The Jamaica Star :: Sport :: Is this the last hurrah for Wignall and Beckford?

by Raymond Graham, Freelance Writer

( L - R ) Maurice Wignall, James Beckford - file photos

WHEN the National Senior Championships get under way this weekend at the National Stadium two of the most successful athletes at these championships, Maurice Wignall and James Beckford, will be hard-pressed to maintain their dominance in their pet events.

Wignall who has been representing Jamaica from the junior level, has one national title in the long jump and eight in the 110 metres hurdles. For Beckford he will be seeking his tenth title in the long jump.

The national record holder at 110m hurdles with 13.17 seconds in the semi-finals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Wignall has been the country's best performer in this event. He has had an outstanding record at the senior level. His best performance came at the last Olympic Games when he lost the bronze medal in the 110 metres hurdles by one hundredth of a second as he finished a close fourth.

Most severe test

The 2004 World Indoor 60 metres silver medallist and 2006 Commonwealth 110 metres hurdles champion, the 32-year-old Wignall will get his most severe test in a local championships.

With a season best of 13.84 in Osaka, Japan in early May, the former Calabar High star is ranked number four locally and will have to improve on that time if he hopes to attain his ninth national title. Former national representative Richard Phillips who missed last year's National Championship is the top ranked Jamaican so far this year with 13.56, a time he clocked in Puerto Rico in May and he is followed by Eric Keddo (13.64) and Sheldon Leith who did 13.74 at the NCAA Championships two weeks ago.

The 2006 national champion, Decosma Wright with a time of 13.85, is just one hundredth of a second behind Wignall.

Wignall has always produced his best at the National Championships and although he will be under pressure he could call on his vast experience to retain his crown.

Beckford, 33, will be challenged strongly to make it win number 10 as he has been having a nightmare of a season. The most successful field event competitor for Jamaica at this level, Beckford will be hoping to make his fourth Olympic Games. With a silver medal in Atlanta in 1996 and a fourth place finish in Athens in 2004 Beckford also has one World Indoor silver and two World outdoor silver medals.

Hoping for crowd support

Beckford will be hoping that he can get as much support as possible from the expected large crowd as national leader Herbert McGregor with a best of 8.08m set in Martinique in early May is in fantastic form and for the first time in over a decade Beckford will not start favourite to win the national title. Beckford's season best of 7.90m, a distance he registered earlier this month, is at joint fifth locally with NCAA bronze medallist Julian Reid. Others also ahead of Beckford are Alain Bailey (7.94m), Dwayne Bantam and Nicholas Gordon, 7.91m each.

Like Wignall in the 110m hurdles, Beckford will be hoping that his vast experience can help to separate him from the rest of the field. With a very young and enthusiastic set of jumpers on the prowl this could, however, prove very difficult.