Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Sports => What about Track & Field => Olympic Discussion => Topic started by: Socapro on September 15, 2011, 09:34:02 PM
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Trinidad & Tobago
1948 Summer Olympics in London
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 1
Bronze: 0
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
1948 Weightlifting Featherweight Rodney Wilkes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Wilkes) 317.5 SILVER
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=12&cty=TRI
Trinidad & Tobago
1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 0
Bronze: 2
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
1952 Weightlifting Featherweight Rodney Wilkes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Wilkes) 322.5 BRONZE
1952 Weightlifting Middle Heavyweight Lennox Kilgour (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lennox_Kilgour) 402.5 BRONZE
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=13&cty=TRI
Trinidad & Tobago
1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 1
Bronze: 2
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
1964 Track & Field 200m Men Edwin Roberts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Roberts) 20.6 BRONZE
1964 Track & Field 400m Men Wendell Mottley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendell_Mottley) 45.2 SILVER
1964 Track & Field 4x400m Relay Men Wendell Mottley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendell_Mottley) 3:01.7 BRONZE
1964 Track & Field 4x400m Relay Men Edwin Roberts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Roberts) 3:01.7 BRONZE
1964 Track & Field 4x400m Relay Men Edwin Skinner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Skinner) 3:01.7 BRONZE
1964 Track & Field 4x400m Relay Men Kent Bernard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Bernard) 3:01.7 BRONZE
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=16&cty=TRI
Trinidad & Tobago
1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal
Medals Won
Gold: 1
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
1976 Track & Field 100m Men Hasely Crawford (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasely_Crawford) 10.06 GOLD
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=19&cty=TRI
Trinidad & Tobago
1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 0
Bronze: 2
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
1996 Track & Field 100m Men Ato Boldon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ato_Boldon) 9.90 BRONZE
1996 Track & Field 200m Men Ato Boldon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ato_Boldon) 19.80 BRONZE
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=24&cty=TRI
Trinidad & Tobago
2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 1
Bronze: 1
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
2000 Track & Field 100m Men Ato Boldon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ato_Boldon) 9.99 SILVER
2000 Track & Field 200m Men Ato Boldon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ato_Boldon) 20.20 BRONZE
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=25&cty=TRI
Trinidad & Tobago
2004 Summer Olympics in Athens
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 0
Bronze: 1
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
2004 Swimming 200m Individual Medley Men George Bovell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bovell) 1:58.80 BRONZE
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=26&cty=TRI
Trinidad & Tobago
2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 2
Bronze: 0
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
2008 Track & Field 100m Men Richard Thompson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Thompson_(athlete)) 9.89 SILVER
2008 Track & Field 4x100m Relay Men Richard Thompson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Thompson_(athlete)) 38.06 SILVER
2008 Track & Field 4x100m Relay Men Aaron Armstrong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Armstrong) 38.06 SILVER
2008 Track & Field 4x100m Relay Men Keston Bledman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keston_Bledman) 38.06 SILVER
2008 Track & Field 4x100m Relay Men Marc Burns (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Burns) 38.06 SILVER
2008 Track & Field 4x100m Relay Men Emmanuel Callander (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuel_Callander) 38.06 SILVER
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=47&cty=TRI
Total Medal Haul for T&T at Summer Olympics to date: 14 Medals (1 Gold, 5 Silver & 8 Bronze);
If we put our minds to it then I think it is possible for us to win at least 6 medals at the 2012 London Olympics and take our total Olympics medal haul to 20+ medals!
In the long term we should be aiming to have won just as many medals at the Summer Olympics as the number of years we have been an independent nation, together we aspire & together we can achieve!! ;)
Note online video footage of T&T's Olympics medal winning performances now posted in this thread below!!
Please scroll down to view, enjoy and bring back those great T&T Olympic memories that make us proud!!
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Trinidad & Tobago
1948 Summer Olympics in London
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 1
Bronze: 0
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
1948 Weightlifting Featherweight Rodney Wilkes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Wilkes) 317.5 SILVER
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=12&cty=TRI
Online video footage of T&T's London 1948 Olympics medal winning performances:
London 1948 Olympics Games Highlights Including Mens 100m Final
http://www.youtube.com/v/zOss0tq-eo4
Trinidad born & breed McDonald Bailey who represented Britain placed 6th in the 100m final.
1st Harrison Dillard (USA) 10.3, 2nd Barney Ewell (USA) 10.4, 3rd Lloyd LaBeach (PAN) 10.4;
To view full list of London 1948 Olympics 100m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1948_Summer_Olympics_-_Men%27s_100_metres
Note: George Lewis of T&T placed 4th in heat 2 of 100m quarterfinals and did not progress.
T&T wins its 1st ever Olympic medal Silver courtesy of Rodney Wilkes
http://www.youtube.com/v/EC50r2ldLko
Go to 2:38 for Rodney Wilkes Lifting & to 3:48 for Rodney Wilkes at Medal Ceremony!
Featherweight: 1st Fayad (EGY) 332.5, 2nd Wilkes (TRI) 317.5, 3rd Salmasi (IRA) 312.5;
On a related note, in 1948 Jamaica also won their 1st ever Olympic medals
Gold & Silver courtesy of Arthur Wint & Herb McKenley in the 400m final!
http://www.youtube.com/v/HYJbrmGvqUY
1st Arthur Wint (JAM) 46.2, 2nd Herb McKenley (JAM) 46.4, 3rd Mal Whitfield (USA) 46.9;
Wint also went on to win another Silver for Jamaica in the 800m final!
http://www.youtube.com/v/JghKZaSBwhw
1st Mal Whitfield (USA) 1:49.2, 2nd Arthur Wint (JAM) 1:49.5, 3rd Marcel Hansenne (FRA) 1:49.8;
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Trinidad & Tobago
1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 0
Bronze: 2
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
1952 Weightlifting Featherweight Rodney Wilkes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Wilkes) 322.5 BRONZE
1952 Weightlifting Middle Heavyweight Lennox Kilgour (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lennox_Kilgour) 402.5 BRONZE
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=13&cty=TRI
Online video footage of T&T's 1952 Helsinki Olympics medal winning performances:
Helsinki 1952 Olympics Games Opening Ceremony
http://www.youtube.com/v/MRjHQPbJ6m8
T&T wins two bronze medals in Weightlifting courtesy of Rodney Wilkes & Lennox Kilgour
http://www.youtube.com/v/5_yItmOth1I
Go to 2:00 for Rodney Wilkes Lifting & to 2:27 for Rodney Wilkes at Medal Ceremony!
Featherweight: 1st Chimishkyan (URS) 337.5, 2nd Saksonov (URS) 332.5, 3rd Wilkes (TRI) 322.5;
Go to 5:29 for Lennox Kilgour Lifting!
Middle Heavyweight: 1st Schemansky (USA) 445, 2nd Novak (URS) 410, 3rd Kilgour (TRI) 402.5;
On a related note, Trinidad born & breed McDonald Bailey who represented Great Britain
in the 1952 Olympics placed 3rd behind Herb McKenley of Jamaica in a very close 100m final!
http://www.youtube.com/v/MCSxLJK4_-I
In video McKenley of JA is in lane 2, Remigino of USA is in lane 3 & Bailey of GBR/TRI is in lane 5.
1st Lindy Remigino (USA) 10.4, 2nd Herb McKenley (JAM) 10.4, 3rd McDonald Bailey (GBR) 10.4;
To view full list of Helsinki 1952 Olympics 100m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1952_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_100_metres
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Trinidad & Tobago
1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 1
Bronze: 2
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
1964 Track & Field 200m Men Edwin Roberts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Roberts) 20.6 BRONZE
1964 Track & Field 400m Men Wendell Mottley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendell_Mottley) 45.2 SILVER
1964 Track & Field 4x400m Relay Men Wendell Mottley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendell_Mottley) 3:01.7 BRONZE
1964 Track & Field 4x400m Relay Men Edwin Roberts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Roberts) 3:01.7 BRONZE
1964 Track & Field 4x400m Relay Men Edwin Skinner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Skinner) 3:01.7 BRONZE
1964 Track & Field 4x400m Relay Men Kent Bernard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Bernard) 3:01.7 BRONZE
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=16&cty=TRI
Online video footage of T&T's 1964 Tokyo Olympics medal winning performances:
Tokyo 1964 Olympics Opening Ceremony & Bob Hayes runs 100m 10-flat=WR
http://www.youtube.com/v/RgkVxoixMm8
1st Bob Hayes (USA) 10.0, 2nd Enrique Figuerola (CUB) 10.2, 3rd Harry Jerome (CAN) 10.2;
To view full list of Toyko 1964 Olympics 100m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1964_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_100_metres (Note: Wilton Jackson of T&T ran 10.6 and went out in heat 3 of 1st round.)
T&T wins Bronze medal in Mens 200m final courtesy of Edwin Roberts
http://www.youtube.com/v/mdfB8ni1FK0
1st Henry Carr (USA) 20.3, 2nd Paul Drayton (USA) 20.5, 3rd Edwin Roberts (TRI) 20.6;
To view full list of Toyko 1964 Olympics 200m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1964_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_200_metres (Note: Clifton Bertrand of T&T placed 5th and went out in heat 3 of 2nd round.)
T&T wins Silver in Mens 400m final courtesy of Wendell Mottley & we also win
Bronze in Mens 4 x 400m Relay final courtesy of Skinner > Bernard > Roberts > Mottley
(Sorry no sound on this video)
http://www.youtube.com/v/Y9wcD_eUpO4
In the 400m final Mottley nearly won the gold medal but was pipped by Larrabee just before the line!
Result: 1st Michael Larrabee (USA) 45.1, 2nd Wendell Mottley (TRI) 45.2, 3rd Badewski (POL) 45.6;
To view full list of Toyko 1964 Olympics 400m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1964_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_400_metres (Note: T&T 's Edwin Skinner was 8th in the final & Kent Bernard went out in the semifinal.)
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From 0:35 Mens 4x400m relay: 1st USA 3:00:7, 2nd GBR 3:01:6, 3rd TRI 3:01:7;
In the 4x400m relay Mottley was in 2nd position on final leg with 50m left but got pipped by Britain!
To view full list of Toyko 1964 Olympics 4 x 400m Relay Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1964_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_4_x_400_metres_relay (Note: Jamaica was also in final & placed 4th behind T&T out of the medals.)
