Aug. 20, 2008

BEIJING – Former Gamecock Chelsea Hammond advanced to the final round of the women’s long jump as competition continues at the Olympic Games held in Beijing.

Representing Jamaica, Hammond jumped a distance of 6.60m (21-8) in the women’s long jump preliminary round to advance to the final. Competing in her first Olympic Games, Hammond had the 12th best mark in the preliminary round. At South Carolina, she was a four-time All-American from 2003-06, earning indoor honors twice in the pentathlon and outdoor honors twice in the long jump.

Tiffany Ross-Williams placed eighth in the women’s 400-meter hurdles final at 57.55. The time was her lowest in three rounds of competition at Beijing as she hoped to earn her first Olympic medal Wednesday after running a 54.99 in Monday’s semifinal round.

“This was the worst race of my life,” Ross-Williams said. “I’m just very disappointed. I don’t know what happened the whole race. The first 200m, I felt like I was in the race. I usually switch at six and my switch came on five and I jumped the hurdle with the wrong leg five times. It was just a very bad race. I don’t know what happened.”

Gamecocks scheduled to compete Thursday are Aleen Bailey (Jamiaca-4x100m), Leroy Dixon (USA-4x100m), Rodney Martin (USA-4x100m) and Mechelle Lewis (USA-4x100m).