media_artricles :: 2017

Walcott 7th; sprint relay teams disappointed

T&T's second Olympic games gold medallist Keshorn Walcott finished seventh from a field of 13 medal contenders in the men's javelin event.

With a best throw of 84.48 metres, nothing close to his 86.01 qualifying distance achieved on Thursday, he left as the seventh best in the world. Throwing in the first position, Walcott started with a 84.48m and then scratched on his next throws, but then threw 80.63 and was able to make it into the last round of eight with the fifth best throw.

German Johannes Vetter led from start to finish to win the gold medal with a distance of 89.89 metres. Jakub Vadlejch was second in 89.73 with Petr Frydrych third with an effort of 88.32 metres.

With three throws left, Walcott needed to better 88.26m to stay within the medal frame, but the 24-year-old just couldn't produce a podium finish.

He said after: "It was a tough competition I really tried my best, but on the night I just could not deliver. I will be back. I know I have work to do, but this has been a most difficult season for me, so I have to accept all of that as well. This was my first ever World Championships and I will learn from it and continue to give of my best."

Relay women disappointed

T&T women's 4x100 metres relay team produced a season's best 42.62 seconds for sixth place in the women's finals behind winners USA (41.82), the best time in the world this year, silver medallist Great Britain (42.12) and Jamaica third in 42.19, while running out of lane three.

The team of Semoy Hackett, Kalifa St Fort, Michelle-Lee Ahye and Kelly-Ann Baptiste who ran in that order, established a season best of 42.91 seconds earlier in the semi-finals to advanced to the final as a fastest losers from among six teams in the second semi-finals.

Baptiste, who anchored the team said: "We have a better time in us so our sixth place finish today hurts."

Ahye, who ran the third leg and the current national 100 and 200 metres national champion explained after the final: "We need a full-time quality relay coach, somebody that understands coaching relays with change overs and passing. We need that to improve in this country."

4X100m relay men 5th

The 4x100 meters men suffered a serious blow when they were narrowly edged out of the men's relay final after finishing fifth in the first semi-final in a time of 38.61 seconds which was overall the ninth fastest time, but only eight teams progressed to the final which won by the host Great Britain in exciting fashion with the USA second and Japan third.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt did not finish as Bolt, running the final leg, crashed to the track with about 60 metres to go with an apparent hamstring injury. Britain won in 37.47 seconds with the USA second in 37.52 and Japan third in 38.04.

Meanwhile, the T&T foursome were Keston Bledman, Kyle Greaux, Moriba Morain and Emmanuel Callemder, the reigning national champion who anchored the team.

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