Bahamas’ Jamal Wilson competes in the men’s high jump qualification during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 14. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
By RENALDO DORSETT
Tribune Sports Reporter
rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
HIGH jumper Jamal Wilson was the sole Bahamian competitor this week in the 56th edition of the Ostrava Golden Spike in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
His mark of 2.27m placed him in a two-way tie for third place with Majd Eddin Ghazal of Syria.
Sylwester Bednarek of Poland took first place and leapt to No.3 on the IAAF Top List with his mark of 2.32m. He was followed by Tikhomir Avanov of Bulgaria at 2.30m for second place.
Wilson's performance came just days after he won the national title at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations Aliv Open National Track and Field Championships.
He was one of four athletes to attain the qualifying standards for the 2017 IAAF World Championships on a jammed pack final day of competition at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex.
It took a jump off with Donald Thomas, but Wilson emerged as the winner and 2017 national champion.
Wilson cleared 2.30 metres or 7-feet, 6 ½-inches that matched the qualifying height for Worlds. But he was listed officially at clearing 2.25m (7-4 ½), the same height as Thomas, who got second.
Wilson has dominated the event on the local meet circuit with performances of 2.20 metres of 7-feet, 2 1/2-inches at the Silver Lightning Meet, 2.23m (7-3 ¾) and at the Roadrunners' Dianne Lynn Thompson Classic.
Internationally this season, Wilson has also competed at the Brazil Invitational where he cleared 2.20 metres or 7-feet, 2 ½-inches.
The former University of Texas Longhorn made his Olympic debut at the 2016 Games in Rio, but was 13th in Group B with 2.22m (7-3 1/4), which placed him tied with two others for 25th place.
The Golden Spike Meeting also featured a number of significant highlights.
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt ran in his second 100m of the season and took first place in 10.09 seconds as he prepares to run in the final World Championships of his career this summer.
South African sprinter Wayde van Niekerk broke the 300m world record previously held by Michael Johnson of the United States, with his time of 30.81. Van Niekerk also broke Johnson's 400m record at the Rio Olympics last summer.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID