Gold for Cedenio, James as T&T wins nine medals on day one
Published: Monday, April 21, 2014
Clayton Clarke (T&T Guardian)Machel Cedenio copped T&T’s first gold medal of the 43rd annual Carifta Games at the Pierre Aliker Municipal Stadium in Fort de France, Martinique, on Saturday. Cedenio crossed the line in 45.95 to hold on to the 400-metres title he won one year ago in the Bahamas.
Cedenio blasted out of the blocks to finish well ahead of Jamaica’s Nathon Allen (46.97). Compatriot Asa Guevera was third in 47.35, edging out Ivan Henry (Jamaica) 47.36.
Speaking after the triumph, Cedenio said he was happy with his performance. “ I felt good and I am satisfied with my run. I am just aiming to run fast this year. This is my last Carifta so I came here to have fun. (Defending my title) was a good accomplishment.”
Cedenio has been out of action since the Carifta trials due to an injury. “I was hurt after the Carifta trials so I did some rehab and I am good now so I will do more races.”
Chelsea James was the other gold-medal winner, taking the girls under 18 shot-put, the final event of the day. James pushed the iron ball out to 16.12, a personal best and close to two metres ahead of Janel Fullerton of Jamaica (14.41) and another T&T athlete Akidah Briggs (13.79).
James improved on her previous best of 15.38m set at the Falcon Games at the Hasely Crawford Stadium last week. James’ golden effort was her second medal of the day, after she secured silver in the discus in the morning session, the first for the national contingent at the Games. She notched another personal best of 43.53 behind Fullerton (46.47) and ahead of another Jamaican, Devia Brown (43.31).
Portious Warren collected bronze in the girls under-20 shot-put (12.70).
T&T athletes collected nine medals on the first day. Aaliyah Telesford and Nicholas Landeau were silver medallists, while Jonathan Farinha added a bronze in the boys under-20 100m.
Telesford took silver in the girls under-20 100m in a wind-aided clocking of 11.42, as Jamaican Jonielle Smith sped to gold in 11.17, with another Jamaican, Kedisha Dallas, taking third (11.44). Kayelle Clarke was fifth (11.51). Landeau had to settle for second in the boys under-20 1,500m, clocking 3:58.27. Farinha blazed to bronze in the final event of the night, clocking a personal best of 10.27, as favourite Jevaughn Minzie of Jamaica roared to victory in 10.18, second ahead of Barbadian Levi Cadogan (10.25). Micah Ballantyne finished down the field in seventh (10.67).
Ayoka Cummings missed out on a podium finish in the girls under-20 400m, taking fourth place in 56.83 as reigning World Junior silver medallist Kadecia Baird of Guyana was first to the line, denying the Jamaican pair of Dawnlee Loney (53.90) and Yanique McNeil (54.49). Shirnel Ettienne was seventh (58.10).
Selective results
Girls Under-20
Discus finals: 1st Rochelle Frazer (JAM) 13.63, 2nd Jess St. John (ANT) 13.26, 3rd Portious Warren (TTO) 12.70, 7th Marielle Pierre (TTO) 11.64.
400m finals: 1st Kadecia Baird (GUY) 53.84, 2nd Dawnalee Loney (JAM) 53.90, 3rd Yanique NcNeil (JAM) 54.49, 4th Ayoka Cummings (TTO) 56.83, 7th Shirnell Ettienne (TT)) 58.10U20 long jump finals-1st Akela Jones (BAR) 6.32, 2nd Claudette Allen (JAM) 6.31, 3rd Mia Pontoparia (GUD) 6.02
100m finals(+5.1): 1st Jonielle Smith (JAM) 11.17, 2nd Aaliyah Telesford (TTO) 11.42, 3rd Kedisha Dallas (JAM) 11.44, 5th Kayelle Clarke (TTO) 11.51
Prelims: 2nd Clarke 11.44/+3.9, 2h2, 8th Telesford 11.86/+2.3 3h1
1,500m finals: 1st Sasha-gaye Whyte (JAM) 4:42.44, 2nd Monique Mc Pherson (JAM)4:44.08, 3rd Cheryle Farial (GUD) 4:44.76, 7th Elia Nero (TTO) 5:10.83
Under-18
Shot-put: 1st Chelsea James (TTO) 16.12, 2nd Janel Fullerton (JAM) 14.42, 3rd Akidah Briggs (TTO) 13.79
Discus: 1st Janel Fullerton (JAM) 46.47, 2nd Chelsea James (TTO) 43.53, 3rd Devia Brown (JAM) 43.31, 7th Shaiann Charles (TTO) 43.40
100m (+3.3): 1st Kimone Shaw (JAM) 11.42, 2nd Janae Ambrose (BAH) 11.62, 3rd Nelda Huggins (BVI) 11.65
Prelims: 9th Jael Ferguson (TTO) 12.07, 4h1, 10th Jenea Spinks (TTO) 12.09, 3h2
High jump: 1st Lamara Destin (JAM) 1.68, 2nd Jeanine Allard-St. Albin (MAR)/Sakari Famous (BER)/Ashlee Edwards (LUC) 1.60, 8th Khemani Roberts (TTO) 1.60, 15th Anya Akili (TTO) 1.55
400m prelims: 15th Renee Stoddard (TTO) 57.81, 3h4, 19th Thyla-Marie Scott (TTO) 58.71 6h1
Heptathlon (after five events): 1st Chelsey Linton (DMA) 3506 points, 2nd Miquel Roach (BAH) 3423, 3rd Janel Fullerton (JAM) 3316, 4th Meriah Freeman (TTO) 3179, 6th Ayanna Glasgow (TTO) 288,
Boys Under-20
400m: 1st Machel Cedenio (TTO) 45.95, 2nd Nathon Allen (JAM) 46.97, 2nd Asa Guevera (TTO) 47.35
Prelims: 3rd Guevera 47.12, 3h1, 4th Cedenio 47.26 1h1
