly Williamson

3:05 a.m.: Women's 100m hurdles heats- Chrisdale McCarthy and Samantha Scarlett

11:05 a.m.: Men's triple jump qualification- Clive Pullen

11:35 a.m.: Women's 4x100m relay heats

12:05 p.m.: Men's 4x100m relay heats

12:35 p.m.: Women's 400m hurdles semi- Janieve Russell

12:55 p.m.: Women's long jump FINAL- Chanice Porter

1 p.m.: Men's 400m hurdles FINAL- Javarn Gallimore

1:15 p.m.: Women's 200m FINAL-Shericka Jackson

1:30 p.m.: Women's 400m FINAL- Chrisann Gordon and Olivia James

2:30 p.m.: Men's 200m FINAL- Julian Forte