Gayle, Blake begin medal hunt

Tajay Gayle and Yohan Blake will today look to cop Jamaica’s first medals at the IAAF World Athletics Championship in Doha, Qatar.

Gayle will be the first to try and secure a medal when he competes in the Men’s Long Jump final, which is set for 12:40pm local time.

Gayle struggled yesterday to book his spot in the final with a jump of 7.89 metres, well below his season’s best 8.32 metres.

Blake’s path to a medal in the Men’s 100 Metres will be a little more difficult as he will have to get past a tough semi-final draw.

The 2011 world champion will line up in the second semi-final alongside defending champion Justin Gatlin of the United States and 2015 world championship bronze medalist Andre Degrasse of Canada.

Blake won his first-round heat yesterday in a time of 10.07 seconds while Gatlin won his heat in 10.06 seconds ahead of Degrasse, who finished in 10.13 seconds.

Gayle and Blake are among eleven Jamaicans who will be in action on day two of the championship. 

Tyquendo Tracey is also down to compete in the Men’s 100 Metres semi-final.

He will face Zharnel Hughes of Great Britain,  French veteran Jimmy Vicaut, American Michael Rodgers and Akani Simbine of South Africa.

The semi-finals are scheduled to start at 10:45am local time with the final set for 2:15pm.

Meanwhile Elaine Thompson and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce will begin their championships with the first round of the Women's 100 Metres, which is set for 8:30am local time.

Thompson, the 2016 Olympic Champion, will run in heat three while three-time world champion Fraser Pryce will line up in heat one.

Jonielle Smith, who was a late addition due to the withdrawal of sprinter Briana Williams, competes in heat four with Great Britain's Dina Asher-Smith.

Fredrick Dacres will compete in group A of the qualifying round of the Men's Discuss alongside compatriot Chad Wright starting at 8:15am while Traves Smikle will compete in group B at 9.45am.

Natoya Goule will run out of lane five in the third semi-final of the Women's 800m Metres, which starts at 11:15am while Kemar Mowatt will contest the semi-finals of the Men's 400m Hurdles at 10:05am

Jamaica will be represented in the mixed 4x400 metre relay by Nathon Allen, Javon Francis, Janieve Russell and Roneisha McGregor.

The team is scheduled to compete in heat one of the event  which starts at 12 noon local time.

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