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Trinidad & Tobago
1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal
Medals Won
Gold: 1
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
1976 Track & Field 100m Men Hasely Crawford (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasely_Crawford) 10.06 GOLD
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=19&cty=TRI
Online video footage of T&T's 1976 Montreal Olympics medal winning performances:
Montreal 1976 Olympics Opening Ceremony
http://www.youtube.com/v/fmpLL_VMAtc
T&T wins Gold medal in Mens 100m final courtesy of Hasley Crawford
http://www.youtube.com/v/73JPTcAZN64
1st Crawford (TRI) 10.06, 2nd Quarrie (JAM) 10.08 & 3rd Borzov (URS) 10.14.
:applause: :applause: :applause:
To view full list of Montreal 1976 Olympics 100m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1976_Summer_Olympics_-_Men%27s_100_metres
Note: T&T athletes Ainsley Armstrong & Chris Brathwaite went out in the semis & heats respectively!
Maestro did a great tribute song for Crawford called "Gold!" that documents his historic victory!!
http://www.youtube.com/v/UAXiO5Gjnm4
Sing along: "Lane one Champion, Montreal Gold Medal, Gold, Gold, the fastest human..."
"Gold" was also played by the Third World Steel Orchestra at '77 Panorama Finals!
http://www.youtube.com/v/LY0p4m9e0NA
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Trinidad & Tobago
1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 0
Bronze: 2
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
1996 Track & Field 100m Men Ato Boldon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ato_Boldon) 9.90 BRONZE
1996 Track & Field 200m Men Ato Boldon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ato_Boldon) 19.80 BRONZE
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=24&cty=TRI
Online video footage of T&T's 1996 Atlanta Olympics medal winning performances:
Atlanta 1996 Olympics Opening Ceremony
(Top Trinidad Carnival costumes, designers & dancers were involved in ceremony)
http://www.youtube.com/v/_pSAMQL2J4A
T&T wins Bronze medal in Mens 100m final courtesy of Ato Boldon
http://www.youtube.com/v/Hi47Wms081I
Linford Christie of Great Britain is disqualified after two false starts!
http://www.youtube.com/v/xFAxj5G-uSQ
Race is finally run with new 100m world record by Donovan Bailey, Ato is 3rd!
Results: 1st Bailey (CAN) 9.84WR, 2nd Fredericks (NAM) 9.89, 3rd Boldon (TRI) 9.90.
To view full list of Atlanta 1996 Olympics 100m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1996_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_100_metres
T&T wins another Bronze medal in Mens 200m final courtesy of Ato Boldon
http://www.youtube.com/v/zOZajO0rCP4
Race is won by Michael Johnson in new 200m world record & Ato clocks 19.80 for 3rd!
Results: 1st Johnson (USA) 19.32WR, 2nd Fredericks (NAM) 19.68, 3rd Boldon (TRI) 19.80.
To view full list of Atlanta 1996 Olympics 200m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1996_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_200_metres (Note: T&T's Neil DeSilva went out in the semis after placing 8th in 21.26.)
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Trinidad & Tobago
2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 1
Bronze: 1
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
2000 Track & Field 100m Men Ato Boldon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ato_Boldon) 9.99 SILVER
2000 Track & Field 200m Men Ato Boldon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ato_Boldon) 20.20 BRONZE
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=25&cty=TRI
Online video footage of T&T's Sydney 2000 Olympics medal winning performances:
Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony
http://www.youtube.com/v/v4aBLaEdT7w
T&T wins Silver medal in Mens 100m final courtesy of Ato Boldon
http://www.youtube.com/v/ezcdSVzGwz4
Results: 1st Greene (USA) 9.87, 2nd Boldon (TRI) 9.99, 3rd Thompson (BAR) 10.04.
To view full list of Sydney 2000 Olympics 100m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_2000_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_100_metres (Note: T&T's Niconner Alexander went out in the heats after placing 5th in 10.56.)
T&T wins Bronze medal in Mens 200m final also courtesy of Ato Boldon
http://www.youtube.com/v/auX7GZxKL1s&NR=1
Results: 1st Kenteris (GRE) 20.09, 2nd Campbell (GBR) 20.14, 3rd Boldon (TRI) 20.20;
Hardluck to Obadele Thompson who clocked same time as Ato but got edged out for the bronze.
To view full list of Sydney 2000 Olympics 200m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_2000_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_200_metres (Note: T&T's Julian Raeburn went out in the heats after placing 6th in 21.21.)
The biggest race of the 2000 Sydney Olympics was the Womens 400m Final with Cathy Freeman!
Its just a pity that Marie-José Pérec (FRA) wasn't able to handle the media pressure and pulled out!
http://www.youtube.com/v/xNmuyxlZ9Kk
Results: 1st Freeman (AUS) 49.11, 2nd Graham (JAM) 49.58 & 3rd Merry (GBR) 49.72;
To view full list of Sydney 2000 Olympics Womens 400m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_2000_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women%27s_400_metres
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Trinidad & Tobago
2004 Summer Olympics in Athens
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 0
Bronze: 1
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
2004 Swimming 200m Individual Medley Men George Bovell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bovell) 1:58.80 BRONZE
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=26&cty=TRI
Online video footage of T&T's Athens 2004 Olympics medal winning performances:
Athens 2004 Olympics Opening Ceremony
http://www.youtube.com/v/Up6gaJ4cvu4&NR=1
T&T wins Bronze medal in Mens Individual Medley 200m swim final
courtesy of George Bovell in lane 2 near top of your screen.
http://www.youtube.com/v/Gl3-hMvB4bg
1st Phelps (USA) 1:57:14, 2nd Lochte (USA) 1:58:78, 3rd Bovell (TRI) 1:57:80;
George Bovell lost out on Silver by the length of his fingernail! ;)
To view full list of Athens 2004 Olympics 200m Mens Individual Medley Results from Heats thru to Final click this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming_at_the_2004_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_200_metre_individual_medley
On a related note, no Olympics is complete without the drama of the world's fastest man showdown! Unfortunatley the 2004 100m final was won by a now proven drug cheat but lets taken it in all the same!
http://www.youtube.com/v/RTfBClsSXRE
Result: 1st Gatlin (USA) 9.85, 2nd Obikwelu (POR) 9.86 & 3rd Greene (USA) 9.87;
To view full list of Athens 2004 Olympics Mens 100m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_2004_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_100_metres (T&T athletes Ato Boldon, Marc Burns & Nicconnor Alexander all went out in the rounds.)
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Trinidad & Tobago
2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 2
Bronze: 0
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
2008 Track & Field 100m Men Richard Thompson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Thompson_(athlete)) 9.89 SILVER
2008 Track & Field 4x100m Relay Men Richard Thompson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Thompson_(athlete)) 38.06 SILVER
2008 Track & Field 4x100m Relay Men Aaron Armstrong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Armstrong) 38.06 SILVER
2008 Track & Field 4x100m Relay Men Keston Bledman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keston_Bledman) 38.06 SILVER
2008 Track & Field 4x100m Relay Men Marc Burns (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Burns) 38.06 SILVER
2008 Track & Field 4x100m Relay Men Emmanuel Callander (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuel_Callander) 38.06 SILVER
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=47&cty=TRI
Online video footage of T&T's Beijing 2008 Olympics medal winning performances:
Beijing 2008 Olympics Opening Ceremony
http://www.youtube.com/v/TWKrpUjt5a0
T&T wins Silver medal in Mens 100m final courtesy of Richard Thompson
http://www.youtube.com/v/qslbf8L9nl0
Bolt runs a new 100m world record of 9.69 & Richard Thompson is 2nd in 9.89.
Results: 1st Bolt (JAM) 9.69, 2nd Thompson (TRI) 9.89, 3rd Dix (USA) 9.91.
To view full list of Beijing 2008 Olympics Mens 100m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_2008_Summer_Olympics_-_Men%27s_100_metres
Note: T&T's Marc Burns placed 7th in the final while Darrel Brown went out in the quarterfinals!
T&T wins Silver medal in Mens 4 x 100m relay final courtesy of
Keston Bledman > Marc Burns > Emmanuel Callander > Richard Thompson
http://www.youtube.com/v/Kc_bPeCUgdE
Jamaica runs a new 4 x 100m relay world record of 37.10 & T&T is 2nd in 38.06.
Results: 1st JAM 37.10, 2nd TRI 38.06 & 3rd JAP 38.15.
To view full list of Beijing 2008 Olympics Mens 4 x 100m Relay Results from Heats thru to Final click this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_2008_Summer_Olympics_-_Men%27s_4x100_metre_relay
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Thanks for all the great video posts, it'll surely be educational for the younger posters in here.
It was for me as well.
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Ato shoulda have 3 golds....sad damn drug tiefs and dem.
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When I say Ato and Rt have nothing to proof for me, allyuh might say I am crazy. For a tiny country with a dysfunctional TF organization, we ent doing that bad. Could be better. Hopefully better results in the future.
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Glad you guys
Thanks for all the great video posts, it'll surely be educational for the younger posters in here.
It was for me as well.
Glad you guys enjoyed the video footage!!
Was trying to find better video footage of Mottley winning silver in the 400m final and also of our 4 x 400m relay team winning bronze in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics but that was the best/only video footage I could find (no sound!) Hopefully I'll be able to find better video footage for those great performances soon.
Remember Mottley almost won us our first Olympic individual track gold medal in the 400m way back then in 1964 but got pipped at the line!
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yeah pro is a bess
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yeah pro is a bess
I'll also try to compile a similar T&T Medal Winning History for us at the World T&F Athletics Championships when I get the time!
That Olympics History was a nice little exercise! :beermug:
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yeah pro is a bess
I'll also try to do compile a similar T&T Medal Winning History for us at the World T&F Athletics Championships when I get the time!
That Olympics History was a nice little exercise! :beermug:
I never realized that Mottley not only got walked down in the 400m final but also the 4x400m relay. We were in second on the home stretch but it looks like Germany pipped him (not shown).
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yeah pro is a bess
I'll also try to do compile a similar T&T Medal Winning History for us at the World T&F Athletics Championships when I get the time!
That Olympics History was a nice little exercise! :beermug:
I never realized that Mottley not only got walked down in the 400m final but also the 4x400m relay. We were in second on the home stretch but it looks like Germany pipped him (not shown).
Yeah yuh correct!! That's why he probably retired and went into politics not too long after!! :laugh:
Btw I think the fella that pipped Mottley on the final leg of the 4 x 400m relay was British not German as GBR is the abbreviation for Great Britain!! Germany's abbreviation is GER!
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Ato shoulda have 3 golds....sad damn drug tiefs and dem.
Please explain?!!
In which races would Ato have won gold if it wasn't for the cheats and which athletes exactly in those races should lose their Olympics medal(s) for cheating?
Many thanks!
