media_artricles :: 2014

Walcott, Lalonde struggle at Diamond League

T&T Olympians Keshorn Walcott and Lalonde Gordon both struggled in their respective disciplines when the IAAF Diamond League continued in Eugene, Oregon, yesterday. Walcott, who won gold at the 2012 London Olympics, finished seventh in the men’s javelin event, this time with a 75.50m throw, a step back from his 83.94m meet-winning effort at the IAAF World Challenge, in Beijing, China, two weeks ago. Walcott started with two faults and his third attempt was not good enough to put him among the top six, who were given a further three throws. In the end, Vitezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic won the event with a 83.75 throw, which put him on five points to remain the Diamond League javelin leader. Andreas Thorkildsen (80.52) and Dmitriy Tarabin (80.28) placed second and third, respectively.

Meanwhile, Gordon, T&T’s double bronze medalist, suffered bitter disappointment after he was unable to finish the 400m dash after pulling up with an injury. Grenada’s Olympic champion Kirani James and Lashawn Merritt of the USA, who held the world leading mark, both crossed the line in 43.97 in a new world leading tie. Finishing third was Youssef Ahmed Masrahi of Saudi Arabia, who clocked 44.77. In other Diamond League results, Jamaica’s Novlene Williams-Mills claimed the women’s 400m with a 50.40-second finish, ahead of USA’s Francena McCorory (50.53) and another Jamaican Stephanie McPherson (50.63). Jamaica also came up big in the women’s 400m hurdles, via Kaliese Spencer who took her Diamond League points tally to six with win in a world leading time of 54.29. USA’s Kori Carter (55.22) and Tiffany Williams (55.97) finished well behind in second and third. In the men’s 110m (wind +0.8), Pascal Martinot-Lagarde of France placed first in a world leading 13.13 mark, and was followed by Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment (13.20) and USA’s David Oliver (13.21), in second and third, respectively.

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