If Anthonio Mascoll and Kion Joseph can reproduce their form from yesterday’s preliminaries, both are on course to reach the medal podium at the Pan American Junior Track and Field Championships in Miramar, Florida.
Mascoll is riding a wave of good form after setting a meet record in the 800 metres at the AAU National Club Championships last weekend in Orlando, Florida.
On that occasion, he stopped the clock in one minute 50.65 seconds, erasing the meet record of 1:53.75 held by Darrin Gibson.
In yesterday morning’s prelims, Mascoll won the second heat in 1:52.62, the third-fastest time overall. There are clearly reserves left as he has a personal best and national junior record of 1:50.07 set in Puerto Rico last year.
American Immanuel Hutchinson had the fastest qualifying time of 1:50.43.
Barbadian John Haynes also reached the final with the eighth fastest time of 1:53.93, but one casualty was Bermuda’s Shaquille Dill. The runner-up to Mascoll for the last two years at CARIFTA was tenth in 1:55.87.
The men’s 800m final is the last individual event before tonight’s 4x400m relays.
Joseph continues to grow by leaps and bounds. His time of 52.85 seconds places him second overall, behind Jamaican Javarn Gallimore (52.17), and a comfortable lead over Americans Jordin Andrade (53.46) and Monte Corle (53.72) and Mexico’s J. Stenner Escalante with 53.63.
Advanced
Joseph ran well at the World Youth Championships and that experience should serve him well. He had drawn lane five for the final, slated for yesterday evening.
Tramaine Maloney did not finish.
Tyrell Forde has also advanced to the finals of the men’s 110m hurdles, an event where Barbados has traditionally done well. He is in lane two after recording a wind-aided 14.05 seconds in the heats.
Last night, Sonia Gaskin was in the women’s 800m straight final, one chance to win to all.
On Friday evening, Kenrisha Brathwaite was disqualified after running around the tenth and final hurdle.
The gold medal went to American Trinity Wilson in 13.17 seconds and Jamaica’s Danielle Williams (13.32) was second, followed by American Bridgette Owens in 13.34.
Jamaica has made a good start to the meet. Travis Smikle won the men’s discus with 66.58 metres and Chrisann Gordon took the women’s 400m in an uncontested 52.62. Americans Dimond Dixon and Phyllis Francis were second and third in 53.10 and 53.81.
Trinidadian Michelle-Lee Ahye won the women’s 100m in 11.25, Keilah Tyson of the United States was second in 11.39, and Anthonique Straughn of The Bahamas followed up her CAC silver in the 200m with a bronze in 11.46.
North Americans took the top two places in the men’s event. Marvin Bracy (10.09) and Keenan Brock (10.12) of the United States were first and second and Canada’s Aaron Brown took the bronze in 10.25 seconds.