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breds Maurice, de greek and Micheal Johnson ALL facking juicers.....steups
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Socapro this is nice man. Now let's see if we can do something about 99.9% of our athletes who win 1 individual medal, once, and that's it. That's the craziest stat I learned this year on this board.
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Socapro this is nice man. Now let's see if we can do something about 99.9% of our athletes who win 1 individual medal, once, and that's it. That's the craziest stat I learned this year on this board.
Does that include, Worlds, Panam. Commonwealth and CAC?
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NO but someone here showed that all but one TnT athlete has 1 medal from one global games (non relay)
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That someone was me ;), Ato is the only athlete that we have that so far won indviduals medals at the major championships , that is the Olympics and the Worlds , where the best of the worlg gathers. But dont worry all of that will change in 2012
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So far only Ato and Wilkes have won medals in back to back Olimpics or more than one Olimpic games. Lets hope someone, RT and Bovell can replicate these two esteemed gentlemen feat. God Bless.
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1956 and 64 we were part of the WI Fed. How many medals did the Fed won in that period.
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Don't forget that Crawford had a hamstring pull in the 100m final of the 1972 München Olympics in Germany and could possibly have medalled there in addition to winning the 100m Gold medal at Montreal in 1976, 4 years later!
In fact if you do some research you’ll find out that the time Crawford ran in his ’72 Olympics quarter-final of 10.18 would have actually won him the silver medal in the final if he hadn't pulled up in the final. And considering that he would have been holding something back in reserve for the final to challenge Valery Borzov and others top contenders for the title, I believe that had Crawford not pulled up with his hamstring in the final that he would have most likely medalled based on his form and times he ran in the heats, quarters, etc leading up to the final.
Also in Montreal 1976 if Crawford didn’t pull his hamstring again in the 200m final I believe he could have won the silver behind Don Quarrie of Jamaica but it wasn’t to be.
Click the link below to confirm the times ran by Hasley and his rivals in the 1972 100m heats, quarters, semis & final and you will see the strength of my argument that he would have medalled there!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1972_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_100_metres
I believe that if Crawford did not have those regular hamstring problems during his career that he would have won at least at two individual Olympic medals in two different Olympics ie ’72 & ‘76. In fact I believe part of his motivation for winning gold in ’76 was that he knew he had a good chance of medalling in ’72 if it was not for his hamstring pull in the final.
All things considered it is clear to me that Hasley Crawford was not a one hit wonder as many foks not in the know may try to argue (looking at his one Olympic gold medal) but he was unfortunately plagued by hamstring problems during his career that affected his potential medal haul at the major global championships. He was indeed a world class sprinter who was tops in his time over a period of at least 8 years barring his regular hamstring problems. :beermug:
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Also 1980
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1956 and 64 we were part of the WI Fed. How many medals did the Fed won in that period.
Don't think the W.I. Federation was formed until January 1958 (disbanded in May 1962) so we still would have taken part in the 1956 Olympics as seperate countries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indies_Federation
And I don't think that either T&T or Jamaica won any medals in 1956 Olympics in Melbourne bad showing but interestingly enough the Bahamas won their first Olympic medal ever a Bronze in sailing in 1956! See link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=14&cty=BAH
In Rome 1960 we did take part as the West Indies Federation but only won two bronze medals! See this link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=15&cty=BWI
In Tokyo 1964, it was back to business as usual and T&T won 3 medals (a silver & 2 bronze) as given in our Olympics history higher up in this thread!
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Also 1980
Yeah there was some issue with him having to borrow someone else's spikes that were too big for him (because his were damaged/lost?), resulting in him not advancing.
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1956 and 64 we were part of the WI Fed. How many medals did the Fed won in that period.
Don't think the W.I. Federation was formed until January 1958 (disbanded in May 1962) so we still would have taken part in the 1956 Olympics as seperate countries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indies_Federation
And I don't think that either T&T or Jamaica won any medals in 1956 Olympics in Melbourne bad showing but interestingly enough the Bahamas won their first Olympic medal ever a Bronze in sailing in 1956! See link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=14&cty=BAH
In 1960 we did take part as the West Indies Federation but only one two bronze medals! See this link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=15&cty=BWI
In 1964, it was back to business as usual and T&T won 3 medals (a silver & 2 bronze) as given in our Olympics history higher up in this thread!
"Technically", there's another Olympic medal for T&T with McDonald Bailey winning the 100m bronze for UK in 1952:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald_Bailey
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1956 and 64 we were part of the WI Fed. How many medals did the Fed won in that period.
Don't think the W.I. Federation was formed until January 1958 (disbanded in May 1962) so we still would have taken part in the 1956 Olympics as seperate countries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indies_Federation
And I don't think that either T&T or Jamaica won any medals in 1956 Olympics in Melbourne bad showing but interestingly enough the Bahamas won their first Olympic medal ever a Bronze in sailing in 1956! See link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=14&cty=BAH
In Rome 1960 we did take part as the West Indies Federation but only won two bronze medals! See this link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=15&cty=BWI
In Toyko 1964, it was back to business as usual and T&T won 3 medals (a silver & 2 bronze) as given in our Olympics history higher up in this thread!
"Technically", there's another Olympic medal for T&T with McDonald Bailey winning the 100m bronze for UK in 1952:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald_Bailey
Yeah, ah forgot about him that traitor!! >:(
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how you go call the man a traitor. The NAAAs probably "forced" him to make a decision.
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how you go call the man a traitor. The NAAAs probably "forced" him to make a decision.
Yuh might be right! Are you saying that they were a waste of time from since back in the 40's/50's?
Did we have a properly functioning NAAA back then? Remember this is before we gained independence eh!
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how you go call the man a traitor. The NAAAs probably "forced" him to make a decision.
Yuh might be right! Are you saying that they were a waste of time from since back in the 40's/50's?
Did we have a properly functioning NAAA back then? Remember this is before we gained independence eh!
From the NAAA's website - History:
NAAATT History
Amateur Athletic Association
The Amateur Athletic Association of Trinidad and Tobago (AAA) organised national championships from 1946 to 1962. These succeeded the Empire Day meetings held from the start of the century until 1945. The AAA did not stage championships after 1962 due to internal politics within the organisation. Championships were again held in 1969 and 1970 under the auspices of the National Athletes Union (NAU) who facilitated the formation of the National Amateur Athletic Association of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAA) in 1971.
Regarding MB, since Wilkes represented T&T in 1948 he had the option to do so in 1952 even though they were all British subjects at the time. Who knows what drove his decision. Not passing judgment.
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how you go call the man a traitor. The NAAAs probably "forced" him to make a decision.
Yuh might be right! Are you saying that they were a waste of time from since back in the 40's/50's?
Did we have a properly functioning NAAA back then? Remember this is before we gained independence eh!
From the NAAA's website - History:
NAAATT History
Amateur Athletic Association
The Amateur Athletic Association of Trinidad and Tobago (AAA) organised national championships from 1946 to 1962. These succeeded the Empire Day meetings held from the start of the century until 1945. The AAA did not stage championships after 1962 due to internal politics within the organisation. Championships were again held in 1969 and 1970 under the auspices of the National Athletes Union (NAU) who facilitated the formation of the National Amateur Athletic Association of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAA) in 1971.
Regarding MB, since Wilkes represented T&T in 1948 he had the option to do so in 1952 even though they were all British subjects at the time. Who knows what drove his decision. Not passing judgment.
I'm thinking the same thing!
At any rate he was living/settled in England at the time and probably thought representing them would reap him certain benefits despite all the racism and stuff that existed at the time! Hope he managed to get the benefits he was looking for but not sure how many English folks today would remember or care too much who McDonald Bailey is.
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dais serious research you do dey pro :beermug:
especially those archival youtube clips.......we go hadda rename yuh librarianpro
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how you go call the man a traitor. The NAAAs probably "forced" him to make a decision.
my ignoramus. Well, what I should have said is the governing body for TF in TT at the time may have done something not to his liking, which made it easier for him to chose the mudder country instead of TT.
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1956 and 64 we were part of the WI Fed. How many medals did the Fed won in that period.
Don't think the W.I. Federation was formed until January 1958 (disbanded in May 1962) so we still would have taken part in the 1956 Olympics as seperate countries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indies_Federation
And I don't think that either T&T or Jamaica won any medals in 1956 Olympics in Melbourne bad showing but interestingly enough the Bahamas won their first Olympic medal ever a Bronze in sailing in 1956! See link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=14&cty=BAH
In 1960 we did take part as the West Indies Federation but only one two bronze medals! See this link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=15&cty=BWI
In 1964, it was back to business as usual and T&T won 3 medals (a silver & 2 bronze) as given in our Olympics history higher up in this thread!
"Technically", there's another Olympic medal for T&T with McDonald Bailey winning the 100m bronze for UK in 1952:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald_Bailey
Btw, I've added video footage I've found of that 1952 100m final to the 1952 Helsinki Olympics T&T History information above! :beermug:
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Trinidad & Tobago
1948 Summer Olympics in London
Medals Won
Gold: 0
Silver: 1
Bronze: 0
Year Sport Event Athlete Result Medal
1948 Weightlifting Featherweight Rodney Wilkes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Wilkes) 317.5 SILVER
NB: You can click athlete's name for link to their bio.
Olympics database confirmation link:
http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=12&cty=TRI
Online video footage of T&T's London 1948 Olympics medal winning performances:
London 1948 Olympics Games Highlights Including Mens 100m Final
http://www.youtube.com/v/zOss0tq-eo4
Trinidad born & breed McDonald Bailey who represented Britain placed 6th in the 100m final.
1st Harrison Dillard (USA) 10.3, 2nd Barney Ewell (USA) 10.4, 3rd Lloyd LaBeach (PAN) 10.4;
To view full list of London 1948 Olympics 100m Results from Heats thru to Final click this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1948_Summer_Olympics_-_Men%27s_100_metres
Note: George Lewis of T&T placed 4th in heat 2 of 100m quarterfinals and did not progress.
T&T wins its 1st ever Olympic medal Silver courtesy of Rodney Wilkes
http://www.youtube.com/v/EC50r2ldLko
Go to 2:38 for Rodney Wilkes Lifting & to 3:48 for Rodney Wilkes at Medal Ceremony!
