media_artricles :: 2014

Borel, Gordon light up T&T camp with medals

The cold Scottish air could not cool down Cleopatra Borel and Lalonde Gordon as the duo went on to nab two more medals to make it three for T&T at the Commonwealth Games, yesterday. This was at Hampden Park Stadium in Glasgow.

Borel copped the silver in the women’s shot put event while Gordon bagged the bronze in the men’s 400 metres final.

“It feels awesome I’m really proud and happy to bring a medal home for T&T. For our team, each medal is precious so to be able to do my job I feel happy. I wish that I could do more,” said a beaming Borel, whose second attempt of 18.57 metres brought glory.

Despite being happy with her medal, Borel was her biggest critic, still feeling that she could have done better.

“Today I was not technically strong like I have been in the last couple of weeks.

She also confessed that she tried too hard on the last throw to get past Valerie Adams of New Zealand, the Olympic and world champion, whose second toss won her the gold, saying: “I ended up on the floor.”

Canadian Julie Labonte took the bronze with a season’s best 17.58.

T&T’s other competitor in the event, Annie Alexander fouled on each of her three attempts.

The temperature dropped to 16 degrees Celsius but the track was left scorching after the 400m final. Gordon crossed in 44.78 seconds behind favourite and eventual gold medallist Kirani James (44.24) of Grenada and South African Wayde van Niekerk (44.68), who won the silver.

“I kept telling myself keep going, keep going. My hamstring was a little tight from the cold but I decided to take it easy and feed off the crowd and it worked for me,” said Gordon.

T&T’ other finalists Jarrin Solomon placed sixth while Renny Quow pulled up some 150 metres from the line, holding his left thigh and limped off.

“We were hoping for a one-two-three like the Jamaicans girls but it didn’t happen I am just happy to make the country proud again.”

Gordon, Solomon and Quow are members of the 4x400m team which is expected to race tomorrow in the relays.

Gordon, who was seen chatting with Quow, as he limped off the track assured that Quow is fine. “He just felt a little tightness because of the coldness.

“We have a good team. I feel we will take the gold,” said Gordon.

Jehue Gordon cruised into the final of the 400m hurdles, clocking 49.42 to top the opening heat while Emanuel Mayers’ 50.51 was not quick enough to get him into the medal race.

Gordon, the world champion, got out well from the blocks cleared each hurdle with such that it was clear to see he would take the heat easily, basically strolling over the line.

The world champion said it was not as easy as it looked, having to battle with the chill that had moved in for much of the morning session.

“It’s my first Commonwealth Games. And it’s just to give my best. It was a good race, executed good with a few minor mistakes but that could be sorted out,” said Gordon.

“The final is about the best execution I could.” He will get that chance today at 3.15 pm.

He noted that the local camp got thirsty for medals after Ayanna Alexander won this country’s first medal on Tuesday.

“People want medals. The team hasn’t been performing the way the public expected but it’s just the way how sport is. Nothing is guaranteed and at the end of day, it is the best of the region we are competing against.”

Alexander was back in action yesterday in the long jump. However, she was unable to make it out of the qualification round. Her best jump was 5.77 which placed her 13th.

Deandra Daniel also attempted the high jump but fell short. She cleared the bar at 1.76m to place 17th.

Both Kyle Greaux and Rondell Sorillo got through to the 200m semifinals round, with the former returning a time of 20.79 to finish third in the 10th and final heat as one of the fastest losers. Sorillo took the final qualifying spot in 20.98 also placing third in the second heat.

Jereem Richards was eliminated despite finishing third in heat three in 21.13.

In the women’s version, Reyare Thomas qualified for the semifinals, clocking 23.25 to finish third in heat two. She will line up in second semifinal heat from lane eight today at 1.13 (T&T time)

Aleena Brooks, the lone local runner in the 800m, made an early exit, crossing in 2:06.33 to place sixth in her heat and was 21st overall.

Table Tennis

Dexter St Louis and his step-daughter Rheann Chung suffered a 3-1 (11-4, 11-9, 9-11, 11-4) beating by Indian duo Amlaraj Anthony Arputhara and Suhas Madhurika Patkar in the round of 32 mixed doubles competition.

Earlier, the T&T duo beat Dinesh Deshappriya and Hansani Piumila of Sri Lanka to advance from the round of 64.

In the round of 128 of the mixed doubles, T&T pair Aaron Wilson and Catherine Spicer beat Kane Watson and Yvonne Foster of Jamaica, 3-0 (11-9, 11-9, 11-7).

Curtis Humphreys and Ashley Quashie fell to Wales Conor Edwards and Angharad Phillips, 3-2 (5-11), 7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-8) while Aleena Edwards and Yuvraaj Dookram suffered the same fate to S Akayade and Celia Baah-Danso (3-2), 11-8, 3-11, 13-15, 11-7, 11-3.

Squash

Colin Ramasra and Kale Wilson lost to Scott Fitzgerald and David Haley, (2-0) 11-3, 11-6 group play in the men’s doubles competition.

In the women’s doubles, local duo Charlotte Knaggs and Kerri Sample failed to make it out of the Pool stages, losing their final two matches to Lynette Val and Eli Webb of Papua Nu Guinea, 2-1 (11-6, 10-11, 11-10) and Englishwomen Jenny Duncalf and Laura Massaro 2-0 (11-2, 11-4).

While in the mixed doubles, Ramasra partnered with Sample and topped Xavier Koeni and Vanessa Florens (Mauritius), 2-0 (11-3, 11-5) to have a win and a loss following Tuesday’s defeat to England.

Netball

The national netball team heads back to the SECC today to face hosts Scotland in the ninth and 10th playoff match in the 12-team competition. Also Barbados will battle St Lucia in the 11th and 12th playoff match.

Boxing

Aaron Prince’s journey at the 20th edition of the games came to end when he was beaten by Indian fighter Vijender Singh in the middleweight (75 kg) division in a unanimous decision.

Medals Standings

Team G S B
England 38 35 32
Australia 35 32 39
Canada 22 7 22
Scotland 13 12 14
New Zealand 12 10 14
India 10 19 12
South Africa 9 10 12
Nigeria 6 5 8
Kenya 5 5 2
Jamaica 5 3 4
Wales 4 10 13
Singapore 4 1 1
Malaysia 3 5 5
Cyprus 2 3 2
Cameroon 1 3 2
Papua N’Guinea 1 1 0
Grenada 1 0 1
Kiribati 1 0 0
Pakistan 0 2 1
Samoa 0 2 1
T&T 0 1 2
Northern Ireland 0 1 1
Sri Lanka 0 1 0
Isle of Man 0 1 0
Bangladesh 0 1 0
Bahamas 0 1 0
Mozambique 0 1 0
Namibia 0 0 2
Fiji 0 0 1
Uganda 0 0 1
Mauritius 0 0 1
Ghana 0 0 1
Barbados 0 0 1
Zambia 0 0 1

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