media_artricles :: 2014

Smith and Ryce top world rankings

On December 22, 2014 the Guardian published the first of its sports series reviews for 2014. Today we continue with Part 2 of Track and Field.

T&T’s Masters (over 35) athletes been shining on the world stage in recent years and 2014 was no different. Gwendolyn Smith and Martin Prime started the year in style winning gold at the World Indoor Masters Championships in Budapest, Hungary in March. Smith captured women’s 45-49 javelin title with an impressive effort of 45.35m, the best distance by a local woman for 2014. Prime sprinted away with the men’s 50-54 60m sprint crown and was also second in the 200m. Smith also showed her mettle against her much younger rivals taking third in the women’s shot put at the President’s Classic in June.

At the National Champs she was fourth in the javelin and seventh in the shot put. Her World Indoor winning distance of 45.35m propel to the number one position of the World women’s 45-49 javelin standings, a position she maintained to the end the year. The former West Indies women’s cricket also competed in the women’s 50-54 age class and again dominated the rankings ended the year on the top in the shot put and javelin throws. Her winning efforts in shot put (13.60m) and javelin (40.97m) at the North Central and Caribbean World Master Association (NCCWMA) Regional Champs in Costa Rica in August was enough to propel her to World leading status. Smith is five-time World Masters Champion.

Meanwhile, Prime ended the year at number four in the 100m (11.45sec) and number six in the 200m (23.86sec) in the men’s 50-54 age class as his sped to gold in both events at the NCCWMA Regionals. He is also at 11th in the 400m (54.26 sec) following his bronze medal run in the event in Costa Rica. Philbert Ryce sits on top of the men’s 40-44 200m listing with his 22.09 sec run in sprinting to gold at in Costa Rica. Ryce is also second in the 100m (10.93 sec) enroute to winning in Costa Rica ahead of Albert St Louis who is third in the standing with 10.94 sec.

Though not coming among the masters, two-time CAC Games champion Cleopatra Borel is at number one in the women’s 35-39 shot put performance list with her 19.13m effort at the Brussels Diamond League Leg in Brussels on September 5.

Oswald Rogers is world ranked in five events (men’s 75-79 100m-18th-14.72 sec, 200-10th-30.58 sec, 400m-10th-1min 13.82 sec, 400m—22nd-1 min 17.51 sec, 300m hurdles-59.91 sec and long jump-15th-4.03m) while Lester Herbert (men’s 50-54 21st-100m-11.95 sec, 23rd-200m-24.57sec, 10th-long jump-6.03m), Robert Stevenson (men’s 75-79 100m-21st 14.93sec, 200m-14th-31.00sec, 400m-10th-1 min13.82sec) are world rated in three events.

Reigning World Outdoor Masters gold medallists Rodney Liverpool and Andi Montique are among several local masters competitors who are listed in two events on the World rankings. Liverpool is at sixth in the men’s 35-39 high jump (1.95m) and 24th in the long jump (6.32). Liverpool won both events in Costa Rica. Andi Montique is at fourth in the men’s 45-49 100m (11.30) and 14th in the 200m (23.70). Montique won the 200m and was second in the 100m Costa Rica. Monica Tang Wing is at ninth in the women’s 75-79 100m (18.56) and 200m (40.61) with her second place finishes in both sprints at the Huntsman World Senior Games in St George, Utah, USA. Dave Massiah is at 14th and 21st in the men’s 55-59 400m (57.75sec)and 200m (25.47 sec) sprints while Joyce Thomas is at 21st (shot put-8.60m) and 23rd (discus-21.87m) in the women’s 65-69 division.

Other local athletes listed in the top 50 in the world in their events are Ahmad Ah Siddiq (14th-men’s 65-69 400m-1 min 04.3 sec), Jules La Rode (16th-men’s 1500m- 4 min 13.36sec), Peter Springer (20th-men’s 35-39 high jump-1.80m), Irvin Thomas (22nd-men’s 50-54 100m-11.96sec), Irma Riley (22nd-women’s 70-74 javelin-16.75m), Wade Franklyn (31st-men’s shot put-13.62m).

