‘Super Mac’ — fastest ever quarter miler
MINUTES after rewriting Jamaica’s history book, new national 400m record holder, Rusheen McDonald was still in a daze — he had not grasped the magnitude of his achievement.
McDonald shaved .47 seconds off Jermaine Gonzales’ 44.40 seconds set in 2010, stopping the clock at 43.93 seconds for second in his 400m heat yesterday at the World Championships currently taking place in Beijing, China. In doing so, he became the first Jamaican to dip below the 44-second barrier.
“The first 300m was poor for me. I felt like I did something wrong because I never followed my coach’s instructions. If I did follow my coach’s instructions, I would have run way faster,” McDonald said as he stunned reporters with his revelation in the mixed zone.
Jamaica has had a rich tradition in track and field, and in particular the 400m, from the days of Dr Arthur Wint, who won Jamaica’s gold at the 1948 Olympics, Herb McKenley, George Rhoden and Bert Cameron. Cameron won Jamaica’s last 400 global title at the 1983 World Championships.
But none of these giants of the 400m had ever dipped below 44 seconds. Not even McKenley who broke the 400m world record twice in 1948, running 46.0 and then lowering it to 45.9 a month later.
“I never expected it because it came in the first round, and I never expected anyone to run so fast in the first heat. But I will have to go to my coach and hear what he says about my race,” said McDonald, who is a part of the powerful Stephen Francis-led MVP camp.
“Did you use up too much energy?” he was asked. “No. I did not use too much energy in the first round because I have been training for this for a while now, and in the semi-finals I will go way better. I just have to follow my coach’s instructions,” he reiterated.
McDonald’s performance came as a surprise to many, but he was always promising to run fast once he gets his race tactics correctly. At a JAAA Development meet in June, he went out fast and was caught near the line by Javon Francis who won in 44.50. McDonald was clocked at 44.60 in that race.
Then he told the Jamaica Observer to expect fireworks at the upcoming Senior Championships between Francis and himself. At the Senior Champs McDonald changed his tactics, showed more patience, but arrived too late and was again beaten by Francis, and the general argument was that once he developed the art of running 400m he would be dangerous. Notable too, Francis also qualified for the semis of the 400m yesterday.
Having run 43.93 seconds in the first round at the World Championships, McDonald is as confident as can be.
“I feel confident because everybody is human, and it’s the work you put in you get on the track. I feel confident in myself now and I will have to take it to the next step,” said McDonald.
Both McDonald and Francis continue the quest for medals early this morning.