Sage Watson of Medicine Hat, Alberta won her second women’s 400m hurdles medal of the 2018 Diamond League season in Oslo, Norway on Thursday. It has been an excellent Diamond League season for Watson, who previously won a medal in Shanghai, China on May 12.
Both of Watson’s Diamond League medals have been bronze. On Thursday, Watson had a third place time of 54.55 seconds. Dalilah Muhammad of the United States won the gold medal with a time of 53.65 seconds. Shamier Little of the United States won the silver medal with a time of 53.94 seconds.
Watson reached the podium in Norway by 0.52 seconds. Lea Sprunger of Switzerland had a fourth place time of 55.07 seconds. What was most impressive from Watson’s performance on Thursday is she won the bronze medal by competing in lane one.
On May 12 in Shanghai, Watson had a third place time of 55.23 seconds. Like Oslo, Muhammad won the event in Shanghai with a time of 53.77 seconds. Janieve Russell of Jamaica won the silver medal with a time of 53.78 seconds. Watson reached the Shanghai podium by 0.4 seconds over Wenda Nel of South Africa who had a fourth place time of 55.63 seconds.
Watson is in second place in the Diamond League standings with 27 points, six points back of Muhammad. Women’s 400m hurdles made its Olympic debut at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and no Canadian woman has ever won an Olympic medal in the event.
Two Canadian men have won medals in the men’s 400m hurdles. George Orton of Strathroy, Ontario won bronze at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris and John Loaring of Winnipeg, Manitoba won silver at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.At this time it appears Watson is an Olympic medal contender in the women’s 400m hurdles at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Great story Jeremy. Of note, George Orton’s 400m hurdles bronze in 1900 included a water jump over the final hurdle. 45 minutes after that race, Orton won gold in the 2500m steeplechase. Only one other Canadian athlete has won two medals in track on the same day, Marita Payne in 1984.