World Champs: Taylor says he is proud of making 400m final in Oregon Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

EUGENE, Oregon.

Christopher Taylor has described his performance in the 400m semifinals on Wednesday night at the World Athletics Championships at Hayward field as the highlight of his season.

The 22-year-old Taylor produced a season’s best 44.96 seconds, just outside his personal best of 44.79 in his semifinal heat to book his spot in the final.

The 44.96 clocking handed the Tokyo Olympic Games finalist a third place finish behind USA’s gold medal favourite Michael Norman, who clocked 44.30.

Taylor had to wait before his spot was confirmed as he finished outside of the automatic qualifying spots.

“It is always an amazing feeling to make a World Championships final no matter what lane you are in,” Taylor said. “Making the final is a big deal. I came out here in the semifinal, I put my all on the track, and that was the best thing that could have happened to me this season.”

Going into Oregon there were questions about Taylor’s fitness level after he failed to finish in the top three at the Jamaica trials on June 26 at the National Stadium in Kingston.

The top three finishers in each event at the National trials earned the right to be at Oregon22 provided they achieved the world standard.

Taylor – who finished seventh in 45.91 at the National trials – was drafted into the team as only two of the top three finishers had achieved the world standard.

He will enter the final on Friday as the slowest qualifier.

Norman’s 44.30 represents the quickest time going into the final. Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith who finished second behind Norman with a 44.38 clocking is the second quickest.

The final will also feature Norman’s compatriot Champion Allison (44.71), who produced a remarkable comeback to advance, Grenadian Kirani James (44.74), world record-holder, and twice world champion Wayde van Niekerk (44.75), and Barbadian Jonathan Jones (44.78).

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