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Walcott cops silver at Kuortane Games
T&T javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott in action at the Kuortane Games in Finland, yesterday. Courtesy Kuortane Games

Walcott cops silver at Kuortane Games

Go Back : Guardian : Sports Desk : 19.06.2022

T&T's Keshorn Walcott threw to more success on Saturday, winning a silver medal in the men's javelin throw event at the Kuortane Games in Finland

The London 2012 gold medallist and Rio 2016 bronze medallist launched the spear 86.64 metres in the first round to place second behind gold-medal winner Tokyo Olympics champion Neeraj Chopra of India with 86.69m and ahead of world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada settled for bronze with an 84.75 attempt.

Walcott, 29, made amends for his fourth-place finish at the Paavo Nurmi Games, also in Finland, earlier this week. His best effort measured 84.02m far-off his season's best 89.07m achieved at the FBK Games in Hengelo, the Netherlands on June 6.

The national record-holder threw 83.78m in the second round before fouling in the third round. He did not take any further throws.

In slippery conditions following some rain ahead of the event, his opponent Chopra's first throw was enough for him to clinch the top podium. His winning throw, however, was well short of the 89.30m personal best and his country's national record, he had logged during the Paavo Nurmi athletics meet.

The 24-year-old Chopra failed to log legitimate attempts with his next two throws and suffered a nasty fall during his third attempt. The Indian could be seen wincing in pain right after the fall and didn't take any more attempts after that.

Grenadian Peters also had throws of 83.50 and 78.56, respectively before he too opted to end his participation.

Toni KerŠnen placed fourth with 82.10 followed by Japan's Genki Dean in fifth place with 82.03 and in sixth Artur Felfner of Ukraine with 80.20. IN the remaining spots were Sweden's Kim Amb (72.68) and India's Paralympian Sandeep Chaudhary (60.35), respectively. Finland's Oliver Helander did not compete.

Walcott's season also includes a gold medal in March at the Yellow Jacket Invitational at the George C Griffin Track in Atlanta, Georgia, USA with 84.68m and silver medals at the Internationales Leichtathletik Meeting at the Paul-Greifzu Stadium, Dessau, Germany with 84.69m and at the 61st Golden Spike at the Mestsky Stadium in Ostrava, the Czech Republic with 84.47m.

Later in the day, T&T sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye, competing at the Meeting de Paris Stade CharlŽty in Paris, France, placed fifth in the women's 100m with a time of 11.07 seconds.

Double Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the 'Pocket Rocket', equalled her own world-leading time of 10.67 to win the dash ahead of Britain's Daryll Neita, who clocked 10.99 and third-place Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast with 11.01. Poland's Ewa Swoboda clocked a personal best of 11.05 in fourth place.

Filling the remaining spots, respectively were New Zealand's Zoe Hobbs (11.10), Gambian Gina Bass (11.24) and Switzerland's Ajla Del Ponte (11.34).