Featherweight: 1st Fayad (EGY) 332.5, 2nd Wilkes (TRI) 317.5, 3rd Salmasi (IRA) 312.5;
On a related note, in 1948 Jamaica also won their 1st ever Olympic medals
Gold & Silver courtesy of Arthur Wint & Herb McKenley in the 400m final!
http://www.youtube.com/v/HYJbrmGvqUY
1st Arthur Wint (JAM) 46.2, 2nd Herb McKenley (JAM) 46.4, 3rd Mal Whitfield (USA) 46.9;
Wint also went on to win another Silver for Jamaica in the 800m final!
http://www.youtube.com/v/JghKZaSBwhw
1st Mal Whitfield (USA) 1:49.2, 2nd Arthur Wint (JAM) 1:49.5, 3rd Marcel Hansenne (FRA) 1:49.8;
Seeing that T&T won our very first Olympic medal all the way back in 1948 in weightlifting and then followed it up with more weightlifting medals in 1952, I can't help but wonder what have we been doing as a country to maintain our world class weightlifting tradition established over two generations ago in the past?!
Are we sending any world class weightlifters to the London 2012 Olympics next year and if not then why not? Alternatively if we are sending some weightlifters to London next year then how well can we expect them to perform on the biggest World stage? Are they medal contenders? And if not why not?
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Up to the late 60's we were still ptretty decent in weightlifting. There was a guy call Brandon Bailey who I think(not sure?) won Commonweath bronze.
http://chidlovski.net/liftup/l_athleteStatsResult.asp?a_id=1279
Yep! Commonwealth and PanAms.
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Congrats to Rodney Wilkes on winning the Life Time Achievement Award as T&T 1st ever Olympian at the 2011 SOSA Awards!!
Hope his health improves with the government support and he achives good health in 2012 and can witness many many more SOSA Awards in his lifetime!!
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Bump!
I think all the athletes on our just selected Olympic Squad need to go thru this thread for some positive inspiration before heading off to represent us at the London 2012 Olympics.
So everyone please ensure you send the link for this thread: (http://www.socawarriors.net/forum/index.php?topic=54969.0)
to all the T&T Olympic athletes you have contacts for.
Many thanks & bless! :beermug:
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1956 and 64 we were part of the WI Fed. How many medals did the Fed won in that period.
Don't think the W.I. Federation was formed until January 1958 (disbanded in May 1962) so we still would have taken part in the 1956 Olympics as seperate countries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indies_Federation
And I don't think that either T&T or Jamaica won any medals in 1956 Olympics in Melbourne bad showing but interestingly enough the Bahamas won their first Olympic medal ever a Bronze in sailing in 1956! See link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=14&cty=BAH
In Rome 1960 we did take part as the West Indies Federation but only won two bronze medals! See this link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=15&cty=BWI
In Toyko 1964, it was back to business as usual and T&T won 3 medals (a silver & 2 bronze) as given in our Olympics history higher up in this thread!
"Technically", there's another Olympic medal for T&T with McDonald Bailey winning the 100m bronze for UK in 1952:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald_Bailey
Yeah, ah forgot about him that traitor!! >:(
does he still live in England ??/
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1956 and 64 we were part of the WI Fed. How many medals did the Fed won in that period.
Don't think the W.I. Federation was formed until January 1958 (disbanded in May 1962) so we still would have taken part in the 1956 Olympics as seperate countries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indies_Federation
And I don't think that either T&T or Jamaica won any medals in 1956 Olympics in Melbourne bad showing but interestingly enough the Bahamas won their first Olympic medal ever a Bronze in sailing in 1956! See link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=14&cty=BAH
In Rome 1960 we did take part as the West Indies Federation but only won two bronze medals! See this link: http://www.databaseolympics.com/country/countryyear.htm?g=15&cty=BWI
In Toyko 1964, it was back to business as usual and T&T won 3 medals (a silver & 2 bronze) as given in our Olympics history higher up in this thread!
"Technically", there's another Olympic medal for T&T with McDonald Bailey winning the 100m bronze for UK in 1952:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald_Bailey
Yeah, ah forgot about him that traitor!! >:(
does he still live in England ??/
No, he returned to T&T many years ago and unfortunately went blind and now lives in a care-home.
See article in thread entitled "Ex-Olympian McDonald Bailey now blind and living in Care Home at 92" at this link (http://www.socawarriors.net/forum/index.php?topic=57047.0) for more details.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Wilkes_leads_the_way-162674456.html
Wilkes leads the way
Olympic Medal Men—an 8-part series
By OLYMPIAN, written by Dr Basil Ince, was published in 2011.
Story Created: Jul 16, 2012 at 10:54 PM ECT
The book examines, in detail, the history of Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic participation. Included in OLYMPIAN are profiles of the country's eight individual Olympic medallists, between 1948 and 2008. Between July 17 and August 9, excerpts from those eight profiles are being featured in the pages of the Trinidad Express.
The profiles, in their entirety, are being published on the Express website (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics).
Today, we feature T&T's first Olympic medallist, weightlifter Rodney Wilkes.
He earned silver at the 1948 Games in London, England, and bronze at the 1952 Games in Helsinki, Finland.
The plan (at the London Games): Rodney would take three lifts in the press, the snatch, and the clean and jerk. In each lift he would start at the lowest weight and increase the poundage progressively. His lowest weight would be generally much higher than that of other competitors.
Rodney was in top shape, and not long after they arrived at Empress Hall, Earl's Court, his coach, manager, and masseur, Lionel Seemungal sent him to the dressing room to sleep.
Seemungal explained: "He had a phenomenal ability to sleep at any time instantly under the most incredible conditions. He could be talking to you and he would put his head on a pillow on the floor, or a plane which was on the tarmac in the blazing sun, and he would sleep."
Rodney had a good snooze because lesser mortals had started at lower poundages and it took some time before it was his turn.
As his turn approached, Seemungal went in and tapped the sleeping Rodney on the shoulder: "Rodney, get up and warm up."
Rodney warmed up using 100 lbs or a fairly light weight. The time for psychological ploys was over. The moment of truth was at hand.
At the night of the weigh-in, all the competitors in the 132 lb class were stark naked waiting to mount the scale. The US was represented by a Hawaiian-American, named Kotaro Ishikawa. Seemungal approached Ishikawa, tapped him on the shoulder, and stated, "You is Ishikawa. Rodney Wilkes is going to clip your head tonight."
The flustered Ishikawa apparently did not know what the phrase meant, so he went to his coach, Bob Hoffman, to complain.
The next thing Seemungal knew was that Hoffman was accosting him: "Look, what do you mean by threatening my man?" "Me, threaten your man?" Seemungal queried. "Yes," retorted Hoffman, "Ishikawa says that Rodney Wilkes will cut off his head tonight."
Ishikawa's inability to understand the phrase had made Seemungal's psyching ploy even more effective.
Rodney stuck to the plan and made his three attempts in each lift. He was successful in all nine attempts.
All along, however, Hoffman was trying to send Rodney behind Mahmoud Fayad, the Egyptian lifter, eventual winner of the gold. Hoffman's tactic was to entice Rodney to call for heavier poundage in the hope that he would fail, thereby allowing Ishikawa to place in the final.
Seemungal did not take the bait. He knew that Fayad was superior to Rodney in the fast lifts so he saw no reason to deviate from his battle plan.
The Egyptian lifters had quite a reputation and excelled at the fast lifts. In fact, German scientists at the Olympics in Berlin, had timed the light weightlifter Shams, one of the Egyptians, as the fastest of them all.
According to Bland, Shams' "footwork in performing the snatch was a miracle of speed as he hurled his body below the barbell which had to be snatched at arm's length overhead in a single movement."
In the end Rodney came in second to a superb lifter. The final lifts were Rodney, 214 1/2 press, 214 1/2 snatch and 269 1/2 clean and jerk; a total of 698 1/2 lbs. Fayad 203 1/2, 231 and 297, a total of 731 1/2 lbs.
Fayad beat Rodney by 32 lbs, while Rodney was 11 lbs ahead of the Iranian, Jaffar Salamassi.
Rodney had won the nation's first Olympic medal.
Everything worked well for Rodney that day. Prior to competing, Seemungal had massaged him with his favourite liniment, tequila.
According to Seemungal, "He loved tequila. I mean if push came to shove you could use rubbing alcohol. But he loved tequila."
Rodney had become very friendly with the Mexicans in 1948, a friendship which was renewed at the Pan Am Games in Buenos Aires three years later. The Mexicans believed that Rodney was drinking the tequila and handed him as many bottles as he wished. Little did they know that he was using it for massage. The massage had to be applied in a special way.
In Seemungal's words: "He has to be massaged with a feather touch. Don't be rough at all. You got to be like a fairy doing it to him."
Rodney was unsure about going to Helsinki because he never knew if there would be funds to send a team.
Seemungal, who did not attend those Games, remembered that Rodney was not prepared to meet the formidable Russians. Freddy Mendes, who went as manager of the weightlifting team, substantiated this statement.
"If Rodney had two weeks in Helsinki," he asserted, "he would have won."
Alexander Chapman, former president of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Association (TTOA), recalled that there were trials for Rodney at the Drill Hall on Tragarete Road just prior to going to Helsinki. Rodney barely mustered something like 665 lbs.
By the time Rodney was in Helsinki a few weeks later, his total had skyrocketed to 710 lbs.
US officials deliberately set out to assist Rodney in the Helsinki Games, all in the spirit of the Cold War. The Cold War was at its height, and international games were an integral part of politics. It was the first time that the Russians were taking part since the Games resumed in 1948. Consequently anyone who could beat the Russians became a friend of the Americans.
Freddy Mendes accepted the assistance of US officials in a number of ways, but all the technical assistance of the Americans was to no avail.
Rodney surpassed his total of four years before but had to settle for the bronze medal, behind two Russians, Rafael Chimishkyan and Nikolai Saksonov.
Chimishkyan's lifts were: press 214 1/2, snatch 231 and clean and jerk 297, for a total of 742 1/2 lbs. He defeated his Russian mate Saksonov by 11 pounds, while the latter defeated Rodney by 22 pounds.
Rodney's lifts were: press 220, snatch 220 and clean and jerk 269 1/2, for a grand total of 709 1/2 lbs.
With the powerful new comers on the scene, the 10 lb increase Rodney had made from 1948 was not sufficient. In fact, the fourth placed Rodrigo del Rosario of the Philippines was just 11 pounds behind Rodney's total and he set an Olympic record in the press, beating not only Rodney, whose strongest lift was the press, but also the Russians.
This was Rodney's second Olympic medal, and he returned home with Lennox Kilgour, who had also won a bronze in the newly created middle-heavyweight division.
For the full Rodney Wilkes profile and other articles, log on to http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics.
On Thursday (July 19), we feature Lennox Kilgour.
