*Maurice Smith wins unlikely silver medal
Maurice Smith, won Jamaica's seventh, medal an unlikely silver in the grueling 10-discipline Men's Decathlon in a sensational new national record,
at the IAAF World Athletic Championships in Osaka, Japan, on Saturday, September 1, 2007 to lead a three-silver medal performance for the Jamaicans on the penultimate day, of the games.
Smith, who tabulated a career best 8644 points, led up to the eight discipline-the Men's Pole Vault, but, faltered on the javelin, giving the world record holder Roman ? ebrle of the Czech Republic the lead, which he held the rest of the way. Smith won the Pan American games, gold earlier this year, but no Jamaican before now had ever medaled in a World Champs Decathlon.
? ebrle, finished with 8676 points, just 32 ahead of Smith, while, Dmitriy Karpov (8586), of Kazakhstan placed third. The Jamaican finished ahead of a sea of European athletes.
The women's 4x100m team of Sheri-Ann Brooks; Kerron Stewart; Simone Facey and Veronica Campbell took Jamaica to their eight medal, after a strong finish by Campbell getting them silver in 42.01 seconds, beaten by a whisker by the Americans in a world leading 41.98 seconds.
Powell anchored Jamaica to silver in the men's 4x100m in a new national record, of 37.89 seconds, behind the USA team which timed a world leading 37.78 seconds.
Jamaica, just edged Great Britain by one hundredth of a second as they came cross the line in 37.90, while, Brazil 37.99, made sure that four teams broke 38 seconds, as they occupied fourth.
Men's 4x100m team- (Marvin Anderson; Usain Bolt; Nesta Carter; Asafa Powell)
Jamaica now has nine medals-(1 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze).