Young, gifted and.....

[Exile]

....sweet!

[Exile]

STERLING SILVER!
Shericka Williams takes second spot in Women's 400m
BY KAYON RAYNOR Senior staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
BERLIN, Germany - Shericka Williams produced a lifetime best 49.32 seconds to win silver in the women's 400 metres, taking Jamaica's medal tally to five, after four days at the 12th IAAF World Championships.
The Olympic silver medallist, who shaved 0.21 seconds off her previous career best of 49.51 established in her semi-final, finished 0.32 seconds behind Jamaican-born American Sanya Richards, who clocked a world-leading 49.00secs.
Jamaica's Shericka Williams is a picture of pride after clocking a lifetime best 49.32 seconds to take the silver medal in the women's 400 metre at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany yesterday. The Gold was won by Jamaican-born American Sanya Richards in a world-leading 49.00 seconds. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)
"I'm happy with myself and two silver two times is really a good career, and that's just the stepping stone to what might come in the future," Williams said.
"To be number two (in the world) is still a very good achievement. I couldn't run any faster and I'm very happy to run my personal best," the St Elizabeth Technical High School alumnus added.
The Stephen Francis-coached quarter-miler joins national record holder Lorraine Fenton-McKenzie with two silver and one bronze; Sandie Richards (one silver and one bronze), as well as Novlene Williams-Mills (2007 bronze), as the only Jamaican women to have medalled in the event in the history of the World Championships.
Despite clocking a season best 49.77 seconds in yesterday's final, Williams-Mills was beaten into fourth spot by Antonina Krivoshapka of Russia.
Olympic silver medallist Danny McFarlane failed in his bid to join Winthrop Graham as the only Jamaicans to win a World Championship medal when he placed sixth in 48.65secs, running from lane one.
BERLIN, Germany - Shericka Williams (centre) is embraced by teammate Novlene Williams-Mills while Jamaican-born US athlete Sanya Richards moves to congratulate her on her silver medal performance in the 400m at the 12th IAAF World Championships yesterday. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)
"Lane one was definitely tougher than what I thought. I got going and thought I was in the race, but it just didn't work out for me even though I don't feel tired, you know," McFarlane said.
"I still feel good about making another (World Championships) final and can at least finish sixth. It looks like I might not be able to get one, but that's life because I'm still among the best and still doing good, so hopefully I'll come back for one more year," he added.
American Kerron Clement retained his title from Osaka 2007 with a world-leading 47.91secs ahead of Puerto Rican Javier Culson, 48.09, and American Bershawn Jackson, 48.23secs.
Seventeen-year-old Jehue Gordon of Trinidad & Tobago established a national record 48.26 to place fourth.
Jamaica look set to add to the two gold, two silver and one bronze today with the running of the women's 100m hurdles.
Former World Championships medallist Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Delloreen Ennis London, as well as Lacena Golding-Clarke, have all qualified for this morning's semi-finals at 11:45. The final will be contested at 2:35 pm.
BERLIN, Germany - Steve Mullings of Jamaica contests the heats of the Men's 200 metres event at the World Championships here yesterday. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)
Usain Bolt, who set a new world record of 9.58 secs in the 100m on Sunday, along with Steve Mullings, will contest the 200m semi-finals today. Both men, who won their respective quarter-final races yesterday, will be seeking a place in tomorrow's final.

Bolt, who confessed to being slightly tired after six rounds of sprinting, told the Observer he will be ready for an assault of his world record of 19.30secs set in Beijing, China, last year.
"I'm feeling a bit tired, but nothing a good night's rest won't cure," Bolt said.
"I'm just trying to get through round by round, then I go into the final and just execute and I will be running really hard," he added.
Ramone McKenzie of Calabar High failed to get past the first round.
Meanwhile, Olympic champion Melaine Walker and Kaliese Spencer both moved into tomorrow's final of the 400m hurdles.
Walker, who produced a season best 53.26secs, said she likes her chances going in the final.
"I never can tell how fast I can go because normally I race based on how individuals in the race move. So if they go fast enough and I still have enough strength then I'll come through fighting," Walker said.
"I'm here and I know what I want and hopefully in the final I'll be able to get it," she added.
Spencer, the 2006 World Junior Champion who won her semi-final in 54.37secs, had an initial scare after hearing she was disqualified for a lane violation. She was later reinstated.
In the meantime, Ricardo Chambers, a semi-finalist at Osaka in 2007, easily progressed to today's 400m semi-final after clocking 45.57secs. He will run in lane seven of Semi-final Three.