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This may be a bit late. I think he should have a sport facility named after him. It is the least that could be done. Yes, Crawfie is the first and only golden one. But he is the first Trini to win a medal. And he repeat in the next Olimpic also. So far, only Ato has done that. God Bless. He is a true Warrior. I hope KAB will final do it for the ladies. Come on Kelly-Ann!!!!!!
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Kilgour_claims_bronze-162987866.html
Kilgour claims bronze
Olympic Medal Men—an 8-part series
Story Created: Jul 19, 2012 at 12:41 AM ECT
OLYMPIAN, written by Dr Basil Ince, was published in 2011. The book examines, in detail, the history of Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic
participation. Included in OLYMPIAN are profiles of the country's eight individual Olympic medallists, between 1948 and 2008. Between July 17 and August 9, excerpts from those eight profiles are being featured in the pages of the Trinidad Express.
The profiles, in their entirety, are being published on the Express website (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics).
Today, we feature weightlifter Lennox Kilgour.
He earned bronze at the 1952 Games in Helsinki, Finland.
The question of financial assistance for athletes preparing for international competition is one that has received considerable attention worldwide. During the Cold War years, international sports became virtually a "war without weapons," and the Olympics were usually the focus of such international competition.
The intense competition between the Soviet Union and the United States emanated from the desire of these countries to proclaim the superiority of their political and socioeconomic systems. This behaviour explains the unofficial tallying of medals once the Soviet Union entered the Games in 1952. It is in this context that one can understand countries doing their best to assist their athletes.
Trinidad and Tobago was not isolated from the Cold War, and many Trinbago athletes, especially those based in the United States from the seventies onward, caught the mood of the times. Some of them demanded as much financial aid as possible to assist them with their expenses, especially during the summer months preceding the games.
Nineteen fifty-two was the year the Soviet Union re-entered the Games, and the mood that later characterised the seventies was non-existent in Trinbago at that time. Generally all athletes preparing for the Olympics faced the expense of preparation. In Trinidad and Tobago, it was a case of getting time off from work to train assiduously.
Take the case of Lennox Kilgour in 1952. His situation is not singular but epitomises the position of many athletes at home and abroad.
In 1952 he was employed at the Port Services where he worked from 7 am to 4 pm. He trained after work and returned to the job at 6 pm. Because the pipes that were being loaded into the gondolas had to reach the oil fields in the South by 7 o'clock in the morning, his job was to supervise the operation until it was completed, usually in the early morning.
The money earned from the extra hours was spent on dietary supplements, which also led to the loss of sleep. Kilgour regarded those days as a "wonderful experience". Lest one believes that experiences of this nature occur only in the Third World, the case of Vince Matthews, the US gold medallist in the 400m at the 1972 Olympics demonstrates that it is not much different. He recalls in his book, My Race Be Won (1974), that many evenings after working late he would have to climb over the wall to gain entry to the Boys High School track in Brooklyn to train.
Triumph in adversity makes the victory much more rewarding. Lennox talked about the use of vitamins as dietary supplements. What sort of diet did he follow? "In those days," he explained, "we the weightlifters were guided by what we read in Health and Strength. That is milk, ice cream…we used a lot of figs, oranges, fruits on the whole and that was it…Supplements I could remember taking were things like cod liver oil and malt. I could not afford steak but I ate well." In other words, when Kilgour ate 'well' that meant that he ate what his money could buy. Whether it was the most appropriate diet is open to question.
There was the usual uncertainty about funds for the 1952 Olympic Games and it did not end until close to departure time. As Gour explained, "we got on the team the night before we went on the plane. Mr. L.C. Hannays was then on the Legislative Council arguing for funds. Our bags were packed but up to the night before, we were not sure he would get the funds."
The uncertainty and the nagging doubts of leaving for the Games made the actual leaving a dream.
"That morning at 7 o'clock, when we were about to leave Freddie Mendes came to my home at 21-23 Tragarete Road, and asked me if I was ready. My bags were packed and I accompanied him to Piarco where we met Rodney Wilkes. We then embarked. Up to then I was not sure that I was on the plane. It seemed so fantastic. It was a dream."
Kilgour believed that he was in good condition for Helsinki. He had been carrying on extensive correspondence with John Davis, who had advised him how to reach his peak and maintain it. In fact, at competition time, Mendes did lots of communicating with Davis about the desired poundage that Kilgour should attempt. This was Mendes's first trip to a major international games. He had to learn fast and that he did.
On this occasion Davis and Kilgour were not lifting in the same division. The former was in the heavyweight division, while Kilgour was lifting in the newly formed middle heavyweight division (198 1/4 lbs). Wilkes was also assisting in relaying messages between Kilgour and Davis, who was located in the US quarters.
Kilgour was competing against the great US lifter Norbert Schemansky who would later go on to become the only weightlifter to win four Olympic medals. Why all this relaying of messages between the Trinidad and US camps? No Cold War animus was involved because Schemansky was far superior to the Russian competitor, Grigori Novak, and was assured of the gold. Neither was it an effort for Kilgour to beat Schemansky. It was simply because of the strong bond that had grown between Kilgour and Davis, and the latter wanted to see his protégé do well.
When the dust of the battle had settled, Schemansky emerged victorious, Gregory Novak, the Russian, second and Lennox Kilgour of Trinidad third.
Schemansky had totalled an aggregate of 979 lbs for a new world record. His individual lifts were press 2801/2 lbs, snatch 308 lbs, a world record, and clean and jerk 3901/2 lbs, also a new world record. Schemansky scaled new heights to beat his Cold War rival and the Trinidad boy.
Kilgour's lifts were: press 275, snatch 264, and clean and jerk 3461/2 lbs, a total of 8851/2 lbs. Such was Schemansky's superiority that he outlifted Lennox by 931/2 pounds. Schemansky was in a race of his own but Lennox stayed within striking distance of the Russian and lost by 16 1/2 pounds.
It was a brilliant effort. It was to be Kilgour's only medal at an Olympic Games. Four years later in Melbourne he would lift 27 1/2 lbs less and finished in seventh place.
For the full Lennox Kilgour profile and other articles, log on to http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics.
On Tuesday, July 24, we feature George Bovell.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Bovell_claims_first_swimming_medal-163499146.html
Bovell claims first swimming medal
Olympic Medal Men—an 8-part series
Story Created: Jul 23, 2012 at 11:00 PM ECT
OLYMPIAN, written by Dr Basil Ince, was published in 2011. The book examines, in detail, the history of Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic participation. Included in OLYMPIAN are profiles of the country's eight individual Olympic medallists, between 1948 and 2008. Between July 17 and August 9, excerpts from those eight profiles are being featured in the pages of the Trinidad Express.
The profiles, in their entirety, are being published on the Express website (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics).
Today, we feature swimmer George Bovell.
He captured bronze in 2004, in Athens, Greece.
Here he was at the start of the 200m Intermediate Medley (IM) final, all 6'5" of him, before the crouch of course, along with the seven other finalists, all carrying with them, on their finely tuned bodies, their hopes and spirations, and at the same time the hopes and aspirations of their coaches and their nations.
The ritual of the early morning workouts, and the afternoon workouts had all come down to this. George had already been quoted as saying "I am excited at the prospect of swimming against the best in the world at the Olympics." He tried to block it all out. He had already done all that was required of him, and now found himself in lane 2, trying to focus on the task at hand. He had gone this route already in the preliminaries and in the semi-final.
Yes, the day before at the Olympic Aquatic Center in Athens, Greece, the birth place of the Olympics, George had started his trek to the final. Drawn in lane 4 in the fifth heat, George came home third in 1:59.46. Already he had gone farther than any other national at the Olympic Games. All that earned him was an opportunity to return in the evening at 20:44 to race again in the semi-final. The pressure was off a little. He knew what he could do.
Drawn in lane 5, he finished in 2:00.65, ahead of him the Hungarian, Lazlo Csech in 1:59.50. All was going to plan. Exactly six minutes before his semi-final, two serious contenders had already qualified for the final. Michael Phelps, the hot favourite had won in a relaxed 2:00.01, while the other American, Ryan Lochte, had coasted home in 2:01.41. Everyone was holding back for the big one. And so, the battle lines were drawn for the next day.
That's how George found himself in lane 2, poised to win the nation's first Olympic medal in swimming, and the nation's sole medal at the Games.
The race was off. Phelps grabbed the lead from the start and never relinquished it in a wire to wire win. At the end of the first 50m Lochte was back in fifth, George in sixth. At the end of the second 50m, the backstroke, George maintained his position.
Generally, George has a pretty good idea where he is in a race. As he put it, "I checked my rearview mirror." What his rearview mirror showed was that he was still in sixth position. Half of the race was over and it was time to make a move.
Checking the rearview mirror isn't the only thing on George's mind during the race. All in a flash, he considers if he is doing his stroke properly, how hard he is pushing himself, and how he judges the distance from the wall so that he can execute his turns smoothly. At the same time, he is checking out the opposition. Who's out fast, and from his experience, who's a fast finisher. In other words, George has a panoramic view of the race.
At the start of the third leg, the breaststroke, Lochte's and George's positions remain unchanged. It was on the third 50m that George made his move, swimming powerfully into second position. He traversed the third phase of the race in 33.95 seconds to move him into second spot behind the flying Phelps. Lochte remained fifth, but not for long. At this point, George seemed to have a lock on the silver. That was until Lochte made his move slicing through the last 50m, the freestyle, in 28.19 to George's 28.64.
George and Ryan Lochte were no strangers. They had swum competitively on several occasions, and George had had the better of him. Not today in the Olympic final when it counted most. Lochte's surge carried him from fifth to second, just enough to grab silver from George by two hundredths of a second.
George was on cloud nine. "That was sweet," he exulted. "I've been in a couple of world championship finals, finishing in fourth or fifth. So I'm just ecstatic about finally finishing in the top three, especially at the Olympic Games. It's just surreal; a dream come true. It's bittersweet though having been so close to second."
His Trinbago coach, Anil Roberts explained: "His freestyle hasn't been that great at this meet because of the shoulder blade. We didn't work the freestyle too much, so I was just a little worried about George getting home."
Anil's reference was to George's shoulder injury a few days before.
George's parents and coaches were ecstatic. They felt that their sacrifices for their son had been justified. Trinidad and Tobago was agog with its first medal of the Games and its first ever in swimming.
In years to come, other nationals may win Olympic medals in swimming, but George Bovell III will always be the first.
For the full George Bovell profile and other articles, log on to http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics.
On Thursday, July 26, we feature Edwin Roberts.
