GLASGOW, Scotland – Three Aggies were in action at Hampden Park Stadium on the second day of track and field events in the 20th Commonwealth Games. Bralon Taplin ran in the opening round of the men’s 400m as Shavez Hart and Kanika Beckles each contested semifinal races in their respective events, the men’s 200m and women’s 400m.
Taplin, representing Grenada, advanced to the semifinal round of the 400 meters as he placed second in his heat with a time of 45.90 seconds from lane 1. Isaac Makwala of Botswana won the heat in 45.33 while Florida’s Hugh Graham Jr., representing Jamaica, initially finished third in the race at 46.11. However, Graham and Kenya’s Solomon Buoga were both disqualified for lane violations.
In the first heat of three 400m semifinal races on Tuesday (2:05 p.m. CT), Taplin will race in lane 4. The semifinal heat includes Chris Brown of Bahamas in lane 3 while Martyn Rooney of England is in 5 and Trinidad’s Jarrin Solomon runs in lane 6. The top two finishers plus the next two fastest times will advance to the final.
Hart, the double sprint champion from the Bahamas, finished seventh in his semifinal race with a time of 10.29 seconds. England’s Adam Gemili won that semifinal race in 10.07 with Jamaica’s Jason Livermore runner-up in 10.11. Also in the race was USC’s Aaron Brown of Canada, placing fifth in 10.17.
Others to miss out in qualifying for the 100 final on Monday were Trinidad & Tobago’s tandem of Keston Bledman (10.24) and Richard Thompson (10.19), who each placed third in their semifinal races and didn’t advance on time.
In the Commonwealth Games 100m final Kemar Bailey-Cole of Jamaica claimed gold in 10.00 with Gemili posting 10.10 for silver and Jamaica’s Nickle Ashmede taking bronze with a 10.12.
The prelims in the 200m on Wednesday will be next for Hart with relay duty in the 4×100 on Friday.
Beckles of Grenada ran her semifinal race in the 400m from lane two. She placed eighth with a time of 55.18. The race was won by Jamaica’s Christine Day in 51.02 with Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller runner-up in 51.58.
Tuesday’s action at Hampden Park includes long jump qualifying for Fabrice Lapierre of Australia at 10 a.m. (4 a.m. CT). Opening heats in the hurdles will include Wayne Davis II in the 110 hurdles and Janeil Bellille in the 400 hurdles as each represents Trinidad & Tobago.
Davis will compete in the third of three heats from lane 5 as he faces England’s William Sharman, Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados, and Richard Phillips of Jamaica. Bellille drew lane 4 for her prelim as she runs in the third heat of three along with Jamaica’s Kaliese Spencer in lane 1, and Lauren Wells of Australia.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics