media_artricles :: 2016

Golden finish

Borel grabs DecaNation honours

Cleopatra Borel closed off her 2016 season with victory at the DecaNation meet, in Marseille, France, yesterday.

Competing for the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) team, Borel emerged victorious with a 17.61 metres throw. The Trinidad and Tobago field athlete took an early lead, throwing the iron ball 17.18m in round one. She improved to 17.53 in the second round and 17.61 in round three. In the fourth and final round, Borel produced a 16.86m throw.

Tianquian Guo challenged for the top spot with a big fourth round effort. The Chinese thrower came close to getting gold, but not close enough, settling for silver at 17.53m. Bronze went to France's Jessica Cerival (16.45m).

Borel earned eight points for her victory, helping NACAC to second spot overall on the final team standings with 109 points. France triumphed, the home team accumulating 115 points. Ukraine finished third with 102 points, with Japan (92) and China (68) fourth and fifth, respectively.

Three Jamaicans were in winners' row for the NACAC team. Former world record holder Asafa Powell struck gold in the men's 100 metres dash in 10.20 seconds. Kaliese Spencer clocked 55.71 for victory in the women's 400m hurdles. And Aisha Praught returned a time of five minutes, 45.51 seconds to claim top spot in the women's 2,000m.

Team NACAC also got three wins from American athletes. Courtney Okolo topped the women's 400m field in 51.06 seconds. Jacquelyn Coward triumphed in the women's 100m hurdles in 12.96. And newly-crowned Olympic champion Ryan Crouser threw the iron ball 20.61m for gold in the men's shot put.

Borel finished seventh in the women's shot put at the Rio Olympics.

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