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how you go call the man a traitor. The NAAAs probably "forced" him to make a decision.
my ignoramus. Well, what I should have said is the governing body for TF in TT at the time may have done something not to his liking, which made it easier for him to chose the mudder country instead of TT.
Bailey has explained it numerous times in interviews. He was living in England and happy to represent TT. However, he received a letter from his father ( a former TT cricketer) who informed him it would be wiser to represent Eng. because the local AAA had not yet picked a team or gotten the proper funding. Rather than be panicking at the last minute, go with the UK option.
Not surprising, considering that the Olympics before the athletes didn't know until about two hours before they got on the plane.
VB
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how you go call the man a traitor. The NAAAs probably "forced" him to make a decision.
my ignoramus. Well, what I should have said is the governing body for TF in TT at the time may have done something not to his liking, which made it easier for him to chose the mudder country instead of TT.
Bailey has explained it numerous times in interviews. He was living in England and happy to represent TT. However, he received a letter from his father ( a former TT cricketer) who informed him it would be wiser to represent Eng. because the local AAA had not yet picked a team or gotten the proper funding. Rather than be panicking at the last minute, go with the UK option.
Not surprising, considering that the Olympics before the athletes didn't know until about two hours before they got on the plane.
VB
:beermug:
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Thanks Vb!!!! I kind of arse-sumed correctly. The gov't "eff-up". 2 hrs before they go on the plane. Imagine if you is a reserve or standby and you in Piarco ready to go. Then they come and tell yuh sorry,you not going. Listen to it on Redifusion.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Roberts_secures_half-lap_bronze-163807376.html
Roberts secures half-lap bronze
Olympic Medal Men—an 8-part series
Story Created: Jul 26, 2012 at 12:00 AM ECT
OLYMPIAN, written by Dr Basil Ince, was published in 2011. The book examines, in detail, the history of Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic participation. Included in OLYMPIAN are profiles of the country's eight individual Olympic medallists, between 1948 and 2008. Between July 17 and August 9, excerpts from those eight profiles are being featured in the pages of the Trinidad Express.
The profiles, in their entirety, are being published on the Express website (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics).
Today, we feature sprinter Edwin Roberts.
He captured half-lap bronze in 1964, in Tokyo, Japan.
The 1964 Tokyo Olympics were due to begin on October 11th. None of the athletes knew for certain that Trinidad and Tobago was sending a team until the first week of August when the father of one of the athletes contacted him. The official notification was to follow later.
The writer recalls the daily ritual of asking, "Have you heard anything as yet?" The response was always 'No'. In fact, two of the members of the team were preparing to register for the new academic year. As one wearily informed me, 'Training was not a priority."
That summer Edwin Roberts came to New York, trained for a short time with Kent Bernard and Ed Skinner, ran a couple of development meets, then returned to North Carolina to train with his coach. The two Eds and Kent, when they were all in NY, seldom trained together. Ed Skinner trained in Brooklyn, Kent in the Bronx, and when Ed Roberts was in NY they made an effort to get together.
The final member of the (4x400 metres) quartet, Wendell Mottley, went to Trinidad and when he returned to the States went to California where his coach at Yale, Bob Giegengack, who happened to be the coach of the US team, was in camp with his charges.
Ed received word of the arrangement of a pre-Olympic tour which would take him out to Vancouver, Canada.
According to Ed Skinner, "pre-Olympic tour was too big sounding a phrase. It was one track meet that we ran in Vancouver."
The tour, however late and brief, was psychologically important. It brought the quartet together.
Wilfred Tull, the former Trinidad miler, then resident in Brooklyn, had been appointed as manager-coach for the tour and Cliff Bertrand made arrangements for the group to train at NYU's track. Although each member of the quartet pursued his own programme in New York, they had the opportunity to practise baton-passing. Working out together and doing baton practice for two weeks allowed them to develop some sort of camaraderie.
When Ed left for Tokyo he was in good shape. Despite the fact that he had not heard from Trinidad for the longest while during the summer, he felt certain that a team would be sent. He had maintained his training schedule in North Carolina and in New York, and he had run competitively in Vancouver.
It was in Vancouver that the quartet ran together competitively for the first time. They beat a second-string US team, Canada and Jamaica in a 4x400m relay.
When Ed arrived in Tokyo he was recognised as a medal contender in the 200m. He had run a series of good times during the year, had won the open 100m at the Penn relays, and had already tangled with the main medal contenders on US soil.
Ed liked what he saw when he arrived in Tokyo and at the Games Village. He had been to major international competition before (British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth) but these were 'out of sight.' He was there to make the ultimate effort. He was confident but never over confident.
Every one going into a major games must have some queasiness. Even the eventual winner Henry Carr, one of the greatest 200m men, had some nagging self-doubts on the eve of the Games.
On Friday, October 16 when competitors for heat number 6 were called, Ed was amongst them. Since Perth, he had competed in the United States, the mecca of sprinting, and had gained invaluable experience. He knew the quality of the competition to expect because he had run with the 'top boys' in the States. He ran 20.8 in his first heat. These were the Olympics and he was taking no chances.
Paul Drayton of the US had run 20.7 in his opening round and the Canadian speedster, Harry Jerome, had done 20.9 in his heat.
When Ed lined up for his second round heat, Peter Radford, whom he had met two years ago in Perth, was stripping down for that very heat. That was the last he was to see of Radford—at least for the heat. Ed returned 20.9, with Radford out of contention. Paul Drayton and Ed had run the fastest second round heats.
Big Henry Carr, who ran 21.0 in his heat, had not turned on the jets as yet.
Ed had advanced to the semis which are run like finals because everyone wants to get into a final.
When Ed walked out for the semi-final on Saturday, October 17, he knew that it was not going to be a soft one. In it were Henry Carr, ranked high on the list of the best 100-200-400 men; Livio Berruti, the defending Olympic champion, who had thrilled his Italian compatriots four years ago in Rome; Harry Jerome, the Canadian speed merchant, and Roger Bambuck, one of the many French sprinters who hailed from France's department in the Caribbean, Martinique.
This semi was not going to be any cake walk. It was a virtual final. The only major competitor missing was Paul Drayton, who in the first semifinal had tied the Olympic record of 20.5 set by Berruti in Rome.
Carr, Berruti and Ed separated themselves from the rest of the pack as they headed for the tape in that order in the respective times of 20.6, 20.7 and 20.8. Harry Jerome made it to the final in 21.0, just edging out Bambuck who was credited with the same time.
One hurdle was behind Ed. He was now in the final and he zeroed in mentally on it. He had no time for history but he remembered that two other Trinbagonians— McDonald Bailey and Mike Agostini—had lined up for a 200m Olympic final and had finished in fourth spot, just out of medal contention. Ed had even read that Herb McKenley had finished fourth in 1948. He was determined to beat that fourth jinx.
Perhaps it may have slipped Ed that Harry Edward who ran for Britain at the 1920 Games in Antwerp was Guyanese and that he had won the bronze.
But Ed pushed all that stuff out of his mind because before his very eyes was reality in the persons of Carr, Drayton, Jerome, Berruti, Foik (Poland) Stebbins (USA) and Offolina (Italy). He received the lane of his choice in the final, lane 8 but felt nervous.
At the crack of the pistol he moved out hard and never stopped running until he crossed the finish line in 20.6 seconds, a tenth of a second behind the silver medal winner, Paul Drayton. Ahead of Drayton was Henry Carr in a new Olympic record of 20.3. He had become the first Olympic medallist of an independent Trinidad and Tobago. Four years later in the rarefied atmosphere of Mexico, he was to run faster (20.3) but not receive a medal.
For the full Edwin Roberts profile and other articles, log on to http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics.
On Tuesday, July 31, we feature Ato Boldon.
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Great historical article that goes beyond mere statistics, and gets into the details of the administrative, logistical, physical, and psychological challenges, preparation, and "heat of the battle"/tactical execution that our past heroes had to endure and conquer to accomplish what had not be done before in their events - true pioneers. Should be great food for thought for our current athletes.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Boldon_in_hallowed_company-164352876.html
Boldon in hallowed company
Olympic Medal Men—an 8-part series
Story Created: Jul 30, 2012 at 11:01 PM ECT
OLYMPIAN, written by Dr Basil Ince, was published in 2011. The book examines, in detail, the history of Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic participation. Included in OLYMPIAN are profiles of the country's eight individual Olympic medallists, between 1948 and 2008. Between July 17 and August 9, excerpts from those eight profiles are being featured in the pages of the Trinidad Express.
The profiles, in their entirety, are being published on the Express website (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics).
Today, we feature sprinter Ato Boldon.
He bagged two bronze medals at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and then earned 100 metres silver and 200 metres bronze four years later, in Sydney, Australia.
Ato's double bronze in the sprints (in Atlanta) validated him as one of the top sprinters of his time. His medals indicated that "I could be a force for a number of years."
Most top sprinters have two good shots to medal at the Olympic Games. Ato, therefore, would be at his peak at Sydney in 2000. In Atlanta he proved that he was among the world's elite sprinters. The challenge for him was to improve his Atlanta showing and keep himself in contention for Sydney. And so 1997 was a vintage year for him.
He collected his first gold at the World Championships in the 200m. Just prior to those Championships he had run an incredible double at Stuttgart, 9.90 and 19.77 within 45 minutes. In the following year he flew down to the Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur and set a new record, duplicating Mike Agostini's gold in 1958.
Ato continued to run fast times in 1999, running 9.86 twice before sustaining a serious muscle injury. It forced him to miss the Championships in Seville. This setback, however, opened a new door for him as a broadcaster, a capacity in which he has received tremendous praise.
In September, 1996, Maurice Greene, dissatisfied with his running career, left the Kansas cornfields and drove to Los Angeles to place his future in the hands of John Smith. After finishing in second place at the US nationals in 1995, Greene suffered an injury and had failed to make the American Olympic team in 1996.
Ato was in his senior year at UCLA but he was also a member of Smith's camp, Handling Speed Intelligently (HSI). Both sprinters in the same camp became friends and training partners.
At the outset Ato was no doubt the senior partner in the firm of Boldon and Greene. After a meet in 1997 where Ato had recorded a 9.89 and Greene a 10.15 in a 100m, Ato was to remark to Smith: "John, I need to teach him. Do you mind if I bring him over and show him the film and everything and the things he needs to do?" Greene was a quick learner, and later that year he ran 9.96 and 9.80. The battle was on.
Maurice was a double world champion in 1999 while an injured Ato did commentaries for the BBC. Greene's consistency in 1999 made it obvious that he was the man to beat. Inevitably the relationship devolved and Ato was to say: "There will be no tag-teaming this year. It's every man for himself."
