media_artricles :: 2014

Ahye helps Americas to victory in big return

...Borel, Walcott in action today

Michelle-Lee Ahye made a strong return from injury yesterday when she placed second in the women’s 100m representing the Americas before helping the same team to a win in the women’s 4x100m on the first day of the IAAF Continental Cup, in Morocco. In the 100m event, Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown won the race comfortably in 11.08 seconds, ahead of Ahye, who crossed in 11.25. Ahye made the return after suffering a hamstring injury after winning a European sprint double, which then worsened at the subsequent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, which she was forced to pull out of.

Ahye, yesterday, edged Dafne Schippers (Europe) of the Netherlands who finished third in 11.26. Both Ahye and Campbell-Brown later returned for the penultimate event of the night in the women’s 4x100m relay final, where they partnered with Tianna Bartoletta and Samantha Henry-Robinson to win in 42.44. Europe finished second in 42.98 seconds. Asia-Pacific closed way behind in 45.40 seconds for third, while Africa failed to finish.

Another T&T runner representing the Americas, Richard Thompson, was disappointing in the men’s 100m, finishing eighth and last in 10.24. Europe took the win via Briton James Basaolu in a 10.03 finish. Mike Rodgers (Americas) and Femi Ogunode (Asia-Pacific) both clocked 10.04 seconds, for second and third, respectively. However, Thompson did return in the final event of the night, the men’s 4x100m relay and anchored the team which comprised three Caribbean runners to another win. The Americas team, which also included Kim Collins (St Kitts), Nesta Cater (Jamaica) and Mike Rodgers (USA), clocked 37.97 seconds, a personal best for the continental team. Europe finished second in 38.62 seconds, followed by Africa and Asia-Pacific in 39.10 and 39.50 seconds, respectively. After 20 events, Europe led the standings with 222.5 points. Americas closed the day in second place with 191 points; Africa third with 164 points and Asia-Pacific fourth with 137.5 points.

Today, Cleopatra Borel and Keshorn Walcott will represent the Americas in the women’s shot put and men’s javelin, respectively. Out of the eight athletes featuring in the women’s shot put, Borel, who has seen improved form in recent weeks, has the sixth furthest season best out of the eight throwers. New Zealand’s Valerie Adams, the runaway Diamond League winner, is favoured to win the event for Asia-Pacific. Her season best is 20.67m, while Borel’s top mark this year is 19.13m. Walcott and fellow Americas representative Tim Glover (USA) will also have their hands full against a strong line-up in the javelin. Walcott’s season and personal best is 85.77m, while Egypt’s Ihab Abdelrahman El Sayed threw the furthest of the lot this year with a personal best 89.21m mark.

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