U-20s bag seven medals on final day - Jamaica fifth overall at Nairobi Championships

Jamaica's junior athletes had a brilliant final day as the curtain came down on the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya yesterday.

The top performance came in the women's Under-20 sprint relay where the quartet of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Kerrica Hill and Tia Clayton clocked a World Junior Record 42.94 seconds to win gold. Overall Jamaica picked up seven podium finishes on the final day to end the Championships in fifth spot with 11 medals - three gold, six silver and two bronze. Hosts Kenya came out on top with 16 medals - eight gold, one silver and seven bronze. Cole who was surprisingly taken out of the individual 100 metres at the Championships showed that she was in the form of her life and had something to prove as she ran a blistering opening leg leaving her seven other rivals for dead. Individual 100m champion, Tina Clayton, extended the lead as third leg runner Hill, seventh in the 100m final, took the baton safely to Tia Clayton who did the final rites for a comprehensive win. Namibia were second in a national record 43.76 while Nigeria were third in a season's best 43.90. Coach Michael Dyke, the man who assigned with relay duties for the females in Nairobi, was not surprised with the record-breaking performance of the Under-20 girls. "I am happy for the the girls. I had no doubt that this would have happened based on our preparations going into the Championships due to the chemistry and cohesion of the girls in practice and I knew that with the presence of the 100 metres champion we would have destroyed the world record. I am happy for them and what is also good is that all four members can compete again at next year's Under-20 World Championships," said Dyke. The Clayton twins and Cole are coached by Dyke at Edwin Allen High and have been producing fast relay times all season.

The men's 4x100m quartet of Alexavier Monfries, Bryan Levell, Andrew Gilipps and Sandrey Davison picked up silver in their event after clocking an Area Under-20 record 38.61. South Africa won in World Under-20 Record 38.51 with Poland taking third in an Area Under-20 record 38.90.

Jamaica also picked up silver medals in both 4x400m relays. In the women's event, the quartet of Anmalee Robinson, Aalliyah Francis, Alliah Baker and Daena Baker clocked a season's best 3:36.57 as Nigeria won gold in a world leading 3:31.46 with bronze going to Italy in a season's best 3:36.57.

Malachi Johnson, Jeremy Bembridge, Taj Hamm and Devontie Archer clocked a season's best 3:05.75 in the men's event as Botswana won in a World Under-20 leading time of 3:05.22. Kenya were third in 3:05.94.

Earlier, in individual events, Jamaica picked up two silver medals and one bronze. Ralford Mullings produced a personal best 66.68 metres for second in the discus while Jaydon Hibbert also did a personal best 16.05m in the triple jump. Trevor Gunzell was eighth in the discus with 58.32m.

Archer picked up bronze in the men's 400ms hurdle in a personal best 49.78 seconds. He was promoted to third after Oker Edlund of Sweden who passed the line in front was disqualified. Berka Akcam of Turkey who was second was promoted to first and the gold medal in a National Under-20 record of 49.38. Two other Jamaicans competed in individual events yesterday but were not among the medals. In the women's 400m hurdles Moseiha Bridgen was seventh in 58.64 as Garriel Whyte failed to show for the event.

In the women's long jump, Shantae Foreman just missed out of a medal after a fourth place finish with a personal best 6.47m.