Note that the 4 women ahead of KAB and MLA are all solid 200m runners with PB's all below 22.2, seasons bests of 22.3x or lower barring VCB who I'm sure is now running faster than 22.61.
Neither KAB or MLA have run near that so in a way if they can get near at least 22.3 region they will be in a solid place to contend for the medals.
Note that the 4 women ahead of KAB and MLA are all solid 200m runners with PB's all below 22.2, seasons bests of 22.3x or lower barring VCB who I'm sure is now running faster than 22.61.
Neither KAB or MLA have run near that so in a way if they can get near at least 22.3 region they will be in a solid place to contend for the medals.
Good analysis Trini.. But too bad KAB and MLA are not running the 200m
I think Semoy will make the final.
Neither KAB nor MLA contested the 200m at Senior Trials which is the main reason why they are not running the 200m at World's.
Hopefully next year they will both be fit enough and willing to contest both the 100m and 200m at Senior Trials and our top male 100m sprinters like Bledman and Thompson need to do the same.
It is now obvious that most of the top 100m sprinters in the world also regularly run the 200m.
I believe the 200m helps athletes run a better 100m by increasing their speed endurance while the 100m helps 200m specialists by helping them to increase their top end speed. Athletes who regularly do the double are normally stronger at their individual specialist event than athletes who don't regularly do the double.
The evidence is there for all our TTO sprinters to see if they are serious about medalling at these major World class track & field meets.
The moral of the story is that our 100m sprinters need to stop avoiding running the 200m and our 200m sprinters need to run more 100's. If they continue to avoid this then they will continue to struggle to medal at the highest level even if they make the Finals.
Saying that both MLA and KAB ran commendably well in the World's 100m final considering injuries and other problems they had to overcome this season. Hopefully for Rio next year they can both address the issue of running more 200's which will only strengthen their 100m performances and help them to lower their PB's. We also need to pray that none of our top athletes suffer major injuries next season as they prepare for Rio.
The right nutrition, proper training facilities, coaching and support is also required to help our athletes perform at their very best in addition to wise meet selection and event management.
All meets outside of National Trials, World Champs and Olympics should be viewed as optional for our TTO athletes especially if they can negatively impact on an athlete'ss preparation with their coach for their biggest international meet of the year. The NAAA's should not be forcing athletes to take part in meets that can negatively affect their preparartion for the year's biggest international meet.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
HISTORIC FINAL
Ahye 5th, Baptiste 6th in century
By Kwame Laurence (T&T Express)
Published on Aug 24, 2015, 10:01 pm ASTSPEED!: Michelle-Lee Ahye, right, competes in the IAAF World Championship women's 100 metres final in Beijing, China, yesterday. The Trinidad and Tobago sprinter finished fifth in 10.98 seconds. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, left, celebrates victory in the race. Her Jamaica teammate, Veronica Campbell-Brown, centre, was fourth. —Photo: GETTY IMAGESMichelle-Lee Ahye and Kelly-Ann Baptiste combined for 11 seconds of history at the Bird's Nest Stadium, here in Beijing, China, yesterday.
For the very first time, two female athletes from Trinidad and Tobago appeared in the same IAAF World Championship final. Ahye clocked 10.98 seconds to grab fifth spot in the women's 100 metres championship race, finishing just ahead of Baptiste, who got home in 11.01 for sixth.
The significance of the statistic was not lost on Ahye.
“Me and Kelly-Ann in that final, it was epic.”
Ahye and Baptiste became only the second T&T pair to compete in the same final at the global meet. At the 2009 Championships, in Berlin, Germany, Richard “Torpedo” Thompson and Marc Burns were fifth and seventh, respectively, in the men's 100m dash.
Yesterday, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce stormed to victory in 10.76 seconds for her third IAAF World Championship women's 100m title. The Jamaican sprint great pointed to the sky as she crossed the line. Dafne Schippers also had reason to celebrate, the Dutch sprinter capturing silver in a national record time of 10.81. American Torie Bowie, meanwhile, clocked 10.86 to claim bronze, ahead of Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown (10.91).
