Photo: Commonwealth Champion – Stephenie-Ann McPherson will lead Jamaica’s quartet in the women’s 400m in the quest for that elusive gold medal at the 15th IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China.
The triple treat by the Jamaican female quarter-milers at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, where they swept all the medals, was an historic feat and one of the top celebratory moments for the country at the Championships. Stephenie-Ann McPherson, Novlene Williams-Mills and Christine Day all stood atop the podium as the Jamaican national anthem rang out inside the stadium.
Fast forward to 2015, with the focus being the 15th IAAF World Championships, the question is, can one of these ladies from the land of wood and water, create history inside the Birds’ Nest, by grabbing the top spot in the women’s 400m?
Jamaica along with Great Britain are privileged to have four representatives in the event at this summer’s championships.
The top three at the National Championships, Commonwealth Bronze medalist, Day, Commonwealth Champion 2014, McPherson and their teammate and training partner Shericka Jackson, will join 2014 Diamond League champion and Commonwealth silver medalist, Novlene Williams- Mills, in the event.
McPherson was the best placed Jamaican at the Moscow World Championships two years ago, where she finished fourth in 49.99 seconds. A placing that she will want to improve in her second campaign, at these championships.
Williams Mills who finished in 8th place in the finals at the 2013 Championships will participate in her 5th consecutive World Championships, with her best returns, a bronze medal, coming in 2007 at the Osaka Games, where she was one of the favourites for Gold.
Day will be participating in her second championships, while 200m World Youth bronze medalist, Jackson, will make her bow in Beijing.
The last time Jamaica won an individual medal in this event was at the 2009 Championships, by way of Shericka Williams, who captured the silver medal in a fast 49.32 seconds.
It will take some new personal best efforts and fierce running inside the Birds’ Nest for the Country to see the medal podium this year.
The female mile relay has been consistently on the medal podium since 2001, except for in Moscow where they were disqualified.
Only four Jamaica women has ever won medals at the World Championships, none has ever hit the top spot.
History beckons as one or more of these Jamaican ladies seek to establish a new chapter in female 400m running by the black green and gold.
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