Parchment appears to be alright
MOSCOW, Russia — Jamaica’s sprint hurdler Hansle Parchment is alright, the Jamaica Observer has learnt, and has been walking around comfortably after suffering cramps in the semi-finals of the 110m hurdles at the 14th IAAF World Championships at the Luzhniki Stadium on Monday afternoon.
Dennis Gordon, the Jamaica team media liaison officer, told this newspaper that the lanky athlete had recovered from the injury that saw him hit the eighth hurdle and crash to the track after he appeared well poised to qualify for the final later in the day.
“He is very disappointed, for sure, that he did not qualify for the final, but he is okay physically, and has been walking around,” Gordon told the Observer yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, Gordon also reported that the coaching staff had officially added 200m runner Warren Weir to the men’s 4x100m relay pool and were considering an addition to the female 4x100m relay pool as well.
There had been speculations that after his superb performance for a Racers Track Club 4x100m team at the London Anniversary Games three weeks ago, Weir could force his way into the Jamaican quartet that will seek their third-straight gold medal after wins in Berlin and Daegu, the latter in a then world record 37.04 seconds.
The coaching staff could have a difficult time picking the final four for the final after all four 100m men ran under 10.00 seconds between the semi-finals and final on Monday. Bolt winning in 9.77 seconds, Nesta Carter taking third in 9.95 seconds, while Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nickel Ashmeade were fourth and fifth, respectively, both timed in 9.98 seconds.
Based on practice sessions, the team for the first round could be Carter to Bailey-Cole to Ashmeade to Jason Livermore, with Weir and Bolt coming in on the final two legs in the final.
Meanwhile, Gordon would not be drawn into saying which female was being considered for the sprint relay, but Observer sources say that 200m runner Anniesha McLaughlin could get the nod to join 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Kerron Stewart, Schillonie Calvert, Sherry-Ann Brooks, and Natasha Morrison.