media_artricles :: 2015

Thompson out ‘Worlds’

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s bid to be among the medals in the Men’s 4x100m relay at next month’s World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China was dealt a major blow on the weekend, when US-based Richard “Torpedo” Thompson pulled out of the squad due to injury.

Thompson, the owner of one World and three Olympic medals, and the established anchor leg runner for the TT team, told Newsday of the development in an exclusive interview yesterday afternoon.

“I have already informed the NAAA (National Association of Athletic Administrations),” he said while awaiting physiotherapy at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

At the Sagicor National Open Championships on Saturday, Thompson ran a slow 10.40 seconds in his semi-final heat, and decided against contesting the final, which Keston Bledman won. “I’m not the kind of person who goes around complaining,” Thompson began when asked yesterday to explain that decision. He revealed that he had been struggling with an injury to his left knee since “sometime in April” which had forced him to stay out of competition while working to resolve the problem. Thompson revealed that despite undergoing extensive recuperative therapy and strength conditioning work, the problem was not yet entirely resolved. “You know, no matter how much you do in the gym,” he said, “an athlete cannot judge how well he is until he gets on the track.” Saturday’s semi-final run simply confirmed that he still had some way to go on the road to recovery. “There is still some pain in the knee,” he went on, “and my team, my family and I have decided that I should skip Beijing (the World Championships in July) and concentrate on preparing for next year. The Olympics are far more important in the context of what it means to TT.”

Thompson was mindful that he turned 30 earlier this month, and while maintaining that otherwise, he was in fine shape, he was cognisant of the fact that as athletes age, their bodies take longer to recuperate. “When I was say, 23, I would shake it off and run through the pain,” he said with a smile, “but now I have to act responsibly and be patient.”

Three of Thompson’s four major medals have come in the sprint relays. In Beijing 2008, he ran second to Usain Bolt in the 100 metres and anchored TT to silver in the sprint relay. “Torpedo” also ran the anchor as TT won relay silver at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, and his relay bronze in London 2012 could soon be changed to silver, since the US squad was disqualified after Tyson Gay tested positive for anabolic steroid use.

Looking ahead at TT’s future sprint hopes on display over the weekend, Thompson singled out Concorde’s Shermund Allsop, who trains with him, and Abilene’s Jonathan Farinha as two youngsters who he felt could go on to success on the world stage. “Marcus (Duncan) has been unfortunate with injuries,” he added. “But I would have to say that our sprinting is not where it was around 2009-2012.” He also suggested that Michelle Lee-Ahye should back off and allow her body to heal fully. “It’s sad to see her not being at her best,” he said. “One moment she’s injured and a few weeks later she’s running again. She’s young and she has a long way to go.” Lee-Ahye, who was first injured in 2014, seemed to be hurt after running second to Kelly-Ann Baptiste in the Women’s 100m final on Saturday. Thompson expressed the view the 23-year-old ought to allow her body to recover fully before going back into competition.

As for his immediate plans, Thompson said that while the season ends for athletes around the end of September, he is likely to return to the gym sooner than most. He is expected to return to the US later this week.

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