media_artricles :: 2013

Lalonde 5th, Walcott 6th in Shanghai

Lalonde Gordon finished fifth in the men’s 400 metres event, at the IAAF Shanghai Diamond League meet, in China, yesterday.

The Trinidad and Tobago athlete got home in 46.39 seconds.

The race was an Olympic rematch, featuring Grenadian gold medallist Kirani James, silver medallist Luguelin Santos of Dominican Republic, and Gordon, the bronze medallist at London 2012.

Again, it was James who triumphed, the reigning Olympic champion topping the Shanghai field in a blistering 44.02 seconds—a meet record and the fastest time in the world this year.

American LaShawn Merritt, the 2008 Olympic gold medallist, clocked 44.60 to finish second. Santos was third in 45.11, while fourth spot was copped by Belgian Jonathan Borlee (45.57).

For the second time in as many Diamond League outings, Olympic men’s javelin champion Keshorn Walcott finished sixth.

The 20-year-old T&T field athlete threw 79.02 metres.

Two Fridays ago, Walcott produced a 79.79m effort to secure sixth spot at the Doha Diamond League meet, in Qatar.

One week earlier, Walcott opened his 2013 campaign with victory at the inaugural TnT Elite Twilight Games, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, the 2012 world junior champion landing the spear 84.39m.

In Shanghai, Finland’s Tero Pitkamaki emerged victorious with an 87.60m effort—the best throw in the world this year. Czech thrower Vitezslav Vesely (86.67m) and Russian Dmitriy Tarabin (85.36m) finished second and third, respectively.

T&T’s Cleopatra Borel was unplaced in the women’s shot put. She fouled her first two attempts and passed in round three to end the competition with no measured throws.

Germany’s Christina Schwanitz threw the iron ball a personal best 20.20m to strike gold. China’s Lijiao Gong earned silver with a 19.73m effort, while bronze was bagged by American Michelle Carter (18.83m).

Top