Ruddock, Williams to lead female charge today »

Ruddock, Williams to lead female charge today

BYDGOSZCZ, Poland :

JAMAICA'S BEST hopes for individual medals on the female side, Natasha Ruddock and Shermaine Williams, will grace the track today.

Meanwhile, Nikita Tracey and Shana-Gaye Tracey yesterday booked their places in today's semi-finals of the women's 400m hurdles at the 12th IAAF World Championships.

Ruddock and Williams, both World Youth silver medallists in the 100m hurdles, from the 2005 and 2007 Championships, will start early this morning Jamaica time.

World Youth champion Ramone McKenzie and Nickel Ashmeade, who defeated the former for the Carifta Games title, will open their quest for medals in the 200m, also this morning (Ja time).

Jura Levy and Trisha-Ann Hawthorne will run the girls' 200m. Both men's and women's 200m semi-finals will be held later today.

Yesterday, Nikita impressed in winning heat three in a personal best 57.58 seconds.

Very happy

"I am very happy with my personal best," said Nikita with a smile. She improved on her previous best of 58.75.

"My coach (Michael Dyke) told me I must go out and qualify for the semi-finals but I did not realise I was going that fast," added the Edwin Allen sixth form student, who is the fastest going into the semi-finals.

Nikita, who had earlier this year represented Jamaica at the CARIFTA Games in St. Kitts, admitted she was nervous in her first world event but believes after such an impressive performance things can only get better.

"I think I can go faster as the rounds progress because I was not that all out in the preliminary round," she said.

Meanwhile, Shana-Gaye, who missed the trials with a hamstring injury, played it safe and was second in her preliminary round heat.

Shana-Gaye admitted she had discomfort during the race, but said things felt "OK (now) after not hurdling for three months".

"It feels great and I am comfortable going into the semi-finals, so I guess tomorrow, I will just have to go out there and do what it takes to get into the final," she said.

André Peart, who hurt his hamstring while warming up on Tuesday night, was a non-starter in the boys' 400m hurdles.

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