Mario Burke finished fifth and now all hopes of a medal at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine, rest with hurdler Tia-Adana Belle.
Burke, who went into the final of the 100 metres at the Under-18 meet with the fourth fastest time and a personal best 10.49 seconds in the semi-finals, was off the pace over the final 40 metres or so and finished in 10.51 seconds.
It was an even break with Burke running out of lane 3, but the race was in lanes four to six where China’s Youxue Mo grabbed gold in 10.35 seconds, the same as Britain’s Ojie Edoburun who was leading and let it slip away.
Cuba’s Reynier Mena took the bronze in a personal best 10.37, while Jamaicans Michael O’Hara and Waseem Williams were fourth and seventh, respectively in 10.46 and 10.58 seconds.
Despite the personal best time in the semis, Burke slowed and appeared to be in some difficulty. In an interview after, he did not indicate an injury, but said he would ice his hamstrings and do some light jogging to prepare for the final.
Although he missed out on a medal, he dipped below the qualifying standard in the 100 metres for the Pan American Junior Championships.
Belle has emerged as a gold medal favourite in the 400-metre hurdles after clocking a personal best 58.81 seconds, the top time heading into tomorrow’s final.
In the semi-finals, she seemed quite relaxed, with an almost perfect stride pattern and no chipping on approach to the hurdles.
Smiling after the finish, she told the interviewer she felt quite pleased with the run. “I just ran a personal best. It puts me No. 2 in the world’s fastest times this year, so I feel good, confident going into the final.”
South Africa’s Helene Swanepoel continues to hold top spot with a 58.48 at altitude.
Belle is in such good form that when second-placed Lisa-Marie Jacoby (59.12) of Germany pulled alongside the Barbadian, she easily went ahead to take the win.
“The plan was to get into the top two and get into the final, but I don’t know what happened, I just ran.”
She will need all of her confidence and another good race for the final which will run at 5:50 p.m. tomorrow. Belle will once again be in lane six, Jacoby is in three, Swanepoel (59.02) four and Eileen Demes (59.87) of Germany in five.
