media_artricles :: 2015

Bledman, Baptiste start Pan Am impressively

TRINIDAD AND Tobago’s medal count at the Pan Am Games is expected to increase significantly today, the second full day of competition in track and field at the Games in Toronto. Sprinters Keston Bledman and Kelly-Ann Baptiste, shot putter Cleopatra Borel and quarter-milers Machel Cedenio and Jarrin Solomon are expected to be in the spotlight contending.

Yesterday, Baptiste, Bledman and hurdler Sparkle Mc Knight led a strong showing by the national athletics contingent at the CIBC Pan Am Parapan Am Athletics Stadium.

Baptiste was the first TT athlete on the track, and she cruised in the Women’s 100 metres, winning Heat One in 11.07 seconds, ahead of Angela Tenorio of Ecuador (11.17) and Schillonie Calvert of Jamaica (11.27); Baptiste’s time would prove to be the fourth-fastest of the Women’s first round.

Semoy Hackett joined Baptiste in the semi-finals after finishing 3rd in Heat Two. Hackett clocked a season’s best 11.17 as she followed American Barbara Pierre (10.92) and Brazil’s Rosangela Santos (11.08) across the line.

Later, Keston Bledman ran the fastest time of the Men’s opening round, producing a blistering 9.95 seconds to win Heat Three from American Remontay Mc Clain (9.99) and Bahamian Shavez Hart (10.13).

However, Marcus Duncan failed to advance to the semi-final round, finishing 7th in Heat Two in a slow 10.52 seconds. American Beejay Lee won the heat in 9.99, with Barbadian Ramon Gittens (10.03) and Antoine Adams of St Kitts/Nevis (10.11) completing the top three.

Another TT athlete to impress was Sparkle Mc Knight, who won the first semi-final in the Women’s 400 metre Hurdles. Mc Knight clocked a season’s best of 56.56 seconds, finishing ahead of Mexico’s Zudikey Rodriguez (57.64) and Costa Rica’s Sharolyn Scott (57.76).

Josanne Lucas failed to advance from the other semi-final, finishing 7th in a disappointing time of one minute, 0.30 seconds. American Shamier Little was first in 56.08, followed by Canada’s Sarah Wells (56.77) and Cuba’s Zurian Hechavarria (56.82).

Today, the in-form Cleopatra Borel will bid for gold in the Women’s Shot Put Final; Deandra Daniel will also be in action in the final of the Women’s High Jump.

Janeil Bellille will be the first TT track athlete in action, running in lane two in the first of the Women’s 400 metre semis. In the Men’s 400 metres semis, Jarrin Solomon has been assigned lane eight in the first heat; Machel Cedenio, however, has been placed in lane three of the second.

In the absence of World Champion Jehue Gordon, Emmanuel Mayers will be TT’s lone entrant in the Men’s 400 metre Hurdles, running in the second of three heats.

Kelly-Ann Baptiste will run in lane three of the first Women’s 100 metre semi-final and Semoy Hackett has the same lane for Heat Two; Bledman will run in lane five of the first Men’s 100 metre semi-final. Both he and Baptiste will be expecting to be in their respective finals, which will be the last events on the day’s programme. Meanwhile, late in the day, the national Under-23 footballers ended their campaign at the Games with a heartbreaking 2-4 loss against Mexico, thus finishing with zero points from their three group matches.

Despite rumours that the team would not play because of a wage dispute with the TTFA, TT had a 2-0 lead on the Mexicans at half- time. Ricardo John put them in front after just seven minutes, and Shackiel Henry doubled the lead in the 39th. However, Mexico hit back twice in the space of eight minutes in the second half; Jorge Espericueta (60th) and substitute Daniel Alvarez (68th) drew them level, and another substitute, Marco Bueno completed the turnaround in the 90th minute, before Martin Zuniga added the final blow in stoppage time.

In other Pan Am events, last night the TT Men’s Hockey team was engaged in battle against the hosts, Canada, in the last of the quarter- finals.

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