BRONZE FOR TOBAGO
Josanne Lucas bags medal in World Championship women's 400 metres hurdles final
KWAME LAURENCE (TT Express)
Josanne Lucas is now the First Lady of Trinidad and Tobago sport. The inauguration took place at the Olympic Stadium, here in Berlin, Germany, yesterday.
Lucas struck bronze in the World Championship women's 400 metres hurdles final to reserve her own chapter in the T&T history books. The Tobago lass is the first female athlete from T&T to earn a medal at the global track and field meet.
"We did it," a relieved Lucas exclaimed after the race. "I knew it was going to take a huge personal best."
And she was equal to the task, completing her circuit of the bright blue track in 53.20 seconds, a new national record. The clocking was a full 78-hundredths of a second faster than her previous best - the short-lived 53.98 T&T standard she had established in Tuesday's semi-final round.
Lucas was among the front-runners in the early stages of yesterday's championship race. And when she turned into the home straight, the 2008 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championship gold medallist was locked in a close battle for bronze with American Tiffany Williams. But Lucas was stronger, driving to the line to secure third spot, behind Jamaican Olympic champion Melaine Walker, the gold medallist in 52.42 seconds, and American Lashinda Demus (52.96).
Walker's clocking moved her into second spot on the all-time 400m hurdles performance list. Only world record holder Yuliya Pechenkina (52.34), of Russia, has gone faster.
Lucas, who is now the 17th fastest woman in history in the event, told the Express that yesterday's run was her "most technically sound race" this season.
"I felt very relaxed from the beginning. My main goal was to stay focused and run my race-plan. I knew exactly what I had to do, and it came down to the last 100 metres - whoever wanted it the most."
In the battle for bronze, Lucas wanted it more than Williams, the American fading into fifth spot in 53.83 seconds. Jamaica's Kaliese Spencer clocked 53.56 to finish fourth.
Team T&T manager Dexter Voisin was excited about Lucas' podium finish.
"When I had a team meeting this morning, I said 'normally as a manager I don't predict medals, but I'm asking: Could I have a medal please?' I looked at Josanne, and she looked at me, and I saw it in her eyes."
Lucas said she always aims to deliver.
"My goal was to do my very best, and my best got a medal so that's even better. I'm very happy. We have a very good management team, and a lot of support from the athletes and the Trinidad and Tobago crowd."
Still recovering from her tremendous effort, Lucas said the significance of becoming T&T's first ever female World Championship medallist had not yet sunk in.
"Maybe in a while, but I'm very, very, very, very pleased. Trinidad and Tobago had been supporting us athletes for a very long time, and it's good to actually show something for that support.
"It's not necessarily about being the first female medallist, but it's always to go out there and represent the country very well, whether it's to be a medallist or finalist or doing a personal best."
The 25-year-old hurdler said the future of T&T track and field is very bright.
"The way these Championships are going, there's a lot to look forward to. We have a very young team; we have a very talented team. Just continue supporting us and you'll see the results."
One of the young, talented T&T athletes here in Berlin, sprinter Kelly-Ann Baptiste, competed in the semi-final round of the women's 200m, yesterday. Baptiste was fourth in the third and final heat in 22.96 seconds, and did not qualify for today's championship race.
