GAMES

Friday July 24th, Toronto, Canada– Olympic Gold Medallist, and National Record Holder in the javelin Keshorn Walcott won Trinidad and Tobago’s second gold medal at the Pan Am Games in the men’s javelin competition. Walcott’s second throw of 83.27 was enough to secure the top spot. This was an expected victory for Walcott who entered the competition ranked second in the world, having reset his own national record while setting a new meet record of 90.16 at the Diamond League Meeting Athletissima in Lausanne, Switzerland earlier this month.

Following his win, Walcott said, “ I knew I was the favourite so I tried to come out and give the fans here a good show. I didn’t go all out because the main focus for me is the world championships. I had some technique to work on and I believe I improved it during today’s competition.”

In the men’s 100m hurdles, Mikel Thomas picked up the silver medal, setting a new national record of 13.17 in the process. Following the race, Thomas could hardly contain his joy saying, “I’m still trying to gather myself from it. It was all God because I didn’t have enough strength.” Thomas had to run the final twice following a recall in the first race in which he tumbled coming over the last hurdle. Speaking of the re run he said, “That re-run, I ran full out and I felt it. The thing about hurdles is, because you have ten obstacles in front of you, you really lock out. You’re really focusing. People fault all the time. If someone stops running, I’m not supposed to react to that.”

Trinidad and Tobago’s medal total at this year’s Pan Am Games now stands at six thanks to the efforts of Walcott, Thomas, Cedenio, Cleopatra Borel, Njisane Phillip and George Bovell. All the medallists will receive bonuses from the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee’s (TTOC) #10Golds24 Athlete Welfare and Preparation fund.

In the women’s 200m final, Reyare Thomas finished seventh in a time of 23.32. In relay qualification, the quarter mile quartet of LaLonde Gordon, Renny Quow, Emmanuel Mayers and Jarrin Solomon ran a season’s best of 3.01.58 in advancing to the final. The women’s quartet of Janeil Belille, Romona Modeste, Alena Brooks and Sparkle McKnight also ran a season’s best of 3.31.21 to advance to the finals.

In the 4x100 relay semi finals, the male quartet of Mikhel Thomas, Rondel Sorillo, Emmanuel Callendar and Dan-Neil Telesford finished first in semi final 2 in a time of 38.52 to advance to tomorrows final.  Following the race, Coach of the 4x100 relay team, former national sprinter and a Pan Am silver medallist in the relay, Niconnor Alexander said, “The guys went out there and executed everything we practiced. I could not have asked for a better race.”

Callendar added, “Our intention was just to make it to the finals and have a safe pass of the baton as we are a relatively young team, so we’re really satisfied with our performance.”

The female quartet of Kamaria Durant, Kelly Ann Baptiste, Semoy Hackett and Reyare Thomas did not advance to the finals, following a failed baton exchange between Baptiste and Hackett. After the race Hackett said, “I probably went before time because I heard her (Baptiste) saying slow down, slow down, but we were comfortable heading into the race. We just need to practice more and build up our chemistry.”

Callendar echoed these sentiments saying, “It’s sad they didn’t get the baton around the track because once they do they will be a force to be reckoned with.”

Tomorrow Trinidad & Tobago will have the chance to equal or better its Pan Am Games record of 7 medals in the 4x100 and 4x400 relay finals. Emile Abraham will also compete in the cycling men’s road race and the men’s field hockey team face Cuba in the 7^th -8^th round match.

FAVOURED MEDALLIST Machel Cedenio lived up to the hype when he blasted Trinidad and Tobago to Pan American Men’s 400 metre silver at the CIBC Athletics Stadium in Toronto, Canada, yesterday.

In the hotly-contested final, Cedenio finished in a time of 44.70 seconds to grab a well deserved runner-up spot behind the eventual winner Luguelin Santos of the Dominican Republic, who produced a season’s best time of 44.56 seconds to take the gold. Claiming bronze was American Kyle Clemons, who stopped the clock in a personal best time of 44.84s. TT’s Jarrin Solomon missed out on medalling as he was fifth overall in 45.20s.

