media_artricles :: 2014

'Kind of iffy'

Lendore doubtful for Commonwealth Games

Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic medallist Deon Lendore has expressed doubt about his participation in the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasglow, Scotland. “The Commonwealth Games right now is a kind of iffy situation, because this season I have really been hitting it hard,” said Lendore.

“I went from being number one indoor where I’ve been running some fast times back-to-back, to coming outdoor and dropping some serious time.” Lendore, who ran the second fastest time in the world this year to claim 400m gold in 44.36 over the weekend, says a hectic college season will leave him at a disadvantage.

The 21-year-old athlete’s achievement for his school Texas A&M earned him hero status for rewriting a 45-year-old record. Although he ran for Texas A&M, Lendore’s performance had booked him a place on the national team for the Commonwealth Games.

“I have been running a lot of races compared to everybody else. Then at the NCAA Championships, I will be running like six races. I don’t think I will be in the shape,” said Lendore “Everybody else (is) not running the collegiate circuit. They don’t know how hard I have it right now to be running all these races.”

Earlier, the Trinidadian quarter miler anchored the Texas A&M four by one hundred metre team to gold to help his school finish first on the men’s points table. Lendore said his attention will now shift to the Regional Championships where he is expected to compete in several races.

“Within a month, I’m going to run like 12, 13, 14 races,” he said. “Everybody else will have like two races. I will be at a disadvantage. I will be tired. I won’t be able to give it my all”. The XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, is scheduled to start in July.

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