Odane Skeen dashed to a personal best 10.42 seconds to snap up the 100-metre gold medal at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore yesterday.
Odane Skeen (centre) of Jamaica wins the Men's 100 metres final ahead of Masaki Nashimoto (right) of Japan and David Bolarinwa of Great Britain at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore yesterday. Skeen clocked a personal best 10.42 seconds.
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The Wolmer's Boys' High School athlete who turns 16 on Saturday ensured his golden run with a flying start in lane five to rush to victory, trouncing Japan's Masaki Nashimoto, who ran a personal best 10.51 seconds for the silver medal.
Great Britain's national junior champion and favourite David Bolarinwa, the second to last to come out of the blocks, made up ground at the end to snatch bronze, also in 10.51 seconds.
The win by young Skeen ensured that Jamaica currently hold all the global men's 100m titles. These include the World Youth and World Junior (Dexter Lee); the Olympic and senior World Championships (Usain Bolt), and the Commonwealth Games (Asafa Powell).
Meanwhile, Carifta Games Under-17 champion Megan Simmonds of St Andrew High had a strong first half in the 100m hurdles final but faded to finish fourth in a personal best 13.62 seconds.
Russia's national junior champion Ekaterina Bleskina, in a driving finish, won gold in a time of 13.34 seconds, beating Australian junior champion Michelle Jenneke, who grabbed the silver in a personal best 13.46 seconds. Switzerland's Noemi Zbaeren held on for the bronze timing 13.50 seconds.
In the 110m hurdles final, the top four finishers ran personal bests, including Jamaica's Stefan Fennell, who clocked 13.54 seconds. Australian Nicholas Hough won the event, clocking 13.37 seconds, ahead of China's Dongqiang Wang (13.41sec) and Finland's Jussi Kanervo (13.53sec).
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SOURCE: Jamaica Observer
Paul Burrowes
