Sport

Melaine gets a break?

Melaine Walker - file

MELAINE WALKER HAS reportedly been granted a spot on Jamaica's team to the 10th IAAF World Championships in Helsinki this August despite finishing fourth after a fall in Saturday's 400-metre hurdlers finals at the National Stadium.

Walker, a former St. Jago High School star, got back to her feet and finished fourth at the National Trials. According to Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) regulations, the first three competitors past the finish line are automatically selected to the team.

STAR sources indicate that Walker's case was considered when the selection committee of the JAAA met on Tuesday night and the University of Texas athlete was granted a spot because she had previously met the qualifying standards.

The 'A' qualifying standard for the world championships for the women's 400-metre hurdles is 55.60 seconds; the 'B' standard is 56.50 seconds.

Ludlow Watt, JAAA treasurer, would not confirm or deny Walker's selection when reached by the STAR. However, he pointed out that despite placing fourth Walker had met the qualifying standards while the competitor who finished third had not. Camille Robinson finished third at the trials in 57.14 seconds.

Walker, who attends the University of Texas, recently finished fourth at the NCAA Championships in the United States in a time of 55.09 seconds despite being favoured to win. Shevon Stoddart, who it is assumed also made the team to Helsinki, finished second at those championships in a career best 54.47 seconds. Stoddart finished second at the national trials in 56.16 seconds. Debbie Ann Parris-Thymes won the event in 55.45 seconds.

Watt suggested that there may be other surprise selections to the Helsinki team but declined to give details. He said there were some things to be checked out before the team is released today.

Training camp

Last week there were suggestions from at least one coach and a couple of athletes that in order for Jamaica to have the best chance of winning or do well in the relays during the World Championships, a camp needed to be set up so that athletes could work on the technicalities of baton changing before the games begin on August 6.

Pan American Games 100-metre champion Michael Frater has expressed that he would like to see a camp set up to benefit the relay teams, saying that Jamaica has always had the talent to challenge the United States but never seemed able to get things right and Aleen Bailey, a member of the 4x100 metre relay team that won the gold medal at the Olympics in Athens, has suggested publicly that the team wants to go for the world record in Helsinki.

However, Watt said such a camp would not be feasible because of time constraints.

He explained that because many of the athletes have commitments to appear at several meets across Europe prior to the world championships, most would not be able to make camp before Tuesday, August 2.

As such, it would be difficult to set up a camp specifically for relays before the meet begins on August 6. However, he said in the short time available, athletes would be working on their speed, starts and the relays.