media_artricles :: 2016

Mark-Baird retains World Masters Heptathlon title

…Caines silver in 100m

Marsha Mark-Baird successfully defended her women's 40-44 heptathlon title on the fourth day of action at the World Masters Track and Field Championships at the Ern Clark Athletic Centre in Perth, Australia yesterday.

On the final day of the two-day event, Mark-Baird amassed 5390 points to take the gold in her category, which included her first day score of 3139, which had placed her in second position behind American Rachel Guest (3206) after her 12.27-second effort in the 80 metres hurdles, 1.54m (high jump), 10.21m (shot put) and 28.10 (200m).

Mark-Baird got the better of her opponents by virtue of a strong effort in the long jump (5.40m) and javelin (38.50m) before clocking 2:40.23 in the 800m to retain the crown she won at the last World Championships in Lyon, France. Guest took the sliver (5180) ahead of Sweden's Primrose Ulegård (3962).

The two-time Olympian, won T&T's first medal in Perth and will be aiming to defend her long jump title later in the championships.

Meanwhile Dwayne Caines secured the second medal for T&T when he sped to silver in the men's 35-39 100m final in a wind-aided time of 10.95 (2.5). Caines was beaten to the line by Lion Martinez of Sweden (10.94). Yusuke Shindo of Japan took bronze (11.01).

Caines' silver medal performance came as a surprise, after he narrowly qualified for the final. In the preliminaries, he was the slowest qualifier, finishing ninth overall with 10.91 after finishing third in heat one. However, in the medal race, he kept his focus and crossed the line in second, though his medal winning time was slower than his run in the early round.

Albert St Louis had hopes of winning T&T's third medal of the championship in the men's 40-44 100m final but he had to settle for fourth in 11.04 (3.4). St Louis was looking at improving on his silver in the event one year ago in Lyon but was beaten off the podium by Tamunonengiye Ossai of Great Britain (10.58), Ashly McMahon of Australian (10.67) and France's Steve Lucenay (10.78). In the semi-finals however, St Louis was fifth in 11.26.

The Championships will conclude on Sunday. At last year's edition T&T won 13 medals (six gold, three silver and four bronze).

Yesterday results
Heptathlon
Women's 40-44: Marsha Mark-Baird (TTO) 5390—gold

100m
Men's 35-39: Dwayne Caines (TTO)
10.95/2.5 - silver
Men's 40-44: 4th Albert St Louis (TTO) 11.04/3.4 - fourth

400m hurdles preliims
Men's 45-49: Glen Williams (BAR) 1:07.16—13th (did not qualify)

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