media_artricles :: 2012

Gordon secures Olympic 400 berth

Trinidad and Tobago's Lalonde Gordon earned the right to compete in the men's 400 metres event at the 2012 London Olympics when he stopped the clock at a personal best 45.02 seconds at the United States National Club Track and Field Championships, in Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday.

Gordon's clocking was 28-hundredths of a second faster than the 45.30 Olympic "A" standard.

Two weeks ago, Gordon won the national title with a 45.40 seconds run at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. However, since T&T already had two "A" qualifiers--Renny Quow and Deon Lendore—Gordon's "B" time triumph was not enough to secure a spot on the Olympic team for the one-lap event. He was selected on the 4x400m relay squad.

Gordon, though, has put things right, a dominant performance for his New York club, Zenith Velocity, ensuring that the Lowlands Tobago athlete will represent the Red, White and Black in the individual 400 in London.

Gordon seized early control in Friday's one-lap race, opening up a huge lead on the back straight. The 23-year-old came off the final turn with only the clock to challenge him.

He widened the gap on the home straight for a crushing victory, crossing the finish line with some 12 metres of daylight to spare on American Terrance Livingston, the runner-up in 46.61 seconds.

Gordon completed an impressive double, yesterday, winning the 200m final in 20.63 seconds. Jamaican Jermaine Brown (20.72) and American Christopher Williams (20.77) finished second and third, respectively.

Another T&T athlete, Central Park Track Club's Adrian Crichlow copped fifth spot in 21.70.

In the half-lap qualifying round, Gordon topped heat two in 20.78 seconds to lead all qualifiers into the final.

Crichlow was third in the same race and fifth overall in 21.89.

On Friday, T&T/Central Park sprinter, Andre Marcano finished third in heat one in the men's 100m preliminaries in 10.54 seconds to qualify for the final as a "fastest loser".

He was disqualified, however, in the championship race.

Marcano had the consolation of earning gold in yesterday's 4x100m relay, as part of the Central Park team. The Central Park quartet clocked 42.57 seconds.

Crichlow was a member of the Central Park team that struck gold in the 4x400m relay in three minutes, 11.95 seconds. And in the 1600m sprint medley relay, Crichlow helped Central Park to gold in 3:28.72.

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