On the other hand, Greene was determined to bring back the 100m crown to the United States. Ato again indicated his sentiments on his training with his partner, now the main contender for the Olympic crown in Sydney: "I will continue to be a cat burglar. I won't smash a front window. I'll enter through the back so I won't be noticed."
Olympic Year 2000 was difficult for Ato. He could not follow his usual pattern of workouts, and his layoff from the previous season, because of an injury, literally threw him off track. Getting back in shape was his challenge.
"I'm using the indoor season to sharpen up. If I wait until the outdoors I'll be a year out of competition. The indoor 60's I'll be running is a means to an end."
But during the outdoor season, he never achieved the quick times he usually did. He continued the pedestrian times (compared to his past performances) in August. This sort of form carried into the Games. His times of 10.04, 10.11, 10.13 and 9.99 told the story. Compare these with his times at Atlanta four years earlier—10.06, 9.95, 9.93 and 9.90.
When he did 9.95 in Atlanta, it was the fastest-ever quarter-final mark, as was his 9.93, the fastest-ever qualifying time in a preliminary. Granted that the Atlanta track may have been faster, the difference is obvious.
In his interview with NBC following the 100m, he confessed: "I had to deal with not winning the 100m, which was fine. I felt with what I was doing this year, I was happy to net silver. This has been a tough year. I have not rattled off 9.8s like I used to. I thought anything I got in the I00m was good with me. The 200m is mine to lose."
Funny and articulate, the media liked Ato. In his second race of the season in 1996, he had run 9.93 and gave us the sound bite: "I don't feel like I've gone to the well." In the following year he opened up with a 9.89, "the fastest legal clocking in May," and for the third year in succession, he opened up with a windy 9.89.
The quote that "the 200m is mine to lose" was made on the form of previous years, not the form of 2000. Again, like the100m, the times tell the story. The times of the preliminaries were 20.52, 20.28, 20.20 and 20.20 in the final. His Atlanta times were 20.26, 20.25, 20.05 and the final, 19.80.
Ato had every opportunity to win the 200m but his body did not allow him to do so.
"I knew that I was in trouble because I was tired from the rounds of the 100m and I knew it would be a struggle for me to win on that night," he admitted afterwards.
In the race, he got an excellent start, just as in the 100m. His reaction time at the pistol was .163, identical to that of the 100m. His reaction time was faster than anyone in both races and an in-form Ato would have walked over that field in lane 8.
As things turned out, the judges had problems separating him and Obadele Thompson, the fourth place finisher, with whom he had the identical time.
Luck prevented Ato from gold in the 200m. Or rather, bad luck did. In form in previous years, his lengthy lay-off prior to Olympic year was the culprit. Generally, no one knows what to do after such a layoff, because it is usually a first-time experience.
Responding in a David Robson interview regarding his greatest disappointment in sport, he identified the Sydney 200m, adding that he was unable to run a better 200m after taking second in the 100m, "because a sub 20, which I've done quite a bit, would have won the gold that night."
Nevertheless, his third place finish put him in a category where no Caribbean sprinter has ever been—in the hallowed company of Carl Lewis and Frankie Fredericks, the only winners of four individual Olympic medals in the sprints.
For the full Ato Boldon profile and other articles, log on to http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics.
On Thursday, August 2, we feature Richard Thompson.
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At the outset Ato was no doubt the senior partner in the firm of Boldon and Greene. After a meet in 1997 where Ato had recorded a 9.89 and Greene a 10.15 in a 100m, Ato was to remark to Smith: "John, I need to teach him. Do you mind if I bring him over and show him the film and everything and the things he needs to do?"
What's wrong with this picture?
I wonder if he would do anything differently?
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It shows the type of person Ato is. I don't have a problem with it.
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It shows the type of person Ato is. I don't have a problem with it.
Funnily enough I believe Bolt has a similar relationship with Blake.
It’s just that Bolt and Blake are countrymen so Jamaica don't lose out if/when Blake beats Bolt.
Because Ato and Greene were not countrymen, T&T lost out once Greene got as good as and then started to consistently beat Ato.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Thompson_bolts_to_silver-164693666.html
Thompson bolts to silver
Olympic Medal Men—an 8-part series
Story Created: Aug 2, 2012 at 12:41 AM ECT
OLYMPIAN, written by Dr Basil Ince, was published in 2011. The book examines, in detail, the history of Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic participation. Included in OLYMPIAN are profiles of the country's eight individual Olympic medallists, between 1948 and 2008. Between July 17 and August 9, excerpts from those eight profiles are being featured in the pages of the Trinidad Express.
The profiles, in their entirety, are being published on the Express website (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics).
Today, we feature sprinter Richard Thompson.
He seized silver in the 100 metres dash at the 2008 Games, in Beijing, China.
Before Richard Thompson burst forth on the athletic scene, he had done a couple of international outings but did not advance to the final at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2007. He also ran at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, and finished eighth in the semi-final of the 100m.
In 2008, however, after a sterling year at Louisiana State University in which he raced unbeaten in the 100m, Richard was ready to take on the best in the world at the Olympics.
In his first heat at the Games in Beijing, Thompson clocked 10.24 seconds and that was the last time that he would run above the 10-second mark at the Olympics. In all his other races he ran sub 10 times, running faster on each occasion.
Champions improve their times on each successive run. In his second heat, Thompson who is blessed with the ability to start fast, ran 9.99 seconds to beat the American, Tyson Gay. Gay had won the 100m at the US trials but had pulled a muscle in the 200m and never regained his earlier zip.
Both semi-finals were hot. In the first, the Jamaican Usain Bolt ran 9.85 seconds, with Dix following in 9.95, and the other Trinidad and Tobago entrant, Marc Burns, recording a swift 9.97 seconds. In the second semi-final, the other Jamaican, Asafa Powell, hurtled to a 9.91 seconds 100m, with Thompson on his heels in 9.93, and Churanda Martina of the Netherlands Antilles third in 9.94 seconds.
This was a fantastic final in which six of the eight finalists had run sub 10 seconds in the semi-finals. It was also historic because six of the eight finalists were from the Caribbean. Michael Frater of Jamaica had joined his Caribbean colleagues in the final.
At the crack of the gun, only Dix could match Thompson coming out of the blocks with a reaction time of .133 seconds. Powell was on their heels with .134, with Bolt having the second slowest reaction time of .165. The eventual fourth place finisher, Martina, had come out of the blocks in .169.
Although Thompson was out before Bolt at the start, Bolt soon caught up with Thompson. Richard confirms: "I had a pretty good start. I thought I was with Usain up to about 15m and I just felt him pulling away after that."
During the race as Bolt accelerated, Thompson knew that he could not match the "phenomenal" Bolt. Usain was about his own business. He covered the distance in a new world and Olympic record of 9.69 seconds despite slowing down in the last 20 metres. Had Bolt not purposely decelerated, University of Oslo physicist, Hans Kristian Eriksen, opined that he could have recorded 9.55 seconds.
Thompson was ecstatic to have won the silver in 9.89 seconds and described his second place after Bolt as a "great accomplishment." Dix secured the bronze in 9.91, Martina fourth in 9.93, Powell fifth in 9.95, and Frater sixth in 9.97.
It was a proud day for Thompson who joined the Trinidad and Tobago exclusive band of 100m medallists, McDonald Bailey, Hasely Crawford, and Ato Boldon.
But Thompson had more work to do since he was a member of the national team in the 400m relay.
While competing at Louisiana State he had been a workhorse on its relay teams, which won gold medals at the NCAA Championships in 2006 and 2008. He had also had the opportunity to run with national relay squads and had competed in 2008 at the CAC Games and the NACAC Games with Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, and Aaron Armstrong where they ran 38.54 seconds, then the second fastest time in the world.
In the qualifying round the team of Bledman, Burns, Armstrong, and Thompson started in lane 8, one lane outside the US team. Bledman had replaced the ailing Darrel Brown on the national team which had no problem qualifying. The US team, however, dropped the baton and did not reach the final. At that point it seemed that the race for the gold would be contested between the Jamaican and Trinbagonian teams.
The Jamaican team, however, had an advantage on paper since three of its members had reached the 100m final, and its fourth member, Nesta Carter, had already run a sub ten 100m.
Trinidad and Tobago fielded the same qualifying team with the exception of Emmanuel Callender who replaced an ailing Aaron Armstrong.
The teams ran true to form with Jamaica winning the gold with a jaw-dropping world record of 37.10 seconds.
Trinidad and Tobago grabbed silver with a tremendous run by Thompson who had to make up ground. The national team clocked 38.06 seconds in winning Trinidad and Tobago's first Olympic relay medal since the 1600m team of Ed Skinner, Kent Bernard, Ed Roberts, and Wendell Mottley in 1964.
The margin of victory of the Jamaican team was .96 seconds, the largest since the US team with Jesse Owens beat the Italian team in 1936.
The national team exulted in its victory and two of its members could be forgiven for saying that the silver medal felt like gold.
In his first Olympic Games Richard Thompson had won two silver medals.
Richard, the last of the four children of Ruthven and Judith Thompson, was born in Port of Spain on June 7, 1985. He attended Newtown Boys RC school before proceeding to Queen's Royal College.
He was always into sports and participated in football, swimming, karate, and in athletics, he did track, the javelin, the triple jump, and the long jump. Richard admits to being "sort of discovered" when he played football since they put him to play on the right wing on account of his speed. But football was not to be his métier and he concentrated on athletics.
For the full Richard Thompson profile and other articles, log on to http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics.
On Tuesday, August 7, we feature Wendell Mottley.
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Well done Pro, that was a true history lesson on T&T in the Olympics for me :applause:
First time I even saw the full race of Crawford winning gold :beermug:
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/One-lap_silver_for_Mottley-165217926.html
One-lap silver for Mottley
Olympic Medal Men—an 8-part series
By Dr Basil Ince
Story Created: Aug 6, 2012 at 10:58 PM ECT
OLYMPIAN, written by Dr Basil Ince, was published in 2011. The book examines, in detail, the history of Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic participation. Included in OLYMPIAN are profiles of the country's eight individual Olympic medallists, between 1948 and 2008. Between July 17 and August 9, excerpts from those eight profiles are being featured in the pages of the Trinidad Express.
The profiles, in their entirety, are being published on the Express website (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics).
Today, we feature quartermiler Wendell Mottley.
He secured 400 metres silver at the 1964 Games, in Tokyo, Japan.
It was the tenth day of the Olympics held in Tokyo in 1964 and Trinbagonians waited with bated breath. There was the distinct possibility that Trinidad and Tobago would win its first gold medal in the Olympic Games.
