Evans, James fail to qualify for Olympic 800m

The English-Speaking Caribbean will not have a presence in the men’s 800m in London as Bermuda’s Aaron Evans and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jamaal James both failed in their bids to meet the B qualifying standard of 1:46.30. Evans, along with James and the Jamaican-duo of Ricky West and Aldwyn Sappleton was considered the best 800m prospects of making it toLondon. In a last ditch effort to meet the qualifying standard which closes today July 8; Evans and James on Thursday (July 5), battled each other at the Moncton Hub Track and Field Classic in Canada with Evans winning the event in a disappointing time of 1:47.92 to James’s 1.47.99. Evans a senior at the University of Georgia had a great 2012 season on the collegiate circuit, in which he ran a season best time of 1:46.33 and garnered All-American honors. Evans had an injury-plagued 2011 season and has a lifetime best 1:46.26 over 800m which he established back in May 2010. James, the LSU graduate had a lifetime and season best 1:46.88 was expected to meet the B standard. However, the future is bright for 23 year-old James who this season has improved on his personal best.  James had a previous personal best time of 1:47.72, is a member of the New York /New Jersey Track Club. No Jamaican in Olympic 800m Ricardo Cunningham won the 800m title at the recently concluded Jamaican Trials and was happy that he won. But his happiness quickly turned to disappointment when the winning time was displayed on the monitor. Cunningham won the event 1:48.00 well above the Olympic qualifying B standard time of 1:46.30.   Ricky West who had a season best 1.46.41 finished in 4^th place in a 1:48.98 while Sappleton was 2^nd in 1:48.43. Like us on  Facebook   Follow us on Twitter