media_artricles :: 2017

Walcott fifth in Diamond final

Seventh spot for Borel

Keshorn Walcott produced an 85.11 metres throw to claim fifth spot in the IAAF Diamond League men's javelin final in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday. The Trinidad and Tobago field athlete earned US$5,000 for his performance at the Weltklasse meet.

Walcott took an early lead in the eight-man competition, the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist throwing 85.11 to claim pole position after round one. But Walcott followed up at 84.57, and by the end of the second round had slipped to fourth. He fouled his next throw, fouled again in round four, and then threw 82.44m in the penultimate round.

With one throw left, Walcott was fifth. The reigning Pan American Games champion needed to land the spear well past the 86-metre mark to challenge for a top-three finish. But it was beyond him on the day, Walcott throwing 83.98m to stay in fifth spot.

Jakub Vadlejch captured the US$50,000 top prize with a big 88.50m throw. Germany's reigning Olympic champion Thomas Rohler was second at 86.59, with third spot going to Finland's Tero Pitkamaki (86.57).

Walcott warmed up for the Diamond League final with victory at the White City Games in Oulu, Finland, on Sunday. The 2012 Olympic champion threw 83.20m for a comfortable cushion on Sweden's Gabriel Wallin, the silver medallist at 76.61.

On August 12, Walcott competed in London, England, in his first IAAF World Championship final. He finished seventh with an 84.48m effort. Two days earlier, Walcott had thrown 86.01 in the qualifying competition.

Cleopatra Borel finished seventh in the IAAF Diamond League women's shot put final, earning US$3,000 for her performance. The T&T athlete threw the iron ball 17.85m.

World champion Gong Lijiao also emerged as Diamond League champion, the Chinese thrower producing a big 19.60m effort. Hungary's Anita Marton (18.54) and Yuliya Leantsiuk (18.47) of Belarus finished second and third, respectively.

Thursday's Diamond League final was Borel's first outing since June 30 in Havana, Cuba, where she threw 17.37m for second spot at the Prueba de Confrontacion meet. Borel missed the 2017 T&T Championships without seeking an exemption, and was therefore not considered for World Championship selection.

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