media_artricles :: 2012

“Where did he learn the art of such a Finnish speciality?”

Trinidad Javelin Throwers

The Olympic victory of Keshorn Walcott in the javelin throw was a bolt from the blue in the London stadium already familiar with another Bolt from Jamaica. Like the superb 800m world record run of Kenyan David Rudisha who led from gun to finish, Keshie also took charge of his final from the start and remained ahead of the field. And what a field it was, including defending Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen from Norway and three representatives from Finland. Since Walcott is only the second athlete from outside Europe to win javelin gold in Olympic history, this led well known athletics historian Roberto Quercetani to ask: “Where did he learn the art of such a Finnish speciality?” Since the answer is evidently Trinidad and Tobago, a brief look at the progress of javelin throwing in the country might be interesting.

The javelin was officially introduced to local meetings in 1949 at the end of which the record was held by QRC athlete William Donawa at 160-9 (49.00), with Police champion Constable Redmond who reached 159-0 (48.46) not far behind.

Carlton Clarke then improved it to 168-1 (51.24) in 1950 and 190-1.5 (57.95) in 1953, before Donawa unleashed a throw of 204-5 (62.30) at Southern Games 1954 to regain the record and at the same time become the first over 200 feet (60.96).

This record remained intact for 13 years, despite the best efforts of several throwers. Among these were policeman Hugh Garrick, British West Indies (BWI) Champion in 1957, with a personal best of 191-2 (58.26) in 1959, and Fijian born Winston Thompson (b 8 July 1940) an agriculture faculty student at the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, who was BWI Champion in 1960 with his career best of 203-9 (62.10) and took four straight national titles from 1959 to 1962.

Finally in 1967 Harold Roberts brought the record to 216-9 (66.07), and this lasted another 18 years, during which time official measurements had moved from feet to metres.

Then in 1985 Wesley Francis added over eight metres to the record set by Roberts with a throw of 74.50m. To the end of the eighties only Joseph Antoine with 67.64 in 1986 and Kurt Thompson (b 13 December 1967) with 69.43 in 1988 came within sight of it.

The record of Francis survived 5 years, until the 1990 CAC Games when Thompson threw 75.39 at Mexico City to win the bronze medal. This athlete, who had studied at Ashland University and represented TT at the 1991 Pan American Games (9th with 66.56) and at the 1996 Olympic Games (68.02 in qualifying round), further upped the record to 78.06 in 1996.

This second Thompson record lasted 16 years until Keshorn Walcott (b 2 April 1993) threw 78.94 on 19 May 2012. A converted jumper from Toco, he had first emerged on the scene in 2010 when throwing 67.01 to win the CAC Junior title, then the following year at Montego Bay he took the Carifta Junior title with 72.04 (his first official 70 metres throw) and improved his personal best as the year progressed to 72.50, to 72.87 and to 75.77, when finishing seventh at the 2011 Pan American Games.

After setting his first national record with 78.94 at the Quantum Classic in May 2012, Walcott added over five metres to it in the course of the year recording 80.11 in Havana (May), 82.83 at the CAC Junior championships in San Salvador (July) and then 83.51 and 84.58 in the first two rounds of the Olympic final in London (August).

With the material rewards promised (cash, house, land, university scholarship) and the first honours poured on him (aircraft, lighthouse and school bearing his name, national award) Keshorn Walcott, who also won the world junior title in July at Barcelona (78.64), has maintained a level head after surprising many by qualifying for the Olympic final, and then shocking the athletics world (and himself) by winning the Olympic gold medal.

Looking ahead the proposed athletics centre to be set up at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), the upgrading of sports facilities at Toco Secondary School and a new interest in javelins at sports equipment shops are encouraging signs..

However, it is up to our coaches, athletes and their parents to build on the solid foundation laid by Keshorn Walcott and his coaches John Andalcio and Ismael Lopez to bring the level of local javelin throwing to even higher levels.

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