LIMA, Peru— Jamaica’s Shanoya Douglas is set to carry her nation’s hopes in the women’s 200m final come Friday, after securing a commendable second place in her semi-final race with a time of 23.34 seconds (-0.6m/s) at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru.
Douglas’s strong performance in the semi-final round ensures her a spot in the coveted final race, slated to take place amidst heightened anticipation. She came into the championships as the second-ranked sprinter in her age group worldwide and aims to at least match her compatriot Alana Reid’s bronze medal achievement from two years ago in Cali, Colombia.
Sabrina Dockery, another Jamaican sprinter, fell short of the final by the narrowest of margins. Dockery clocked 23.75 seconds (-0.6m/s) in her semi-final, finishing fourth in her heat and ninth overall, just missing the cut for the final. Earlier in the competition, Dockery had demonstrated her potential by running 23.80 seconds for a strong second place in the first round.
Douglas, who surged to victory in her preliminary race with a time of 23.51 seconds (0.6m/s), expressed her gratitude for advancing to the final. “I am happy, I’m also thankful, because, first of all, without God, I wouldn’t be here, and without God helping me through the morning and right now, because the times are very cold right now,” she said, reflecting on her journey thus far.
Meanwhile, in the men’s category, Romario Hines didn’t manage to secure a spot in the final for the 200m event. Finishing fourth in his semi-final with a time of 21.68 seconds (-1.2m/s), Hines’s journey in this championship comes to an end. In the field events, Chavez Penn had a challenging day, retiring from the men’s triple jump final after one jump of 14.71m (1.5m/s).
As the championships progress, all eyes will be on Shanoya Douglas as she carries the Jamaican flag into the 200m final, hoping to bring home another medal and continue her nation’s proud legacy in athletics.
