media_artricles :: 2018

Relay men, women 4th

Waithe disappointed with 7th place

As the curtain comes down on the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia, T&T's athletes recorded two fourth place finishes in the relay events at the Carrara Stadium yesterday.

Reigning men's World 4x400 metres relay champion team T&T challenged for gold with the quartet of Deon Lendore (1st leg), Jereem Richards (2nd), Renny Quow (3rd) and Machel Cedenio (anchor) from lane one yesterday, after placing fourth in Friday's semi-final.

Lendore, who missed out of the team's 2017 success because of injury, set out to make amends with a strong performance out the starting blocks and a successful exchange to Richards, who put T&T into the lead in the second leg and Quow kept up before he handed over to Cedenio, but T&T lost the lead and never recovered despite the fight back inside the final 80 metres.

In the end, Botswana was not to be denied the gold medal after posting 3:01.78 seconds with the Bahamas second (3:01.92) and Jamaica third 3:01.97. T&T had to settle for fourth in 3:02.85 seconds.

Asked about what happened in the race afterwards, Cedenio told Guardian Media Sports, "I was hit in the handover from Renny, then at the 200-metre mark I was bumped and in the final back straight I got boxed in, but that is relay running there is not much you can do when that happens because it is like you have to stop and start over all the time."

Lendore added, "We gave of our best, we fought hard. The video will show that everybody ran as hard as possible. We came here expecting gold but we fell short today."

Meanwhile, Richards said, "I think it was a good run from us, a valiant effort and a good fight. I'm not disappointed because we put our best foot forward today, but it was not for us today."

So far, the 51-member contingent has won two gold medals - Michelle-Lee Ahye became the first T&T female to win 100 metres gold after clocking 11.14 seconds in the final, Jereem Richards won the men's 200 metres gold in 20.12 second and swimmer Dyland Carter won T&T's first ever silver in the 50 metres butterfly race in 23.67 seconds.

Results of Men's 4x400 metres

• 1. Botswana – 3.01.78
• 2. Bahamas – 3.01.92
• 3. Jamaica – 3.01.97
• 4. T&T – 3.02.85
• 5. Fiji – 3.15.10
• 6. Turks & CI – 3.16.39
• 7. India – DNF
• 8. Kenya – DQ

Relay women finish 4th

T&T women's 4x100 metres team of Khalifa St Fort (1st leg), Semoy Hackett (2nd leg), Reyare Thomas (3rd Leg) with Kai Selvon (anchor) finished in a time of 43.50 seconds for fourth place running from lane eight.

England secured the gold medal after crossing the line in 42.46 seconds, holding off Jamaica (42.52) and Nigeria secured the bronze in 42.75 seconds.

St Fort said afterwards, "I felt great, I thought the start was very good. Semoy and I had a little issue with the pass but we got the baton around and that was important to achieve. In the end we came out here and we gave our best. However, our best today was fourth."

Asked if the team missed Michelle-Lee Ahye, Hackett said, "I am not sure if we missed her but whatever team the coaches send out there should be able to get the job done and get the stick around."

Thomas added, "We're sad we did not win a medal. From the warm up to when I collected the baton to the end of the race I really felt we could win a medal, but it was not to be today."

Selvon, who just returned from a long injuries lay-off expressed, how proud she was to wear the national colours.

She said, "I did the best I could today. We all wanted to win a medal."

Women's 4x100m relay final

• 1. England – 42.46
• 2. Jamaica – 42.52
• 3. Nigeria – 42.75
• 4. T&T – 43.50
• 5. Ghana – 43.64
• 6. Cameroon – 45.24
• Australia –DQ
• Bahamas – DNS

Waithe finishes in 7th place

Shakeil Waithe finished in seventh place from a field on 12 challengers in the men's javelin final after a best throw of 76.85 metres. The performance was an improvement from his 75.20 metre Group A qualifying throw the day before.

The gold medal was won by India's Neeraj Chopa, who threw the iron spear 86.47 metres, while home-town stand-out Hamish Peacock was second behind an 82.59 metres throw and Grenada's Anderson Peters secured the bronze after an effort of 82.20 metres.

Speaking afterwards, Waithe, 22, told Guardian Media Sports, "I'm not happy with just making the final because that was not objective. I wanted to medal, that was the plan or throw something better than I did previously."

Men's Javelin final

• 1. Neeraj Chopra – 86.47
• 2. Hamish Peacock – 82.59
• 3. Anderson Peters – 82.20
• 4. Phil-Mar Janse van Rensburg 79.83
• 5. Vpin Kashana – 77.87
• 6. Luke Cann – 76.99
• 7. Shakeil Waithe – 76.85

Nero goes marathon hunting today

Marathon runner Tonya Nero goes into action today seeking her firts Commonwealth Games medal in Australia in the women's 26.2 miles run. Speaking to Guardian Media Sports yesterday she said, "I'm feeling good and I am ready to run. I like the course and I'm looking forward to a nice to run along the coastline."

Nero's coach at the Games is Dexter Voisin, a for national marathoner and distance runner himself. He said, "She is healthly, no complaints and her preparations in Australia went as planned. We are hoping that the conditions in the morning is manageable. A personal best would be pleasing because the competition will be keen. She has improved in her recent run Dubai and she's looking forward to compete against the Africans. We're praying that all goes well."

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