The closest the country had ever come to winning gold was back in 1948 when the 'Mighty Midget' from the South, Rodney Wilkes, had placed second to the Egyptian, Mahmoud Fayad, in the featherweight division in the weightlifting competition in London. Fifteen kilos had separated Rodney from the gold.
Had Rodney won, there would have been joy and celebration in Trinidad but nothing of the order of what would have greeted a gold medallist in 1964.
For one thing Trinidad had not yet become independent and the nationalism that was to grow, especially after the Chaguaramas Base issue, had not yet reached that level. In addition, the Olympic Games had not yet made the impact on Trinbagonians as they do today. In fact when Trinidad and Tobago's most successful team in history returned from the Olympic Games in 1952, there was no one to greet them officially at the airport.
Rodney Wilkes and Lennox Kilgour, a two-man team, had returned with two medals-a 100% success. No other Trinbago team has duplicated this feat and is highly unlikely to do so in the future. It is a record that will stand in perpetuity.
But who was this young man who had captured the imagination and attention of the people of Trinidad and Tobago? He was a slim 5' 8" foot bespectacled young man who had recently graduated from Yale University and had continued his running career at that institution after winning the Victor Ludorum at Queen's Royal College in 1959.
The basis of the people's hopes was not without foundation. Wendell Mottley had begun his search for gold in the 400m with a searing 45.9 seconds in the very first round. It was three tenths of a second faster than the next fastest time in that round. Perhaps he had gone too fast.
Later that evening Wendell returned to clock a tenth of a second faster in his second round heat. On this occasion his 45.8 seconds was four tenths of a second faster than that of Olan Cassell (USA), who had the next fastest time.
The heats were not easy. The schedule was a harsh one and taxed the physical resources of all the competitors who advanced through the rounds.
"What helped me," Wendell recalls, "was using one of those huge Japanese masseurs. He was able to ease the muscles out and rid them of some of the strain, so that I went back on to the track for the next rounds of heats feeling as new as when I first went into the heats."
The semi-final would tell the people of Trinidad and Tobago if Wendell's intentions were sincere. They discovered the sincerity of his intentions when he again clocked another sub-46 time. This time he eased up in 45.9 seconds and was nudged into second place by the British hope, Robert Brightwell, who clocked 45.7 seconds.
Either Wendell had realised it himself or someone had told him that he had gone too fast in the early rounds which would take the spring out of his legs for the final.
Such consistency—45.9, 45.8, 45.9—to put it mildly, had raised the hopes of all Trinbagonians. And that is precisely why they waited with bated breath, on the tenth day of the Games, Monday, October 18, 1964 at 2 pm.
Wendell was in the 400m final and excitement was running fever high. Wendell himself was confident. Unlike many other finalists who had had difficulty sleeping the night before the final, Wendell had slept like a baby. Why not?
"Everything had been done and there was nothing else to do," he informed matterof-factly.
He was in lane seven but this did not faze him.
"It did not bother me running in the outer lane because I more or less ran my own race paced by myself."
One of his key rivals, Ulis Williams of the United States, was ahead of him in lane eight, but all the other competitors were behind him where they could see what Wendell was doing and key off on him.
At the gun Wendell was off at a quick pace. At the 200m mark he was in the lead having done 21.6. Right behind him were Badenski (Poland), Williams (USA) and Brightwell (Britain). As the runners moved around the turn, Larrabee (USA) who was in lane five began to improve his position but he caught only Ed Skinner, Trinidad and Tobago's other finalist in the race. As the runners hit the straight, the order was Mottley, Badenski, Brightwell, Williams and Larrabee.
Wendell picks it up: "I thought that I had the race won coming off the final turn. I was out front and I could actually taste the gold."
Larrabee had other ideas. He had consistently come from behind in all his heats and he was about to do it again. Pumping his arms furiously, he went past all those in front of him save Wendell whom he caught about 10 metres from the tape.
Larrabee's time was 45.1, while Wendell's was 45.2, not far from the time he had done while working out with the American team in California over the summer. Larrabee had pipped Wendell at the tape just as he had pipped Ulis Williams at the tape at the American trials.
The Trinidad and Tobago public was delighted with the silver, but would have been ecstatic, as Wendell would have been, had he struck gold. All Trinbagonians would have to wait a dozen more years to see the gold.
The 'gold' is, in fact, a prize medal 60 millimeters or 2 3/8 inches in diameter and 3 millimeters or 1/8 inch thick, strongly guilded with at least six grams of gold.
Would winning the gold have made any difference in Wendell's life?
"I suppose superficially it might have been different," he conjectures, "but I can't say that there might have been any major changes. I mean, there might have been more razmatazz, but I have more or less lived my life and called my own shots."
For the full Wendell Mottley profile and other articles, log on to http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics.
On Thursday, August 9, we feature Hasely Crawford.
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http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/Crawford__the_Golden_Hero-165537106.html
Crawford, the Golden Hero
Olympic Medal Men—an 8-part series
By Dr Basil Ince
Story Created: Aug 9, 2012 at 12:44 AM ECT
OLYMPIAN, written by Dr Basil Ince, was published in 2011. The book examines, in detail, the history of Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic participation. Included in OLYMPIAN are profiles of the country's eight individual Olympic medallists, between 1948 and 2008. Between July 17 and August 9, excerpts from those eight profiles are being featured in the pages of the Trinidad Express.
The profiles, in their entirety, are being published on the Express website (http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics).
Today, the series concludes with the spotlight on sprinter Hasely Crawford, the country's first Olympic champion. Crawford struck gold in the 100 metres dash at the 1976 Montreal Games.
In 1976 this writer was elected president of the NAAA, and was selected to accompany the track team to Montreal as manager. My interest in track had never wavered and I had followed the progress of all the athletes on the team, but paid closer attention to their performances as the Games drew nearer.
I collected as much information as I could on Hasely from those who had been close to him over the years. Wilton Jackson and Ray Davis, who both competed during my athletic years, were most helpful.
Nausea, weakness, and vomiting are all indicators of the tension that appear just before the big event. At the same time the athlete is psyching himself up. His adrenaline is flowing.
As Hasely and I began to descend a flight of stairs to enter the stadium, he suddenly held both rails and bent over in agony. He blurted out: "Tell me something, tell me something quickly." I hit him a sharp blow in the back vigorously and more soothingly as time went on. I said to him, "Everything's going to be all right…you're in top shape, nobody's going to beat you," while continuing to rub his back.
When we reached the level of the Control Centre, Hasely went ahead and left me behind. He was doing some last vigorous warm-ups before reaching the Control Centre. He did some short rapid bursts on the concrete surface. After that activity he began lifting his knees high and as rapidly as possible (knee lifts). In another instance he was moving his hands, waist high, backward and forward as quickly as possible in running motion.
I had known since Europe that Crawford would win, but after he recovered from his accumulated bout of tension and had told me: "Don't worry. I'm going to beat them all," my confidence knew no bounds.
When we finally reached the Control Centre, I handed him his bag with his equipment and gave him last minute instructions. He shook his head in acquiescence and made his way into the Control Centre.
Hasely describes what transpired after I left him:
"There were two attendants in the room to check your shoes. Two at the door and one inside to check your spikes and make sure your numbers are on properly. I was the last one to come into the room. I started singing. It was a calypso.
"Quarrie said, 'Don't worry with him he is crazy.' And then I said to him, 'if you think I am crazy wait till we go out there, we go see who is crazy.'
"But Borzov kept circling me not saying anything with a kind of sneaky look on his face. I was carrying on at a rate, I was cussing, I was scared, I was nervous, but at the same time I was working off my nervousness.
"Then I saw the two Americans and I went to them and blurted out: 'You two lose.' The only person I couldn't move was Borzov. He just kept one way.
"Then they walked us out. It's amazing when you go out there. You don't see anybody. You are scared before you enter the arena. You kind of timid but once you hit that arena you feel nothing. You turn beast. You are a different person. You are not yourself."
Hasely may have "turned beast" but he was very much in control of himself. He knew what he had to do. He had to follow Jackson's instructions, namely, run a full 60m flat out before the race started.
Jackson explains: "I didn't want him to leave anything to chance, of not warming up and being not ready for the first few yards of the race. You just don't leave that kind of thing to chance in an Olympic final."
Jackson noted that Hasely carried out his instructions to the hilt.
Hasely explains what went through his mind when the starter says 'strip.'
"Now between 'strip' and 'get to your marks' is a couple of seconds. I don't think people understand what it is to run a 100m, you know. But in that couple of seconds everything came back to you. Your four years, everything. 'Oh God, ah tell so-and-so ah go beat them. Ah tell Trinidad and Tobago ah go win de race. If ah lose now mih mother go laugh at me.' Everything.
"And then the last thing I remember, I will never forget it. I said: 'I went back to Trinidad and ask for assistance and my own people turn me down. Ah go show them.' I will never forget that. That's the last thing I said."
Hasely then describes the race that millions saw on television, thereby giving an insight into what is going on inside a 100m gold medallist's head during the race. Even when the starter barked 'set' thoughts were still racing through Hasely's mind.
"When I was down there all kinda thing happen to me. When the man say 'set' I remember the white hope and Michigan…Between 1 3/4 and 2 seconds I was rocking; he (the starter) waited till I stopped rocking and the gun went off. I was in Lane 1, Lane 2 was Petrov, Lane 3 was Glance, Lane 4 was Borzov, Lane 5 was Quarrie. To me that's a disadvantage because I'm competitive. I like the middle (lane). I running you. That's why Jackson said he wished I'd come from behind. But me, I always believe that once I'm in trouble…because I didn't move Borzov (in the waiting room), so I knew I was in trouble…and once I in trouble I going in front. Me ain't chancing nutten! Once I have some fear for you, you have to come and get me! I ent giving you no yard; I taking a yard. You come and get me."
So the gun went off.
"I come out nice, but the first man out, I think was Glance. Borzov came out second! And the first thing come to me. I say, 'Jesus Christ, not that blasted white man again.' And I pick myself up and start to run. I ran so hard that at 50 (metres) I couldn't see nobody.
"At 80 metres I was saying to myself—and this is no joke, it might sound strange— 'You mean is so easy to win an Olympic gold medal?' That is what I was saying going down the road. And I think unintentionally I cut my stride. That was when Quarrie came alongside. Quarrie was coming like a shot.
"The time was 10.06. If I'd had help I would have broken the world record that day because I could have gone faster."
For the full Hasely Crawford profile and other articles, log on to http://www.trinidadexpress.com/olympics.