media_artricles :: 2015

T&T set for Olympic upgrade

Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender and Richard “Torpedo” Thompson have moved a stride closer to Olympic Games men's 4x100 metres silver.

With the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripping United States of their London 2012 silver medal, yesterday, the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) is awaiting word from the IOC on the reallocation of medals.

“We've made enquires with the IOC,” TTOC president Brian Lewis told the Express, “seeking clarification or official communication from them that USA is officially disqualified, and that Trinidad and Tobago would have gone from bronze to silver. I'm looking forward to providing the country and the athletes with official communication.”

If Bledman, Burns, Callender and Thompson are upgraded to silver, it would be the quartet's second promotion. Thompson was actually the fourth man to cross the finish line in the London sprint relay final, anchoring T&T to a 38.12 seconds clocking. A lane violation, however, led to the disqualification of third-placed Canada, and T&T moved into the bronze position.

American track star Tyson Gay received a one-year doping ban after testing positive for an anabolic steroid in 2013, and his results, starting from July 15, 2012, were annulled. Included on that list of disqualified results was the August 11 Olympic 4x100m final, United States having finished second to Jamaica.

Gay returned his silver medal, last year. And now, his teammates in the championship race--Trell Kimmons, Justin Gatlin and Ryan Bailey--have been asked to do the same. Jeffery Demps and Darvis Patton, who ran in the qualifying round, will also have to hand in their medals.

If the medals are reallocated, T&T will be promoted from bronze to silver, and France, from fourth to bronze.

“The matter has been going on for some time,” said Lewis, “but there is a process. The decision on reallocation is the IOC's.

“I would hesitate,” the TTOC boss continued, “to say I expect T&T to be awarded silver, because precedent has been set where the IOC would not have reallocated medals. As president of the TTOC, I would not want to speculate. I await the official communication of the International Olympic Committee.”

If London 2012 men's 4x100m silver is awarded to T&T, the country's best ever Olympic performance would get even better--one gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

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