Masters athletes have excelled without recognition by the local track and field governing body, NAAA. Hopefully by their performances the perception that masters athletics is for competitors who did not achieve in their younger days will be changed and the the NAAA will recognise their efforts at their annual awards functions.

T&T rankers on 2014 World Masters (35+) Track and Field

35-39
Men
High jump: 6th-Rodney Liverpool 1.95, NCCWMA NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa Rica, Aug 21-24; 20th-Peter Springer 1.80, NCCWMA NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa Rica, Aug 21-24.

Long Jump: 24th-Rodney Liverpool 6.32,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

Women
Shot put: 1st-Cleopatra Borel 19.13, Diamond League, Sep 05

40-44
Men
100m: 2nd-Philbert Ryce 10.93, Open National Champs, Jun 21; 3rd-Albert St. Louis 10.94,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24;

200m: 1st Philbert Ryce 22.09,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

1500m: 16th-Jules La Rode 4:13.36,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

45-49
Men
100m: 4th-Andi Montique 11.30,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

200m: 14th-Andi Montique 23.70,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

Women
Javelin: 1st-Gwendolyn Smith 45.35, World Indoors Champs, Budapest, Hungary, March

50-54
Men
100m: 4th-Martin Prime 11.45, NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24; 21st-Lester Herbert 11.95,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24; 22nd-Irvin Thomas 11.96 ,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

200m: 6th-Martin Prime 23.86,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24; 23rd-Lester Herbert 24.57,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

400m: 11th-Martin Prime 54.26,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

Long Jump: 10th-Lester Herbert 6.03, Hunstman Senior Games GR

Women
Shot put: 1st-Gwendolyn Smith 13.60,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

Javelin: 1st-Gwendolyn Smith 40.97, Regional Games

50-54
Men
Shot put: 31st-Wade Franklyn 13.62,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

55-59
Men
200m: 21st-Dave Massiah 25.47,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

400m: 14th-Dave Massiah 57.75,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

Shot put: 119th-James Bristol 10.34,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

65-69
Men
400m: 14th-Ahmad Ah Siddiq 1:04.3h,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

Shot put: 168th-Kenrick Russel 9.15,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

Women
Shot put: 21st-Joyce Thomas 8.60, Huntsman Senior Games, St. George, Utah, USA, Oct 6-8; 79th—Yvonne Mitchell 6.85, Huntsman Senior Games, St. George, Utah, USA, Oct 6-8

Discus: 23rd-Joyce Thomas 21.87, Huntsman Senior Games, St. George, Utah, USA, Oct 6-8; 52nd-Yvonne Mitchell 18.45, Huntsman Senior Games, St. George, Utah, USA, Oct 6-8

70-74
Women
Javelin: 22nd-Irma Riley 16.75,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

75-59
Men
100m: 18th-Oswald Rogers 14.72,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24; 21st-Robert Stevenson 14.93, Huntsman Senior Games, St. George, Utah, USA, Oct 6-8

200m: 10th-Oswald Rogers 30.58,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24; 14th-Robert Stevenson 31.00, Huntsman Senior Games, St. George, Utah, USA, Oct 6-8

400m: 10th-Robert Stevenson 1:13.82, Huntsman Senior Games, St. George, Utah, USA, Oct 6-8; 22nd-Oswald Rogers 1:17.51,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

300m Hurdles: 8th-Oswald Rogers 59.91,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

Long jump; 15th-Oswald Rogers 4.03,NCCWMA Regional Champs, San Jose, Costa, Aug 21-24

Women
100m: 9th-Monica Tang Wing 18.56 Huntsman Senior Games, St. George, Utah, USA, Oct 6-8

200m: 9th-Monica Tang Wing 40.61, Huntsman Senior Games, St. George, Utah, USA, Oct 6-8

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