Cedenio now joins golden girl Cleopatra Borel (Shot Put), silver medallist Njisane Phillip (Men’s Cycling Sprint) and bronze receiver George Bovell III (Men’s 50m freestyle) with TT 2015 Pan American Games podium places.

Cedenio will now benefit from the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee’s (TTOC) medal bonus by pocketing US$2,000 for his silver-medal performance. In the Men’s 200m, Rondel Sorrillo and Kyle Greaux were both unable to progress out of their respective semi-finals, as regional rival Rasheed Dwyer (Jamaica) smashed a 44-year Pan American record with a blistering 19.80s clocking in the first heat, while Greaux placed seventh in 20.69s.

In this record-breaking race, American Wallace Spearmon (20.03) clocked a season’s best, while Antiguan Miguel Francis (20.05) and Cuban Reynier Mena (20.32) clocked personal best times.

In the second semi-final, Sorillo also had a tough time progressing after placing sixth in 20.61. However, Cuban Roberto Skyers (20.09) and the Dominican Republic’s Yancarlos Martinez (20.22) also achieved personal best times. Prior to their elimination, Greaux advanced out of heat two of the first round in 20.75 while Sorrillo moved on in heat three with a time of 20.63.

In the women’s equivalent, Reyare Thomas qualified for today’s final after clocking the eighth fastest time (22.88) in the semi-finals. She placed fifth in the second ‘semi’ while Kamaria Durant was unable to advance out her the first, placing fourth in 22.94s. Durant was expected to reach the final however, having clocked a personal best time (22.74) in heat two. Thomas (23.30) on the other hand, advanced out of heat one with the third fastest time. And in Men’s field hockey action, the TT unit went down 1-2 to the USA. Forward William Holt put the Americans ahead in the 27th minute but TT quickly answered back nine minutes later with a goal from striker Tariq Marcano. However, the national outfit was unable to push on as they had another goal fly past custodian Andre Rocke in the 38th minute from Tyler Sundeen.

Today, Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott and Shackiel Waithe will compete in the men’s Javelin final.

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Machel Cedenio added to Trinidad and Tobago’s medal bag at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, yesterday. The 19-year-old athlete clocked 44.70 seconds to seize silver in the men’s 400 metres event.

Dominican Republic’s 2012 Olympic silver medallist Luguelin Santos was golden this time, capturing the title with a 44.56 run. The bronze medal was bagged by Kyle Clemons in 44.84, the American just getting the better of Costa Rica’s Nery Brenes (44.85).

The other T&T quarter-miler in the final, Jarrin Solomon completed his lap of the track in 45.20 seconds to finish fifth.

Cedenio’s silver takes the T&T medal haul in Toronto to four, adding to Cleopatra Borel’s women’s shot put gold, cyclist Njisane Phillip’s men’s sprint silver, and swimmer George Bovell’s men’s 50m freestyle bronze.

Cedenio, the 2014 world junior champion, is only the fourth T&T athlete in Pan Am Games history to earn a 400m medal.

Basil Ince was the first. His silver, though, was as part of the British West Indies team that represented the region in 1959. Cliff Bertrand claimed bronze in 1963. And in 1991, Ian Morris snapped up silver in the one-lap event.

Bertrand has three Pan Am medals. One of them, however, was as part of the men’s 4x100m British West Indies team in 1959. In addition to his 400 bronze in T&T colours in 1963, he took home bronze in the sprint relay.

Reyare Thomas qualified for today’s women’s 200m final when she clocked a wind-aided 22.88 seconds for fifth spot in the second semifinal. She progressed to the 5.40pm championship race as a “fastest loser”.

Thomas’ T&T teammate, Kamaria Durant was fourth in the opening semi in 22.94. The clocking was not fast enough to earn her a lane in the championship race.

Durant was on fire in the first round. She won heat two in a personal best 22.74 seconds, but could not repeat that performance in the semis and was eliminated.

