media_artricles :: 2017

St Fort golden again!

Pan Am Juniors bronze for Gittens

KHALIFA ST FORT made a successful defence of her Pan American Junior Championship women's 100 metres title in Trujillo, Peru, late yesterday. St Fort was in a race of her own, the Trinidad and Tobago sprinter bolting to victory in 11.32 seconds for a comfortable cushion on her rivals.

Americans Rebekah Smith and Symone Mason were well beaten into second and third, respectively, clocking 11.55 and 11.62. Tristan Evelyn was just outside the medals, the Barbadian finishing fourth in 11.63.

Two years ago, in Edmonton, Canada, St Fort captured the Pan Am Juniors title in 11.31 seconds. Yesterday, she came close to matching that clocking. But more importantly, the result was matched, the US-based athlete striking gold again. St Fort had topped her preliminary round heat in 11.64 to lead all qualifiers into the final.

Tyra Gittens was the first T&T athlete on the podium in Trujillo, the talented teen bagging women's long jump bronze with a big 6.22 metres leap. American Tara Davis jumped a wind-aided 6.51 to grab gold, ahead of Jamaican Tissanna Hickling (6.36).

Gittens produced a solid series of jumps. The reigning Carifta Games heptathlon champion disturbed the sand at 5.83m in the opening round, and followed up at 6.22, 6.00 and 5.75. She jumped a windy 5.90m in the fifth round, before closing off the competition at 6.15. Gittens opens her Pan Am Juniors heptathlon title bid this morning.

Jalen Purcell finished fifth in the men's 100m final in 10.68 seconds. In a very close finish, American TJ Brock snatched gold in 10.45, forcing Brazilians Paulo Camilo de Oliveira and Felipe Bardi dos Santos to settle for silver and bronze, respectively, in 10.46 and 10.47.

Purcell clocked 10.76 in his qualifying round heat to finish second, progressing as a "fastest loser". His T&T teammate, Jerod Elcock was second in another heat in 10.81—not fast enough to earn him a lane in the championship race. Elcock was 10th overall.

T&T's Judah Taylor clocked 47.72 seconds to finish sixth in the men's 400m final. Cayman Islands quartermiler Jamal Walton won in a championship record 44.99. Americans Josephus Lyles (45.30) and Zachary Shinnick (45.98) finished second and third,respectively.

In the qualifying round, Taylor was third in heat three in 47.53, progressing to the final as a "fastest loser". The other T&T quartermiler, Jacob St Clair was considered a contender for precious metal, but did not qualify for the championship race. St Clair finished fourth in heat one and 12th overall in 48.08.

T&T's Konnel Jacob secured ninth spot in the men's discus with a 51.28m throw. Chile's Claudio Romero was golden at 62.09, finishing ahead of American Turner Washington (61.30) and Jamaica's Kevin Nedrick (58.86).

Become a subscriber to the Trinidad Express Newspapers for access to all our articles via our e-paper.

Click here to subscribe | Log- In

Top