http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2012-07-13/cedenio-fifth-400m-finalsCedenio fifth in 400m finals
Published: Friday, July 13, 2012
Clayton ClarkeMachel Cedenio finished fifth in the men’s 400m finals at the 14th IAAF World Junior Track and Field Championships in Barcelona, Spain, yesterday. The 16-year-old crossed the line in 46.17 seconds, running out of lane eight. Race favourite Luguelin Santos (44.85) of the Dominican Republic won gold with USA’s Arman Hall (45.39) taking silver and Australian Steven Solomon (45.52), bronze. Cedenio fell short of his personal best of 46.02, set at last month’s Sagicor/NGC Senior Championships. The Presentation College, San Fernando student said before the race he expected the outing to be tough but was hoping to dip under 46 seconds. Cedenio’s father, Hayden, was delighted with his son’s performance. “When I see all the hard work he has put into his training, I think it is paying off. He will be hungry now for a medal in the 4x400m on the weekend. I think they could get the gold.”
Meanwhile, Keshorn Walcott became the second T&T athlete to qualify for the finals when he finished second in the men’s javelin qualification. Walcott topped group A with 74.17m getting over the 72.00m standard with his first and only throw. Luke Cann of Australia was the top qualifier with 74.54, the best in Group B. The finals are carded for today at 8.25 pm (Barcelona time)/2.25 pm (T&T time). Kernesha Spann will also be in action after qualifying for the women’s 400m hurdles semifinals. The two-time CAC Junior champion was third in heat two, clocking 59.84. She will line up in lane nine of the second heat at 9.42 pm/3.42 pm (T&T).
Jereem Richards and Jonathan Farinha were semifinalists in the men’s 200m event. Richards (Quantum) was ninth overall in 21.14 seconds and missed out on the finals by 0.08 seconds. He was fourth in heat one and was well off his personal best of 20.82.
Farinha (Abilene Wildcats/QRC) was 21st quickest in 21.72 running into a 4.5m/s head wind. Both advanced out of the preliminaries earlier in the day with Richards 14th best in 21.12 and Farinha 15th (21.19) as the top 24 advanced. Brandon Benjamin also bowed out in the semifinals of the men’s 400m hurdles. He finished fifth in heat two in 51.93 and was 0.20 seconds off his personal best. Today the men’s 4x100m team will be in action in the preliminaries carded for 7.35 pm/1.25 pm.
RESULTS
MEN 400m finals
1 Luguelin Santos Dom Rep 44.85
2 Arman Hall USA 45.39
3 Steven Solomon Australia 45.52
4 Aldrich Bailey USA 45.52
5 Machel Cedenio T&T 46.17
6 Alphas Keken Kishoyian Kenya 46.19
7 Boniface Ontuga Mweresa Kenya 46.50
8 Nikita Uglov Russia 46.61
9 Javon Francis Jamaica 47.57
Javelin qualifying (72.00m or top 12 advance to finals)
2 Keshorn Walcott T&T 74.17
Men’s 400m Hurdles semifinals
19 Brandon Benjamin T&T 51.93
200m semis (Top eighth advance to finals)
9 Jereem Richards T&T 21.14
21 Jonathan Farinha T&T 21.72
Preliminaries (Top 24 advance to semifinals)
14 Richards 21.12 (-0.3) 2h5
15 Farinha 21.19 (+1.1) 4h4
WOMEN400m hurdles (Top 24 advance to semifinals later today)
15 Kernesha Spann T&T 59.84