Stephenie-Ann McPherson ran a new national indoor record while winning Jamaica’s first medal at the 2022 World Indoor Athletics Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, on Saturday (March 19).

The 33-year-old Olympic finalist ran a lifetime best 50.79 to finish third in the 400m won by Bahamian track icon Shaunae Miller-Uibo in a world-leading 50.31. Femke Bol of the Netherlands was second in 50.57.

McPherson’s time bettered the Jamaican mark by Sandie Richards set in Toronto in 1993 where she won gold in 50.93.

It was Jamaica’s only podium success on the day as medal favourites in the 60m hurdles Danielle Williams and Britany Anderson fell short of expectations at the championships. Williams, whose 7.75 makes her the fastest woman in the world this year, clipped a hurdle in her heat and failed to advance to the semi-final round.

Anderson, meanwhile, finished fourth in the final that was won by French woman, Cyrena Samba-Mayela, who ran a French national indoor record of 7.78.

Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas claimed the silver medal in 7.81, a national indoor record while Gabriele Cunningham of the USA finished third in 7.87.

Anderson, who ran 7.85 in the semi-finals, clipped the first hurdle and just missed out on a medal, running 7.96.

KAMBUNDJI WINS 60M FINAL

On Friday’s opening day Briana Williams and Shericka Jackson were fifth and sixth, respectively, in the final of the 60m dash won by Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji in 6.96. It was the fastest time run by a woman since 1999 and tied Merlene Ottey for the fourth fastest time in history.

Only world-record holder Irini Privalova (6.92) as well as Gail Devers and Marion Jones, who both ran 6.95, have gone faster. The silver medal was won by the USA’s Mikiah Brisco, who ran a lifetime best 6.99 while Mary-Beth Sant-Price was third in 7.04.

Third to sixth were all credited with the same time but were separated by 0.008s.

Gold medal favourite Ewa Swoboda of Poland finished fourth while Williams and Jackson were also credited with 7.04, which were lifetime bests for both.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye ran a season best 7.11 for seventh place while Brazil’s Vitoria Rosa was eighth in 7.21