In the opening first round heat, Thomas was third in 23.30.

T&T’s Quincy Wilson finished 10th in yesterday’s men’s discus event with a 43.65 metres throw.

T&T will not be represented in the men’s 200m final. In the semi-final round, Rondel Sorrillo finished sixth in heat two in 20.61 seconds, and Kyle Greaux was seventh in heat one in 20.69. Jamaican Rasheed Dwyer assumed the favourite’s mantle when he won the opening semi in a personal best 19.80--a new Pan Am Games record.

In round one, Greaux secured an automatic semi-final berth when he finished third in heat two in 20.75 seconds. Sorrillo, fifth in heat three in 20.63, advanced as a “fastest loser”.

Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott is tipped for gold in today’s men’s javelin. His T&T teammate, Shakiel Waithe is also in the field. The event is scheduled to start at 5.35pm.

At 10.20 this morning, Mikel Thomas competes in the opening round of the men’s 110m hurdles.

Walcott’s elder brother, Elton Walcott will bid for honours in the men’s triple jump. That event starts at 11.35am.

The Red, White and Black will also be on show today in the four relay events. The men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m teams will bid for championship race berths.

At 9.00am tomorrow, the T&T men’s hockey team will do battle with Cuba in the seventh-place playoff. Yesterday, United States edged T&T 2-1, and Mexico got the better of the Cubans 3-1.

United States went ahead in the 27th minute through William Holt. Tariq Marcano struck back for T&T in the 36th. But just two minutes later, Tyler Sundeen restored the lead for the Americans.

T&T and Cuba battled to a 2-2 draw when they met in a Pool “A” match, last week.

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Thursday July 23^rd, Toronto, Canada– World Junior Champion Machel Cedenio finished second, claiming a silver medal for Trinidad and Tobago in the men’s 400 metre final with a time of 44.70. Fellow quarter miler Jarrin Solomon was 5^th in 45.20. Trinidad and Tobago’s medal total at this year’s Pan Am Games now stands at four thanks to the efforts of Cedenio, Cleopatra Borel, Njisane Phillip and George Bovell. Cedenio like Phillip will also receive the silver medal bonus from the 10Golds24 Athlete Welfare and Preparation fund.

Following his run he said, “This feels good. I’m satisfied with my run. Thank god I came out injury free.” Cedenio expressed surprise at the medal bonus programme from the TTOC saying, “That’s really good. It’s extra motivation to climb the podium.” World Champs and Stockholm are up next for this young champion and newly minted Pan Am Silver medallist.

Compatriot Solomon also took heart in his performance saying, “I’m in good shape and I’m ready to run fast at worlds. It will happen. I can run the times the medallists are running.”

In the women’s 200m Kamaria Durant finished 4^th in her semi-final heat in a time of 22.94, while Reyare Thomas finished 5^th in a time of 22.88. Thomas will advance to tomorrow’s final as one of the two fastest losers. Earlier in the day, Durant ran a new personal best in qualifications with a time 22.74. Following that race she said,  “The sun was really hot but I’m really happy I was able to overcome the heat and run a personal best. Hopefully I can go faster and cut that time down in the semis.” Unfortunately Durant wasn’t able to do so and will not advance to the finals.

Over on the men’s side Kyle Greaux and Rondel Sorillo were unable to advance to the final.  Greaux finished 7^th in semi final one in a time of 20.69. The winner of that race Jamaican Richard Dwyer broke the 44-year-old Pan Am record with a time of 19.80. Rondel Sorillo finished 6^th in semi final two with a time of 20.61. Following his race Sorillo said, “I felt flat. Today wasn’t a good day. Relays are next.”

In the discus, Quincy Wilson finished 10^th. Of his performance he said, “It wasn’t great. I had nothing to lose but unfortunately I wasn’t on my A game.” Out in field hockey, the men’s team lost their 5^th to 8^th round match against the United States 2-1.

Track and field action continues tomorrow with relay qualifications and the men’s javelin final featuring national record holder, Keshorn Walcott.