In the semi-final round, Baptiste finished second in heat two in 10.90 seconds to advance automatically to the final, while Ahye clocked a season's best 10.97 for third spot in heat three and a championship race berth as a “fastest loser”. The third T&T sprinter, Semoy Hackett was eliminated after finishing fifth in the opening heat in 11.13.
Baptiste did not race for the entire 2014 season, a 21-month doping ban forcing her out of competition until early this year. The 28-year-old sprinter told the Express it was very satisfying to reach the World Championship final in her comeback season.
“I went out there believing anything could happen, that I could have possibly gotten a medal or won, but it wasn't fate for me today. But I'm really excited. It was a rough season because of me not racing last year, so coming here and running three rounds was my body getting back into the groove of things. I feel proud of my performance. It's really big for me to come here and make the final.
“My semi-final run,” Baptiste continued, “took a little bit out of me, but I'm still very happy with my place. Sometimes, your body feels a certain way but mentally you try to tough it out. But I could definitely tell in my warm-up for the final that I was a little bit tired. I shook it off and I figured I might as well go for it.”
For Baptiste, yesterday's 100m final was not a new experience. She bagged bronze in the event at the 2011 World Championships, and finished sixth in the 2012 Olympic century final. Twenty-three-year-old Ahye, on the other hand, had never before appeared in a major global outdoor final.
“I'm happy for Michelle,” said Baptiste, “and I'm happy that Trinidad and Tobago's women's sprinting is in the mix, is on the scene.”
Ahye was hoping for a podium finish in yesterday's final.
“I'm satisfied,” she told the Express, “but I was looking to do better than that. But it's my first time. I have plenty more to come, so I'm not worried about it.
“We're definitely going to be on that podium for the 4x1,” Ahye declared. “Turn up time now!”
Hackett was not a finalist yesterday, but was buoyed by her season's best 11.13 semi-final clocking.
“The faster I go in the 100 normally boosts my confidence for the 200, and I'm satisfied with what I've produced so far. Hopefully in the 200 I'm able to execute a proper race and make the final.”
If she does make it to the championship round, Hackett would join Ahye and Baptiste in the T&T history books, for never before has a T&T athlete run in a women's half-lap final at the IAAF World Championships.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Cedenio in 400 final
Walcott bows out early
By Kwame Laurence (T&T Express)
Published on Aug 24, 2015, 8:16 pm ASTMachel Cedenio at start of 400m in Beijing 2015ELIMINATED: Keshorn Walcott competes in the men’s javelin qualifying competition at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, yesterday. The 2012 Olympic champion did not qualify for the final. -Photo: @GETTY IMAGESMachel Cedenio became the youngest Trinidad and Tobago athlete to qualify for an IAAF World Championship 400 metres final when he clocked 44.64 seconds for third spot in the third and final semi-final heat at the Bird's Nest Stadium here in Beijing, China, yesterday.
Nineteen-year-old Cedenio changed his race tactics for the semis, going out harder than usual in order to stay in close touch with his rivals. He did just that, coming off the final turn close to the front. But there was a cost involved. The 2014 world junior champion lacked his usual finishing power, and had to settle for third spot in the heat, behind South African Wayde van Niekirk and (44.31) and defending champion LaShawn Merritt (44.34) of the United States.
Cedenio had given his all, and was totally exhausted. He lay flat on the ground in the interview area, before rising to his feet to speak to the Express. As a third-place finisher, he did not advance automatically to the men's one-lap final.
On hearing news of his qualification as one of two “fastest losers”, Cedenio gave this response: “I did? Fuh real? Yuh Lie?”
There was relief in the young man's voice. The hard work that had him on his back moments before was not in vain.
“It was a hard heat, probably the hardest heat out there. But I went out and just gave it my all, and I'm in the final. I'll just focus on my final and see what happens.”
Cedenio said he might have to revisit his tactics ahead of tomorrow's championship race.
