MADRID, Spain – Sprint hurdler Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas is one of 11 athletes that secured wild card spots for the World Indoor Athletics Championships from March 1 to 3 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas came within 0.01 of equalling her own world indoor 60m hurdles record to highlight the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet on Friday in Madrid, Spain, and earned a wildcard entry to the World Indoor Championships. (World Athletics photo)This followed her win in the 60 metres hurdles at the final World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet on Friday in the Spanish city of Madrid.
Charlton came within one hundredths-of-a-second of equalling her own world indoor 60m hurdles record, clocking 7.68 seconds, equalling the third-fastest time in history and the meet record.
According to World Athletics, the sport’s world governing body, her wildcard entry means that the Bahamas national team may have a third team member for the women’s sprint hurdles in Glasgow. Team selection for the World Indoor Championships is typically capped at two athletes for each nation in each discipline, but the wildcard places enable a third athlete to contest the events for which they qualify.
World Athletics said the final decision on entering any individual athlete for the World Indoor Championships still rested with the athlete’s national federation.
Charlton will head to the global showpiece in fine form, and her performance was a clear sign to her rivals that she will be tough to beat next weekend.
“I set myself all of these goals,” Charlton said. “I said I wanted to win the World Indoor Tour and break the world indoor record, and I want to be a world indoor champion, so I’m just ticking all of the boxes. There’s just one more to go.
“If this is any preview to the World Indoors, then I’d say I’m on the right track. I’m having fun. My coach had been telling me for a while that I’m capable of these things, so to see it all come true is a wonderful feeling.”
Two-time European indoor champion Nadine Visser of the Netherlands had won the first 60m hurdles heat in 7.79 to equal the meet record, but Charlton matched that time to win the second heat, easing down towards the end.
The Bahamian then stamped her class in the final, and the clock first flashed up with 7.67 when she crossed the finish line, but it was later adjusted.
Visser was second in 7.78, only one hundredths-of-a-second shy of her personal best, and Pia Skrzysowska of Poland was third in 7.83.
