Two Champions, four silvers and six bronze medals. That record makes the girls’ 400 metre hurdles the event in which Jamaica has been most successful at the World Under 20 Championships. The 18th edition of the meet begins on August 17 in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi and Garriel White, national junior 400 metre hurdles champion, will lead the Jamaican effort to extend that distinguished record.

Coached by Corey Bennett at Hydel High School, White is undefeated and clicked off wins at Boys and Girls Championships and at the Nationals en route to Nairobi. Her personal best — 57.28 seconds — places her amongst the favourites. Bennett coached the last of Jamaica’s 12 medallists in the event, Shiann Salmon who finished second at the 2018 World Under 20 Championships, who like Whyte attended Hydel, has just returned home from the Tokyo Olympics where she was an alternate.

White captained Hydel at Boys and Girls Champs and won her first individual Champs gold medal by winning the hurdles. Now the LSU bound White has an opportunity to join Salmon in the long list of Jamaican medal winners in this challenging discipline. “I wasn’t one of the best when I came here. I didn’t make the team in Class Four and he has worked with me over the years to be the best version of myself, and I really appreciate that, said the 5-foot 4, 116-pound runner of her guidance she has received from coach Bennett.

Jamaica’s tradition in the event began with Wynsome Cole winning the bronze in 1992, the same year when Winthrop Graham raced to the silver medal in the men’s race at the Olympics. Since Cole got the ball rolling, Kaliese Spencer and Janieve Russell have won the event in 2006 and 2012 respectively.

Spencer, Russell, silver and bronze medallist Melaine Walker, and 1998 runner-up Allison Beckford all moved on to represent Jamaica at the senior level with Walker winning the Olympics and the World Championships.

Jamaica in the 400 metre hurdles at the World Under 20 Championships – Medals 2-4-6 = 12

  • Gold – 2012 Janieve Russell
  • Gold – 2006 Kaliese Spencer
  • Silver – 2018 Shiann Salmon
  • Silver – 2016 Shannon Kalawan
  • Silver – 2002 Melaine Walker
  • Silver – 1998 Allison Beckford
  • Bronze – 2006 Sherene Pinnock
  • Bronze – 2004 Sherene Pinnock
  • Bronze – 2002 Camille Robinson
  • Bronze – 2000 Melaine Walker
  • Bronze – 1996 Tanya Jarrett
  • Bronze – 1992 Wynsome Cole

To add her own chapter to this wonderful history, White will have to deny Savannah Sutherland of Canada. Sutherland is unbeaten in her races too and has run 57.87.

The 400 metre hurdles start on Thursday, August 19 with the final set for the 22nd.