media_artricles :: 2015

Cedenio stunner

Trinidad and Tobago star wins from behind in Stockholm

Machel Cedenio produced a stunning come-from-behind victory at the Bauhaus Athletics IAAF Diamond League meet, in Stockholm, Sweden, yesterday.

Coming off the final turn in the men's 400 metres event, Cedenio trailed the field. The Trinidad and Tobago track star was way behind the leaders, but the work required to get in contention for the top spot was not beyond him.

Watch "T&T's Machel Cedenio wins Men's 400m at IAAF Diamond League"

In chilly conditions, Cedenio was red hot. He steamrolled his rivals on the home straight, reeling in all before him for what turned out to be a comfortable victory in 44.97 seconds.

“The race felt good,” said Cedenio. “It was a little bit slow but I'm so happy with the win and I thank God for it.”

Cedenio exacted swift revenge on Luguelin Santos, the man who forced him into the silver medal position at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, last week, the Dominican Republic quarter-miler finishing second yesterday in 45.21. Third spot, meanwhile, went to Great Britain's Martyn Rooney (45.41).

Cedenio's superb finishing power was also on display in the Pan Am Games men's 4x400m championship race. His storming finish on anchor turned bronze into gold for T&T.

The 44.97 seconds clocking in Stockholm was Cedenio's fourth sub-45 run this year. The 19-year-old athlete produced his first-ever 44-point 400 on May 16 at the Cayman Invitational, stopping the clock at a personal best 44.36 seconds. He followed up on his golden run at the Cayman meet with victory in Ponce, Puerto Rico one week later in 44.97. In the Pan Am Games final, Cedenio clocked 44.70, before notching sub-45 number four at yesterday's Diamond League meet.

There was actually a fifth 44-point run for Cedenio in 2015. However, the 44.29 seconds scorcher at the NGC-Sagicor National Open Championships was scratched from the books following his disqualification for running out of his lane.

Cedenio is currently joint-sixth on the 2015 world performance list, with reigning world champion LaShawn Merritt of the United States. Both quartermilers have clocked 44.36 this year.

Botswana's Isaac Makwala is the world-leader at 43.72 seconds. Grenada's 2012 Olympic champion Kirani James clocked 43.95 for second spot on the global list, while third spot is held by South Africa's Wayde van Niekirk with a 43.96 run. Bahamian Steven Gardiner and Qatar's Abdalelah Haroun are joint-fourth at 44.27.

Another T&T quarter-miler, Deon Lendore is joint-eighth with American David Verburg thanks to a 44.41 seconds run he produced in May.

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