“I probably should go back to what I'm accustomed doing, but I'm going to listen to my coach and trust what he says.”
Before the third semi-final, another T&T quarter-miler, Lalonde Gordon was poised to get into the final as the second of the two “fastest losers” after earning fourth spot in heat two in 44.70 seconds. But he was nudged out by Cedenio for the eighth and final championship race berth, the 2012 Olympic bronze medallist finishing ninth overall.
“I didn't run smart at all,” a disappointed Gordon told the Express. “I'm not satisfied.”
Renny Quow was also nudged out by Cedenio…as T&T's youngest ever World Championship 400m finalist. Quow was 21 when he captured bronze at the 2009 edition of the meet in Berlin, Germany. Here in Beijing, however, he was eliminated at the semi-final stage, finishing fifth in heat one in 44.98 seconds.
Quow, who ran in lane four, told the Express he had been hoping for a different lane draw.
“This type of track, the race is out in front in those outer lanes, nine, eight, seven, six. These are the best lanes to get on this particular track because it's such a wide corner. I wish I had a better lane so I could have done something because I ran pretty well. I just kind of tied up in the end and it cost me.”
Keshorn Walcott is the reigning Olympic men's javelin champion. He has not had any luck, though, at the IAAF World Championships. On debut, back in 2013, the T&T thrower was 18th in the qualifying competition with a 78.78 metres throw. Things got worse yesterday, Walcott landing the spear 76.83m to finish 13th in Group “A” and 26th overall. The top 12 throwers progressed to the final.
Walcott had been struggling with an injury ahead of the World Championships, but told the Express his troublesome ankle was not to blame for his early elimination.
“It was just a bad competition for me. I expected better. I had some good training after recovering from my ankle, so I was expecting to do much better but I guess luck wasn't on my side today. I didn't feel bad in my technique, but the distance just wasn't coming.
“The World Championship doesn't seem to be my thing. The second time around and same result. I have been throwing really good in training, so maybe it's the lack of competition after the injury. I guess I just have to move on.”
Sparkle McKnight's Beijing 2015 campaign ended in the semi-final round of the women's 400m hurdles. The T&T athlete finished fifth in heat two in 56.21 seconds. She had run faster in the opening round, getting home in 55.77 for second spot in heat one.
“I didn't have as much control of the race,” McKnight told the Express, “as I did in the first round, knowing it was the semi-final, knowing I had more competition, knowing I had more at stake. I think that played a big part in my time.
“I have a lot of work to put in,” she continued. “My love for the sport is growing every day, and I'm ready to put in the work to do what I have to do to make it to the Olympic final next year.”
Kyle Greaux will be in action for T&T at 8.12 this morning (TT time) in the seventh and final men's 200m first round heat. And late tonight, Mikel Thomas runs in the opening round of the men's 110m hurdles.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Ankle injury not to be blamed, says Walcott
Published: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 (T&T Guardian)Keshorn Walcott about to start training session in Finland.BEIJING—Reigning Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott is suggesting that an ankle injury is not to be blamed for his elimination from the Javelin event at the World Championships on Monday.
Walcott was eliminated after placing 26th out of 33 competitors, managing only two legal throws, 75.16 metres and 76.83, his best effort.
“I just went out there, tried to perform well but it was just a bad competition,” said the Trinidadian athlete who set three new records for 2015.
“No other explanation, just a bad competition. Of course, I expected better throws but I do not know what was going on.”
Walcott, 22, entered the championships as one of the pre-event favourites with a personal and season best of 90.16m. However he has been battling an ankle injury which he said did not hamper his performance.
“The distances were way off and you can see the results,” he said. “There was a lack of competition for me since my ankle injury but my ankle held up good today and I am thanking God for that. But I would have to say it was a bad competition because I was really out of it”. Walcott says he is considering ending his season to allow his ankle injury to completely heal in time for the next season.
“So I just have to go back and continue working on it because I do not want to start back training with any problems. I think I am going to call the season there, and continue working on my ankle,” said Walcott. (CMC)