Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor

Chelsea Hammond urges crowd support during the women's long jump heats yesterday.

BEIJING:

NATIONAL CHAMPION Chelsea Hammond, appearing in her first Olympics, will compete in the long jump final on Friday.Hammond, a New York-based 25-year-old, had a best leap of 6.60 metres to reach the last 12 of the event after finishing eighth in qualifying Group A. The leading qualifier was American Britney Reese with 6.87m.

Jamaica's three women advanced to the 200m semi-finals after two rounds yesterday and the men's 110 metres hurdlers also got to the last 16 of their event.

Made to sweat

Maurice Wignall won his second-round heat but national champion Richard Phillips was made to sweat for a few minutes as he had to go forward as one of the four fastest losers.

Showing his best form all season Wignall, fourth in Athens four years ago, streaked to victory in second round heat three winning in a season best 13.36 seconds ahead of Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados, 13.44.

Phillips (13.48) was fourth in heat one which was won in 13.24 by American David Payne. His time was the 14th fastest. The third heat went to world record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba, 13.19, while another American, David Oliver, won heat four in 13.16.

In the women's 200m, defending champion Veronica Campbell-Brown won her first two rounds.

First-round heat

After taking her first-round heat in 23.04, Campbell-Brown came back to clock 22.64 to defeat American Allyson Felix, the woman she beat for gold in Athens four years ago but who whipped her in last year's World Championships final in Osaka. Felix did 22.74 .

Kerron Stewart was second in the third quarter-final heat in 22.74 behind Russia's Yuliya Chermoshanskaya who won in a personal best 22.63.

Sherone Simpson was impressive in winning the fourth second-round heat in 22.60. Heat two went to Bahrain's Roqaya Al-Gassra in 22.76.

Olivia McKoy did not advance from the qualifying round of women's javelin. Her best, 55.51m, was only good enough for 17th in Group B. The best throw in the group was 67.52m by Germany's gold medal favourite Christina Obergfoll.

Olivia McKoy lets her javelin fly yesterday. She failed to qualify for the final round. - Photos by Charles Pitts/Freelance Photographer