Ackera Nugent battles to reach Olympic 100m hurdles final
SAINT-DENIS, France – In Friday’s morning session, Arkansas alum Ackera Nugent was the lone Jamaican hurdler to reach the final and did so based on time with a third-place effort of 12.44 (-0.7 wind) in the third and final semifinal heat at Stade de France.
Nugent finished behind defending Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto rico (12.35) and American Masai Russell (12.42). Finishing behind Nugent and also advancing on time was French hurdler Cyrena Samba-Mayela (12.52). Cindy Sember of Great Britain did not finish.
“Being a time qualifier for me is just the grace of God to be honest, because just a week ago I had a lot going on with myself and I was feeling so much pain and I had to go to the doctor,” noted Nugent. “So, to be able to come here today and make the finals it’s just a great feeling and all I have to do is just give God thanks.
“The execution was a bit rusty for me, but at the same time I just have to learn to trust myself a little bit more and I hope I’ll be able to do that in the final.”
Another Arkansas alum, Janeek Brown, finished seventh in the second heat with a 12.82 (0.4 wind) and didn’t advance. The same fate occurred for the third Jamaican hurdler, Danielle Williams, who placed sixth in the first heat with a 12.82 after losing her stride clipping the third hurdle.
In Saturday’s final, Nugent will race in lane 9 next to Bahamas Devynne Charlton. Three U.S. hurdlers – Grace Stark, Masai Russell, and Alaysha Johnson – occupy lanes 4-5-6 while Camacho-Quinn is in lane 7.
“All I need to do is just make sure that when I go there tomorrow, I just focus on the little things that I can control, on my own race, and just execute the best way possible,” stated Nugent. “It’s a tough field. The times show that it is a tough field.”
Shamier Little and Kaylyn Brown ran second and fourth legs for the United States in the prelims of the 4 x 400m relay. Both were on the world record mixed 4 x 400m at the start of the athletics program last weekend and the silver medal effort in the final.
Following a lead-off split of 51.27 from Quanera Hayes, Little split 49.22 to move USA into the lead. Aaliyah Butler produced a 50.41 third leg and then gave the baton to Brown, who split 50.54 on the anchor leg as the United States finished in 3:21.44.
Trailing the Americans by three-plus seconds were Great Britain (3:24.72) and France (3:24.73).
Jamaica, with Andrenette Knight splitting 51.69 on the opening leg, won the second heat in 3:24.92 over the Netherlands (3:25.03) and Ireland (3:25.05).
Chris Bailey anchored the men’s 4 x 400m relay in the prelims and moved the squad from fourth to third place to secure an automatic spot in the final.
The Americans found themselves in seventh place following an open leg split of 47.27 by 16-year-old Quincy Wilson. Veteran Vernon Norwood split 43.54 on the second leg as USA moved into sixth place.
Bryce Deadmon then had a 44.20 carry that moved the squad into fourth place. Bailey split 44.14 as the United States placed third in 2:59.15 behind Botswana (2:57.76) and Great Britain (2:58.58).
